The path to defending its Players Era title and another big payday in Las Vegas has been laid out for Michigan basketball.
The Wolverines learned their draw for the early-season tournament Thursday and will play Creighton on Nov. 24 in their first of at least three games.
The event will move to a new format with an expanded field of 24 teams — up from 18 last season — split into two separate bracket-play tournaments over the course of two weeks.
Michigan will be part of a 16-team field dubbed the Players Era 16 that plays Thanksgiving week, along with Alabama, Baylor, Creighton, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Kansas State, Louisville, Maryland, Miami (Florida), Oregon, San Diego State, St. John’s, TCU, Tennessee and Texas Tech.
Michigan’s side of the bracket includes Alabama, Baylor, Creighton, Gonzaga, Kansas State, Miami and TCU. The Wolverines will face either TCU or Miami on Nov. 26 — no games will be played Nov. 25 — and will play a third game Nov. 27 against another team from their side of the bracket.
If Michigan wins its bracket, it will advance to the championship to face the winner of the other bracket Nov. 28. Only the two teams who reach the title game will play a fourth contest.
All games will be played at T-Mobile Arena and Michelob Ultra Arena, and tip times will be announced at a later date.
ESPN is the new broadcaster of the Players Era, which began in 2024 as an eight-team tournament, and will air the games. TNT Sports broadcasted the first two years of the event, which used records and scoring margin to help determine which teams would play for the championship.
Auburn, Florida, Houston, Notre Dame, Rutgers, UNLV and West Virginia make up the eight-team bracket dubbed the Players 8 that will play the week before Thanksgiving.
Last season, all participating teams in the Players Era were guaranteed roughly $1 million in NIL opportunities. Michigan, as the champion, earned an additional $1 million in NIL funds.
Michigan already had committed to participate in the Players Era in 2026 and 2027 as part of the deal it signed to play in last season’s tournament, which the Wolverines won in dominant fashion. They throttled San Diego State, Auburn and Gonzaga by a combined 110 points on consecutive nights, jumpstarting their eventual run to the national title.
Michigan’s loaded nonconference schedule includes a home game against Marquette, a trip to Villanova and a matchup with Duke at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Players Era 16 schedule
Tuesday, Nov. 24 (all times TBD)
Tennessee vs. Maryland
San Diego State vs. Iowa State
St. John’s vs. Oregon
Louisville vs. Texas Tech
Gonzaga vs. Kansas State
Baylor vs. Alabama
Michigan vs. Creighton
TCU vs. Miami (Fla.)
Thursday, Nov. 26 (all times TBD)
Semifinal No. 1: winner of Tennessee-Maryland vs. winner of San Diego State-Iowa State
Semifinal No. 2: winner of St. John’s-Oregon vs. winner of Louisville-Texas Tech
Consolation No. 1: loser of Tennessee-Maryland vs. loser of San Diego State-Iowa State
Consolation No. 2: loser of St. John’s-Oregon vs. loser of Louisville-Texas Tech
Semifinal No. 3: winner of Gonzaga-Kansas State vs. winner of Baylor-Alabama
Semifinal No. 4: winner of Michigan-Creighton vs. winner of TCU-Miami
Consolation No. 3: loser of Gonzaga-Kansas State vs. loser of Baylor-Alabama
Consolation No. 4: loser of Michigan-Creighton vs. loser of TCU-Miami
Friday, Nov. 27 (all times TBD)
Bracket 1 championship: winner of semifinal No. 1 vs. winner of semifinal No. 2
Bracket 2 championship: winner of semifinal No. 3 vs. winner of semifinal No. 4
Bracket 1 third-place game
Bracket 1 fifth-place game
Bracket 1 seventh-place game
Bracket 2 third-place game
Bracket 2 fifth-place game
Bracket 2 seventh-place game
Saturday, Nov. 28 (time TBD)
Players Era 16 championship game
jhawkins@detroitnews.com
@jamesbhawkins
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan basketball to face Creighton in Players Era opener; full bracket set
Reporting by James Hawkins, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
