West Virginia’s trip to the Players Era 8 now has a time slot.
The WVU-Auburn matchup is set for Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 12:00 AM (EST) / 9:00 PM (PST) at Michelob ULTRA Arena, part of a four-game opening day for the Players Era 8 in Las Vegas. The event runs Tuesday through Thursday, Nov. 17-19 and includes Kansas, Florida, Houston, Auburn, Notre Dame, West Virginia, Rutgers and UNLV.
Tickets for the Players Era Men’s Basketball Championships go on sale this week, with pre-sales beginning Thursday, July 16 at 10 a.m. PST and the public sale opening Friday, July 17 at 10 a.m.
PST. All Tournament Passes, which include access to 12 games, start at $510 and are available at AXS.com.
Championship game tickets start at $50 and can be reserved separately.
The Players Era 8 bracket sends Florida against Notre Dame and Houston against Rutgers on one side, while Kansas meets UNLV and West Virginia draws Auburn on the other. The opening-round schedule on Tuesday also includes Houston-Rutgers at 2:00 PM (EST) / 11:00 AM (PST), Florida-Notre Dame at 4:30 PM (EST) / 1:30 PM (PST), and Kansas-UNLV at 9:30 PM (EST) / 6:30 PM (PST).
Wednesday’s slate at Michelob ULTRA Arena features Consolation #1 at 2:00 PM (EST) / 11:00 AM (PST), Semifinal #1 at 4:30 PM (EST) / 1:30 PM (PST), Semifinal #2 at 7:30 PM (EST) / 4:30 PM (PST), and Consolation #2 at 10:00 PM (EST) / 7:00 PM (PST). The tournament wraps Thursday with Third Place at 2:30 PM (EST) / 11:30 AM (PST), Fifth Place at 5:00 PM (EST) / 2:00 PM (PST), Seventh Place at 8:30 PM (EST) / 5:30 PM (PST), and the Championship at 11:00 PM (EST) / 8:00 PM (PST).
Players Era also unveiled the larger 2026 field, which will feature 24 teams and four of the five last national champions, including Kansas, Michigan, Florida and Baylor, spread across two separate tournaments with bracket play and a champion crowned in each.
The Players Era 16 will run Tuesday-Saturday, Nov. 24-28 at Michelob ULTRA Arena and T-Mobile Arena. Bracket #1 includes Tennessee, Maryland, San Diego State, Iowa State, St.
John’s, Oregon, Louisville and Texas Tech. Bracket #2 features Gonzaga, Kansas State, Baylor, Alabama, Michigan, Creighton, TCU and Miami.
On Tuesday, Nov. 24, Bracket #1 opens with Tennessee vs.
Maryland at 3:00 PM (EST) / 12:00 PM (PST), San Diego St. vs. Iowa St. at 5:30 PM (EST) / 2:30 PM (PST), Louisville vs.
Texas Tech at 8:00 PM (EST) / 5:00 PM (PST), and St. John’s vs.
Oregon at 10:30 PM (EST) / 7:30 PM (PST). Bracket #2 starts the same day with TCU vs.
Miami at 3:00 PM (EST) / 12:00 PM (PST), Michigan vs. Creighton at 5:30 PM (EST) / 2:30 PM (PST), Baylor vs.
Alabama at 10:00 PM (EST) / 7:00 PM (PST), and Gonzaga vs. Kansas State at 12:30 AM (EST) / 9:30 PM (PST).
The Players Era 16 continues Thursday, Nov. 26 with quarterfinals and consolation games at both venues, followed by placement games and semifinals on Friday, Nov. 27. The two bracket winners will meet in a standalone championship game Saturday, Nov. 28 at Michelob ULTRA Arena.
In Other News...
WVU Fans Finally Get One Recruiting Showcase They Cannot Miss
The Peach Jam opens July 14 in North Augusta, S.C., and for West Virginia fans it brings a recruiting stage that is hard to ignore. The EYBL finals will feature 24 teams fighting to reach the final eight, with several Mountaineers targets scattered through the field, including Justin Frison of Team Thad and Javion Tyndale of UPLAY Canada, who are set to face each other on the first day.
Arizona Unity adds another layer to the event, with five-star big man Paul Osaruyi headlining a roster that also includes multiple West Virginia offerees. Between the high-level competition and the concentration of familiar names, this is one of those summer weekends where the Mountaineers can get a much clearer read on the kind of talent they are chasing, even if the biggest answers will have to wait until the games play out. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Fans Are Not Going To Like This Tip Time
West Virginias trip to the Players Era event in Las Vegas comes with a schedule twist that will not sit well with Mountaineers fans back home. The opener is set for 9 p.m. local time on Nov. 17, which means a midnight start on the East Coast, a rough ask for anyone hoping to stay up and follow the first game of the event in real time.
The late tip is part of a busy multi-day showcase that will feature additional games at different start times, but the bigger picture for WVU is the business side of the trip. Teams in the event are guaranteed at least $1 million in NIL compensation, with more available based on placement, and the Big 12 has already locked in future bids for its top teams, giving the Mountaineers a reason to expect more of these high-profile November stages ahead. [Read more 🡒]