Texas Tech to face loaded Louisville in Players Era tourney
Texas Tech’s Players Era tournament opponent for the opening round is Louisville, according to an X post from ESPN’s Jeff Borzello. Opening round action for the 16-team portion of the festival takes place Nov. 24. Action skips a day before finishing off Nov. 26 and Nov. 27 with the championship bout on Nov. 28.
Las Vegas is hosting the 2026 iteration of the Players Era championship with this season being the first for the expanded field of 24 teams. The “Players Era 16” features other marquee schools such as reigning national champion Michigan, St. John’s, Iowa State, Gonzaga and Alabama, among others.
Few schools have had as good of an offseason as Louisville basketball has. The Cardinals made serious hay in the transfer portal this offseason, adding top additions in 5-star center Flory Bidunga and Oregon guard Jackson Shelstead. Bidunga is the No. 1-rated transfer in the country per On3’s Industry Rankings. Shelstead ranks No. 18 per the rankings.
Louisville, entering its third year under Pat Kelsey, also added top 100 transfers in Iowa’s Alvaro Folguieras and Arkansas’ Karter Knox.
The last time the two teams squared off came in the 2019-20 season when Texas Tech upset the then-No. 1 Cardinals in Madison Square Garden. Davide Moretti turned in an 18-point showing while Chris Clarke snagged 12 rebounds. Eventual-Texas Longhorn Avery Benson added 10 points off the bench to propel Texas Tech to a 13-point victory.
Adding Louisville onto the schedule gives the Red Raiders another power conference opponent to look forward to. Texas Tech hosts Illinois, coming off a Final Four bid, in Lubbock Nov. 10 to complete a home-and-home that began last season.
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