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College basketball games this week: Top Thanksgiving tournaments to watch

By Mike Phillips

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 15: Johnny Juzang #3 of the UCLA Bruins waves to the crowd as he high-fives Russell Stong #43 of the UCLA Bruins during the second half of a game against the Long Beach State 49ers at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on November 15, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 15: Johnny Juzang #3 of the UCLA Bruins waves to the crowd as he high-fives Russell Stong #43 of the UCLA Bruins during the second half of a game against the Long Beach State 49ers at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on November 15, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images) /
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MTEs are all the rage as this week’s college basketball schedule is loaded with special tournaments to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Football may be the sport that most Americans relate with Thanksgiving but college basketball has done a good job putting together quality inventory surrounding the holiday. This week’s schedule is loaded with Multi-Team Events, or MTEs for short, that bring together some interesting collections of programs to battle it out for bragging rights across the country.

There is a lot of action going on this week and instead of narrowing it down to ten games, which we usually do in this space, this week will spotlight the MTEs that you should try to watch while you get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Top MTEs on the college basketball schedule

Maui Invitational

  • Dates: Nov. 22-24
  • Location: Las Vegas, NV
  • Venue: Michelob Ultra Arena
  • Field: Texas A&M, Wisconsin, Butler, Houston, Oregon, Chaminade, Saint Mary’s, Notre Dame
  • TV: ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU

The Maui Invitational is being held in Las Vegas this year due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions in Hawaii but the field is still loaded. The best first-round matchup comes on Monday night as surprising Butler takes a shot at Houston.

Hall of Fame Classic

  • Dates: Nov. 22-23
  • Location: Kansas City, MO
  • Venue: T-Mobile Center
  • Field: Cincinnati, Illinois, Arkansas, Kansas State
  • TV: ESPNEWS/ESPN2

This field of four-high major programs is highlighted by Illinois and Arkansas, a pair of Top 25 programs that could meet in the title game on Tuesday night. The biggest chance to upset that apple cart could come from Cincinnati, which is off to a 4-0 start that includes a win over Georgia.

Fort Myers Tip-Off

  • Dates: Nov. 22-24
  • Location: Fort Myers, FL
  • Venue: Suncoast Credit Union Arena
  • Field: Beach Division (Ohio State, Seton Hall, Cal, Florida) and Palms Division (Southern Utah, Yale, Milwaukee, Bowling Green)
  • TV: FS1 (Beach Division)

This event features two separate brackets, with one for the power conference schools in the Beach Division and one for four interesting mid-majors in the Palms Division. Ohio State and Seton Hall match up on one side of the Beach Division on Monday and could draw Florida in the title game.

Good Sam Empire Classic

  • Dates: Nov. 22-23
  • Location: Las Vegas, NV
  • Venue: T-Mobile Arena
  • Field: Gonzaga, UCLA, Bellarmine, Central Michigan
  • TV: ESPN/ESPNU/ESPN+

The benefit of this MTE is that it isn’t in a bracket, meaning the organizers were able to set up the week’s best game between No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 2 UCLA. The main event on Tuesday night airs at 10:00 p.m. ET and should be one of the most-anticipated games of the season.

Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis

  • Dates: Nov. 24-26
  • Location: Nassau, Bahamas
  • Venue: Imperial Arena
  • Field: Arizona State, Auburn, Baylor, UConn, Loyola-Chicago, Michigan State, Syracuse, VCU
  • TV: ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPNEWS

Perhaps the deepest field of the week is in the Battle 4 Atlantis, which features six teams that made the NCAA Tournament a year ago as well as Auburn, which made the Final Four in 2019. The first round is littered with excellent matchups, including Michigan State/Loyola-Chicago and Auburn/UConn, with the winner of this three-day tournament proving their mettle against excellent competition.

Upsie NIT Season Tip-Off

  • Dates: Nov. 24-26
  • Location: Brooklyn, NY
  • Venue: Barclays Center
  • Field: Memphis, Virginia Tech, Iowa State, Xavier
  • TV: ESPN2/ESPNU

The event formerly known as the Preseason NIT has two top-notch programs in Memphis and Virginia Tech, who will square off on Wednesday night in Brooklyn for a spot in the title game. The likely opponent there would be Xavier, an underrated Big East squad that should take care of business against Iowa State.

ESPN Events Invitational

  • Dates: Nov. 25-28
  • Location: Orlando, FL
  • Venue: HP Field House
  • Field: Alabama, Belmont, Dayton, Drake, Iona, Kansas, Miami, North Texas
  • TV: ESPN Family of Networks

Alabama and Kansas are the headliners here but the ESPN Events Invitational is loaded with quality mid-majors like Belmont, Drake and Iona. The top game in the opening round is an NCAA Tournament rematch between 4-0 Alabama and 5-0 Iona at 5:00 p.m. ET on Thanksgiving.

Bahamas Championship

  • Dates: Nov. 25-27
  • Location: Nassau, Bahamas
  • Venue: Baha Mar Convention Center
  • Field: Maryland, Richmond, Louisville, Mississippi State
  • TV: CBS Sports Network/FloHoops

The second Bahamas-based event of the week features a solid four-team field headlined by Maryland and Louisville. One team that could get a lot out of the Bahamas Championship is Mississippi State, a potential SEC sleeper that could use a shot at Maryland to bolster their resume.

Continental Tire Challenge

  • Date: Nov. 26
  • Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
  • Location: Las Vegas, NV
  • Venue: T-Mobile Arena
  • Matchup: Gonzaga vs. Duke
  • TV: ESPN

This isn’t really an MTE but it is a marquee non-conference matchup between Gonzaga and Duke on a neutral floor in Las Vegas. The Bulldogs will have two days off after their matchup with UCLA to prepare for the Blue Devils, who only have a home date with The Citadel on tap on Monday to get tuned up for this monster game.

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