The Acrisure Series college basketball tournament is leveling up for its fourth year of action in November at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif.
Tournament organizers announced Monday that Duke, one of the elite blue bloods of college basketball, will play Washington State on Saturday, Nov. 21 as a showcase game to begin the 2026 Acrisure Series.
“We are thrilled to welcome Duke and Washington State to Acrisure Arena as part of the 2026 Acrisure Series,” said Total Sports Consulting President and Co-Tournament Director Dan Shell. “This matchup represents exactly the type of premier college basketball event we strive to bring to the Greater Palm Springs area. Duke is one of the most recognizable brands in all of sports, and having the Blue Devils make a rare appearance in Southern California provides a tremendous opportunity for fans and the region.”
Duke, who will have four of its six leading scorers back from last year’s Elite 8 squad, will be the most decorated team to ever be part of the Acrisure Series. The yearly Thanksgiving-time college basketball tournament has grown every year and this year will feature 28 teams, playing games from Saturday, Nov. 21 to Thanksgiving Thursday, Nov. 26, according to Shell.
The Blue Devils and Cougars will just be playing a single game as Duke will stay out west for a tournament in Las Vegas the rest of the week. The other 26 teams will each play two games during the event in various pods. The full field and the schedule will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Tickets for the Duke vs. Washington State game go on sale Wednesday, June 24, through Ticketmaster.
The game time has not yet been announced but there will be multiple games played before Duke and Washington State on that Saturday. However, a separate ticket will be required for the Duke-Washington State game from the other Acrisure Series games being played that day.
Duke has players like Cayden Boozer, Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba II returning from last year’s team that went 35-3 and by all accounts will be a top five team when the first poll comes out in the fall. Washington State, which also played in the Acrisure Series in 2024, will be part of the new-look nine-team Pac-12 this season. They went 12-20 last season
“Participating in the Acrisure Series is always an honor,” Washington State head coach David Riley said. “It presents an incredible opportunity for our program and Cougar nation to represent Washington State on a national stage against the country’s top teams. We look forward to a competitive matchup in front of a Crimson crowd.”
Built in 2022 to house the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League (an affiliate of the Seattle Kraken), Acrisure Arena has seen its share of basketball as well. The arena, which seats 11,000 fans for hoops, has hosted four Los Angeles Lakers preseason games, the Acrisure Series college basketball tournament and starting this fall will be home to the Coachella Valley Lakers, the G League basketball team of the Los Angeles Lakers.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Duke to face Washington State at Acrisure Series college hoops tournament
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