LSU’s Thanksgiving week plans are set, and the Tigers are heading to Palm Springs for a pair of matchup tests in the Acrisure Series.
Will Wade’s team will face Arizona State on Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 1 p.m. CT (11 a.m.
PT), then turn around and play SMU on Thursday, Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. CT (4 p.m.
PT) at Acrisure Arena. Both games will air on CBS Sports Network.
The event itself is a busy one, with 26 games and 26 programs spread across six days in the Coachella Valley. LSU announced the trip with a post on Aug. 6, 2026, noting, “The Tigers Are Cali-Bound ✈️ #BootUp pic.twitter.com/fOk43R1Acs”
The Arizona State matchup brings a familiar result history for LSU, though not a favorable one. The Tigers have met the Sun Devils twice on neutral courts and lost both times, including an overtime game in the 2007 Maui Invitational.
SMU has been a more regular presence on LSU’s schedule lately. The Tigers and Mustangs have played in each of the last two seasons, in Frisco, Texas in 2024 and New Orleans in 2025, both in the Compete 4 Cause Classics.
LSU won the most recent meeting, 89-77 at the Smoothie King Center. Still, SMU leads the all-time series 4-3.
The series announcement also comes with plenty of buzz around the event itself. Dan Shell, president of Total Sports Consulting and co-tournament director, called it a marquee stop on the college basketball calendar, saying, "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," He added, "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.”
Arizona State enters the 2026-27 season with a new coach after a disappointing 17-16 finish in 2025-26. The Sun Devils went 7-11 in Big 12 play, tied for 11th place, and did not play in any postseason tournament.
Bobby Hurley was not retained after the season, ending an 11-year run from 2015-2026 that produced a 185-167 record and three NCAA tournament appearances. The program moved quickly to hire Randy Bennett, the longtime Saint Mary’s coach who finally landed at Arizona State after years of being linked to other openings. Bennett, a Phoenix-area native, had spent his career turning the Gaels from a two-win program into a steady NCAA tournament team, piling up a 589-228 record along the way while winning seven regular-season conference titles and four WCC Tournament championships.
SMU, meanwhile, comes in after a 20-14 season and an 8-10 mark in ACC play, which left the Mustangs tied for 11th. As the No. 11 seed in the ACC tournament, they beat Syracuse in the first round before running into Louisville for the third time that season in round two.
The Mustangs reached the NCAA tournament as an at-large No. 11 seed in the Midwest Region, but their run ended in the First Four with a loss to Miami (OH). SMU has also added transfer help, bringing in Rowan Brumbaugh from Tulane, David Terrell Jr. from North Texas and Jaylin Stewart from UConn.
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That angle matters even more now that Kiffin has left Ole Miss for LSU, where the Rebels new offensive playcaller will be John David Baker. For LSU, the move created an unexpected subplot to keep an eye on, because Chambliss is no longer tied to the coach many people associated with his rise. The question hanging over the next chapter is whether his production travels with him when the architect of the old offense is gone and the new one takes over. [Read more 🡒]
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The jersey also ties back to a name that still resonates around Baton Rouge: YA Tittle, who wore 25 during his LSU days from 1944 to 1947 before going on to a Hall of Fame NFL career. For a program that leans heavily on tradition, having a number shared by a backup back and a prized defender gives LSU another reminder of how its current roster keeps brushing up against the schools history. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Faces An Early Receiver Concern As Clemson Prep Intensifies
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The more immediate concern is at receiver, where Winston Watkins Jr. was absent again for a second straight practice. LSU does not have much time to let any camp absence linger with Clemson looming, so every rep matters now, especially as the Tigers try to sort out who is ready to handle the load when the opener arrives. Watkins availability will be worth watching as camp intensity rises and the depth chart starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]