The opening round of the 2026 Players Era 8 Tournament already has a clear headliner, and it comes with some real teeth.
Set for Nov. 17-19 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, the eight-team event arrives with a traditional bracket and a field built around teams that could sit near the top of the preseason conversation. The format is cleaner in year two, and with multiple Quad 1 opportunities on the line, the first slate should matter right away.
The best matchup by far is West Virginia against Auburn.
That one has the most balanced feel of the bunch, even though neither team reached the NCAA Tournament last season. Both enter 2026-27 with legitimate backcourt punch. Auburn returns its top two guards in Tahaad Pettiford, who averaged 15.4 points and 3.8 assists, and Kevin Overton, who posted 14.1 points per game while shooting 41% from three.
West Virginia answered with its own impact guard addition in Finley Bizjack, who led Butler with 17.1 points per game, and he joins Miles Sadler, a five-star incoming prospect and one of the highest-ranked commits in program history. Of the four opening games, this is the one that feels most like a toss-up.
Kansas against UNLV checks in next, and there’s a lot going on beneath the surface there.
The eligibility situation could shape the game for Kansas, since Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White are both currently eligible to play. On the other side, former Ole Miss scorer AJ Storr - who was also previously a Jayhawk - has committed to the Rebels, giving the matchup a built-in individual wrinkle. Even so, the biggest reason to keep an eye on this one is Kansas freshman Tyran Stokes, the No. 1 incoming prospect, who makes the Jayhawks a heavy favorite but also a very watchable one.
Florida and Notre Dame comes in third, though it could still be a strong early test if the Irish can tighten things up by November.
Florida has a real shot at being the preseason AP No. 1 heading into 2026-27 after winning 30 games and the SEC title last season. The Gators are bringing back four starters, including Preseason SEC Player of the Year Thomas Haugh. Notre Dame, meanwhile, had to reload after losing several key pieces, but it does have Braeden Shrewsberry back after he averaged 11.9 points per game, plus Logan Duncomb, who put up 18.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game at Winthrop last season.
Houston vs. Rutgers rounds out the list.
Houston remains one of the steadiest programs in the country under Kelvin Sampson, and this roster again looks loaded enough to be a problem. The new core is led by transfer guards Dedan Thomas Jr. from LSU and Corey Hadnot, who averaged more than 20 points per game at Purdue Fort Wayne last season. Rutgers is still in the rebuilding stage, but the hope is that returning guard Tariq Francis can help steady things.
In Other News...
Kansas Is Changing Late Night In The Phog In A Big Way
Late Night in the Phog is getting a notable makeover this fall, and for longtime Kansas fans, the biggest change is on the floor. Instead of the usual intrasquad scrimmage, the Jayhawks will play an actual exhibition game against Division II Pittsburg State, giving the season-opening showcase a more traditional game-night feel while still keeping plenty of the familiar flourishes that have made the event a staple in Lawrence.
The format shift also comes with one conspicuous subtraction, as the musical component will no longer be part of the evening. Even so, Kansas is keeping the skits and halftime activities that have long helped make Late Night more than just a basketball preview, and the womens program will again have its own spotlight with a separate Late Night event on Oct. 29 against Washburn. [Read more 🡒]
Jeff Boschees Allen Fieldhouse Return Gives Late Night A Different Feel
Jeff Boschee is headed back to Allen Fieldhouse for the 42nd annual Late Night in the Phog, and his return adds an extra layer to one of Kansas basketballs most familiar traditions. Now the head coach at Pittsburg State, Boschee will bring his team in for an exhibition against the Jayhawks, turning a celebration of the new season into something a little more personal for a former KU starter who helped Kansas reach the 2002 Final Four.
Boschee still owns the Kansas school record for career 3-pointers, so this is a homecoming with plenty of basketball history attached to it. He has reflected on his playing days at KU and has been urging his current team to compete hard in the matchup, which gives Pittsburg State a chance to test itself in a building where Boschee once made his mark and where the spotlight will be waiting again. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Faces Two Urgent Problems Entering The Sunflower Showdown
Kansas heads into the Sunflower Showdown trying to clean up the kind of slow offensive starts that have too often put it in a hole before it can settle in. The Jayhawks have shown the ability to move the ball once the rhythm arrives, but the first few series have been a recurring problem, and against Kansas State there is little margin for another sluggish opening.
Avery Johnson makes the assignment even trickier for Kansas, because the Wildcats quarterback can stress a defense in more than one way and force constant adjustment. The Jayhawks have enough recent evidence to know what kind of trouble that can create, and their response on both sides of the ball will go a long way toward deciding whether they can keep the rivalry game on their terms. [Read more 🡒]