The nation’s biggest multi-team college basketball event will land in the greater Palm Springs area this week as the 20-team, 18-game hoops extravaganza known as the Acrisure Series will light up Acrisure Arena from Tuesday through Friday.
The 20-team field includes seven undefeated teams, squads from every power conference and high-end mid-majors in position to pick up crucial victories in their quest to make the NCAA Tournament.
“What’s unique about it is the balance of a lot of quality teams playing games that mean a lot to them,” said Dan Shell, president of total sports consulting which puts on this event each year. “We’ve got high-major teams playing games that will help their resume, but I think of teams like Santa Clara and Saint Louis, for example. Those are two excellent NCAA Tournament-caliber teams, and what they do in their two games here may be the difference between being in or left out. These are vital, important games for many of these teams.”
Seven of the 20 teams in the field are still undefeated this season, and Shell said scouts from every single NBA team are planning to attend.
The action tips off at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Here is everything you need to know about the event, including ticket info, what 20 teams are in the field, the schedule, the format and some of the stars you can see in action.
Five players to watch in the Acrisure Series
Bennett Stirtz, Iowa: The Hawkeyes 6-foot-4 guard was No. 15 on an ESPN list of the 100 best players in the nation before the season and he has lived up to that for the 5-0 Hawkeyes. Stirtz is averaging 17.6 points and 6.2 assists per game as he controls the ball and seems to always know whether to distribute or score based on the game situation.
Terrence Brown, Utah: The 6-foot-3 guard who transferred from Farleigh Dickinson is all about putting the ball through the bucket as he is currently the second-leading scorer in the nation, averaging 25.2 points per game. He has scored 21 or more in all six Utes games and loves to drive to the basket and get to the foul line. He’s already had two games in which he shot 15 free throws.
Desmond Claude, Washington: Formerly a star at USC, Claude missed the first four games of the season with an injury, but returned in the Huskies most recent game and had 20 points and six rebounds in the win. A physical and creative guard with a scorer’s mentality, Claude is fun to watch and is teamed with anther USC transfer in the backcourt in Wesley Yates III who is averaging over 16 points per game.
Robbie Avila, Saint Louis: Avila made waves two years ago with his unusual look and exceptional play as a sophomore leading the Billikens into the NCAA Tournament. Now a senior, the 6-foot-10, be-goggled center who drew several clever nicknames including Cream Abdul-Jabbar, averages 13.6 points and 5 rebounds for a 5-0 Billikens team.
Ilias Kamardine, Mississippi: Kamardine, the lanky 6-foot-4 guard from France has been the top player on an undefeated Rebels team, running the show and averaging 15.8 points, 5.2 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game. That included 26 in their best win so far this year over Memphis.
Acrisure Series facts
Acrisure Series tickets and parking
Acrisure Series field
The field: Iowa, Mississippi, Washington, Colorado, Utah, Minnesota, Stanford, Grand Canyon, San Jose State, Northern Iowa, Tulsa, Loyola-Chicago, Nevada, San Francisco, Saint Louis, Santa Clara, Cal Baptist, San Diego, Fresno State, Pepperdine.
Acrisure Series format
Sixteen of the 20 teams will be split into four-team pods that will yield four champions in four mini-tournaments. There will also be two single-game matchups.
Acrisure Series schedule and matchups
(All times Pacific, TV in parenthesis)
TUESDAY NOV. 25 GAMES
WEDNESDAY NOV. 26 GAMES
THURSDAY NOV. 27 GAMES
FRIDAY NOV. 28 GAMES
Shad Powers is a columnist for The Desert Sun. Have a question for him about the Acrisure Series? Shoot him a message at shad.powers@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Schedule, tickets, key players for 20-team Acrisure Series college hoops event
Reporting by Shad Powers, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
