One fab festival

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Let's get to Tuesday’s news.

1. Players Era Festival loads up with must-see games

The Players Era Festival opened with eight teams in 2024, and promised it’d be bigger and better in Year 2. That promise looks like it’ll be true.

The event announced its schedule for the first two days of games in late November in Las Vegas. It’ll feature 18 men’s teams, 10 of which are likely to be ranked in the preseason Top 25.

The first two days schedule is below, with games at either MGM Grand Garden Arena or Michelob Ultra Arena. All times are ET.

Monday, Nov. 24

• Tennessee vs. Rutgers, 1 pm

• Baylor vs. Creighton, 2 pm

• Kansas vs. Notre Dame, 3:30 pm

• St. John’s vs. Iowa State, 4:30 pm

• Houston vs. Syracuse, 6 pm

• Oregon vs. Auburn, 8 pm

• Alabama vs. Gonzaga, 9:30 pm

• Michigan vs. San Diego State, 10:30 pm

• Maryland vs. UNLV, midnight

Tuesday, Nov. 25

• Rutgers vs. Notre Dame, 1 pm

• Iowa State vs. Creighton, 2:30 pm

• Kansas vs. Syracuse, 3:30 pm

• St. John’s vs. Baylor, 5 pm

• Houston vs. Tennessee, 6 pm

• Michigan vs. Auburn, 8:30 pm

• Gonzaga vs. Maryland, 9:30 pm

• Oregon vs. San Diego State, 11 pm

• Alabama vs. UNLV, midnight

There will be another round of games on Wednesday, but that‘ll depend on the first two days’ outcomes. Per CBS Sports: "teams that go 2-0 on Monday and Tuesday will pool into the championship round on Wednesday. With only two game results to determine who gets to play for the championship and the inevitability of more than two teams being 2-0 by the end of Tuesday, point differential, total points scored, and points allowed will all affect the tally and serve as tiebreakers."

Each school gets $1 million for participating, and the team that wins gets an additional $1 million.

There are only a couple of games that don’t hold a lot of intrigue. I’m excited for the Alabama-Gonzaga matchup — first one to 90 points wins? — and the Iowa State-St. John’s showdown.

For the Johnnies, can Ian Jackson be a point guard, or will the Cyclones' defense force Dylan Darling to run the show? Where is Iowa State's scoring coming from?

Day 2 features a revenge matchup (Tennessee-Houston, a rematch of the 2025 Elite Eight) and an elite guard showdown in Auburn-Michigan.

Oregon, which won the inaugural event, will face San Diego State. This one’s also compelling. The Ducks return the dynamic pick & pop duo of Jackson Shelstad and Nate Bittle. And San Diego State returns NBA prospects Miles Byrd and Magoon Gwath.

2. More names to know from FIBA U19 World Cup

The FIBA U19 World Cup might be the perfect preview for the 2025-26 college hoops season. And that applies to more than just watching Team USA.

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