A season of marquee matchups
ESPN Events has rolled out its 2026‑27 college basketball slate, a nine‑event lineup that brings together 33 programs from 12 conferences. The schedule promises more than 400 hours of live coverage, reaching an estimated 60 million viewers and drawing over 650,000 fans to arenas across the country.
The centerpiece of the early season is the State Farm Champions Classic, returning to the United Center in Chicago on November 10. The event will pit Michigan State against Duke and Kansas against Kentucky in a double‑header that showcases two of the nation’s most storied programs.
A new addition, the Atlantic 10/American Showcase, makes its debut on November 29 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The first edition features Memphis taking on Dayton and South Florida facing Saint Louis, giving fans a first look at several mid‑major contenders.
The Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic will run from November 20‑22 at TD Arena in Charleston, South Carolina. The field includes Dayton, Minnesota, Virginia Tech and other teams, adding a multi‑day tournament atmosphere to the calendar.
From November 23‑27, the ESPN Events Invitational will take place in Kissimmee, Florida. The competition is split into Adventure and Magic groups, with the Adventure bracket showcasing Akron, Appalachian State, Belmont, St. Bonaventure, Wright State and Yale, while the Magic bracket includes Boston College, Cincinnati, Georgia and UCF.
The Dick Vitale Invitational Presented by Belk will highlight Black Friday with a West Virginia versus North Carolina showdown at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The event, curated by the legendary coach, adds a high‑profile national spotlight to the holiday shopping weekend.
Later in December, the Jimmy V Men’s Classic Presented by Modelo returns to Madison Square Garden on December 8. The night will feature Houston versus Alabama and Georgia versus Duke, promising a clash of elite programs in New York City.
The Sprouts Farmers Market espnW Invitational caps the regular season on December 20 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The women’s showcase will pit UConn against LSU and Virginia against Kentucky, underscoring the growing prominence of women’s college basketball.
The schedule also includes a late‑season non‑conference showdown between Louisville and Baylor slated for January 23, rounding out a calendar that features 18 NCAA Tournament teams from both the men’s and women’s sides, including Akron, Alabama, Duke and Kentucky.
Collectively, these events illustrate ESPN Events’ strategy of pairing historic rivalries with fresh showcase formats, while leveraging partnerships with brands such as State Farm, Belk and Modelo to enhance the fan experience.