LA JOLLA, Calif. – The UC San Diego men's basketball team will take part in the 2026 Acrisure Series in Palm Desert leading up to Thanksgiving. The Tritons will play a pair of games in a 26-team event which will be held Nov. 21-26 at Acrisure Arena. The 2026 Acrisure Series is the largest multi-team event (MTE) in NCAA history. The 2026 Acrisure Series is presented by Acrisure, Visit Greater Palm Springs and Spotlight 29 Casino.
 
The Tritons will get underway on Sunday Nov. 22, facing Seattle U at 6:30 p.m. PST. The following night, UC San Diego will take on either San José State or Loyola Chicago.
 
The 2026 field features one of the deepest collections of programs assembled anywhere in the country during Thanksgiving week, including Arizona State, California Baptist, Colorado, Fordham, Grand Canyon, Illinois State, Loyola Chicago, Loyola Marymount, LSU, Nevada, Oregon State, Portland, Saint Louis, San Diego, San Francisco, San José State, Santa Clara, Seattle, SMU, South Carolina, Stanford, Tulsa, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, USC, and Utah State.
 
"The Acrisure Series has become one of the premier events in college basketball, and we believe this year's field is the strongest we've assembled," said Dan Shell, President of Total Sports Consulting and Co-Tournament Director. "Bringing together 26 outstanding programs for six consecutive days creates an incredible experience for student-athletes, coaches and fans while continuing to establish Greater Palm Springs as one of the country's premier destinations for Thanksgiving college basketball."
 
Tickets for the 2026 Acrisure Series Thanksgiving Event go on sale Saturday, August 8 at 10 a.m. PT through Ticketmaster.com and are also available at the Ticketmaster Box Office at Acrisure Arena.
 

2026 Acrisure Series Event Schedule

Saturday, November 21
11:00 a.m. PT – Fordham vs. Portland
1:30 p.m. PT – UC Irvine vs. San Diego
4:00 p.m. PT – California Baptist vs. Loyola Marymount

Sunday, November 22
11:00 a.m. PT – San Diego vs. Fordham
1:30 p.m. PT – UC Irvine vs. Loyola Marymount
4:00 p.m. PT – California Baptist vs. Portland
6:30 p.m. PT – Seattle vs. UC San Diego
9:00 p.m. PT – San José State vs. Loyola Chicago

Monday, November 23
11:00 a.m. PT – Tulsa vs. Oregon State
1:30 p.m. PT – Nevada vs. San Francisco
4:00 p.m. PT – Illinois State vs. Santa Clara
6:30 p.m. PT – Pod 4 Championship
9:00 p.m. PT – Pod 4 Third-Place Game

Tuesday, November 24
11:00 a.m. PT – Oregon State vs. San Francisco
1:30 p.m. PT – Tulsa vs. Illinois State
4:00 p.m. PT – Nevada vs. Santa Clara
6:30 p.m. PT – Grand Canyon vs. Saint Louis
9:00 p.m. PT – Stanford vs. Colorado

Wednesday, November 25
11:00 a.m. PT – Arizona State vs. LSU
1:30 p.m. PT – USC vs. South Carolina
4:00 p.m. PT – SMU vs. Utah State
6:30 p.m. PT – Pod 2 Championship
9:00 p.m. PT – Pod 2 Third-Place Game

Thursday, November 26
11:00 a.m. PT – South Carolina vs. Arizona State
1:30 p.m. PT – Utah State vs. USC
4:00 p.m. PT – SMU vs. LSU

Partner Hotel Information

Fans traveling to Palm Springs for the 2026 Acrisure Series can now book official partner hotel accommodations at both La Quinta Resort & Club and JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa. Both properties serve as premier host hotels for the Acrisure Series and provide fans, alumni, donors, and supporters with a first-class Palm Springs experience throughout the event weekend. These partner hotels are also where participating teams stay, creating a unique opportunity for fans to stay with the teams and be part of the full event atmosphere. Special fan rates are now available allowing guests to secure preferred pricing while staying at two of the top resort destinations in the Coachella Valley. With luxury accommodations, premium amenities, and close proximity to Acrisure Arena, both properties offer the ideal home base for the weekend.

Partner Hotel Fan Rate Links
La Quinta: https://book.passkey.com/go/ThanksgivingFanRate
JW Marriott: https://book.passkey.com/e/51259928

About Acrisure Arena

Opened in December 2022, Acrisure Arena provides the greater Palm Springs area with a premier 11,000+ capacity venue hosting the biggest artists, sporting events, and entertainment experiences in the region. The arena also serves as the home of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Seattle Kraken and the Coachella Valley Lakers, the NBA G-League affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers.
 

About Total Sports Consulting

Total Sports Consulting (TSC) is a premier sports event management and consulting company specializing in the creation, operation, and commercialization of high-level collegiate basketball events across the country. TSC works directly with universities, conferences, arenas, broadcast partners, and corporate sponsors to develop and execute nationally recognized neutral-site games, multi-team events, holiday showcases, and championship-level experiences. The company oversees every aspect of event strategy and execution, including scheduling, television partnerships, sponsorship sales, venue operations, team logistics, hospitality, ticketing, and on-site management. TSC also specializes in revenue generation projects for athletic departments, including multimedia rights, naming rights, NIL solutions, coaching representation, and other large-scale sponsorship initiatives. From concept to final buzzer, TSC is focused on delivering first-class events that create value for schools, partners, and fans while continuing to elevate college basketball on a national stage. For more information, visit totalsportsconsulting.com.
 

About UC San Diego Athletics

After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 39 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.