Las Vegas mecca of college basketball Thanksgiving week
Next to early March, Thanksgiving week is the busiest time of the year for college basketball in Las Vegas. This year it runs from A to Z — that is, from aloha to Zags.
For men’s basketball, the week tips off Monday with men’s basketball in the Maui Invitational, which is in Las Vegas, being held at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob Ultra Arena, because of the pandemic. It ends Friday with top-ranked Gonzaga meeting Duke at T-Mobile Arena.
In between, you’ll find two tournaments at Orleans Arena on the same two days. Another tournament takes over T-Mobile Arena. And if you want to see a game before or after turkey, five games are played on Thanksgiving Day.
The Zags play two games at T-Mobile before Duke, including a Tuesday matchup with UCLA on national television.
Women’s basketball will be featured at the South Point Arena (Thursday-Saturday) and Cox Pavilion (Saturday-Sunday).
In all, that’s seven basketball events this week. Consider it an appetizer for March, when 10 men’s and women’s conference tournaments return to town.
Men’s basketball
Maui Invitational
At Michelob Ultra Arena
Monday’s quarterfinals
Texas A&M vs. Wisconsin, 11 a.m., ESPN2
Butler vs. Houston, 1:30 p.m., ESPN2
Oregon vs. Chaminade, 6 p.m., ESPNU
Saint Mary’s vs. Notre Dame, 8:30 p.m., ESPN2
Tuesday’s semifinals
Quarterfinal winners, 2 p.m., ESPN
Quarterfinal winners, 5 p.m., ESPN
Tuesday’s consolation semifinals
Quarterfinal losers, 11:30 a.m., ESPN2
Quarterfinal losers, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU
Wednesday’s final round
Championship, 2 p.m., ESPN
3rd/4th Place, 11:30 a.m., ESPN2
5th/6th Place, 8:30 p.m., ESPN2
7th/8th Place, 6 p.m., ESPNU
Good Sam Empire Classic
Monday at T-Mobile Arena
UCLA vs. Bellarmine, 5 p.m., ESPN+
Gonzaga vs. Central Michigan, 8 p.m., ESPNU
Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena
Central Michigan vs. Bellarmine, 4 p.m., ESPN+
Gonzaga vs. UCLA, 7 p.m., ESPN
Las Vegas Invitational at Orleans Arena
Thursday’s semifinals
New Mexico vs. Alabama-Birmingham, 4 p.m., FS1
San Francisco vs. Towson, 6:30 p.m., FS1
Friday’s finals
Championship, 8:30 p.m., FS1
Consolation, 6 p.m., FS1
Las Vegas Classic at Orleans Arena
Thursday’s semifinals
San Diego vs. South Alabama, 10:30 a.m.
Illinois-Chicago vs. Hawaii, 1 p.m.
Friday’s finals
Championship, approx. 1 p.m.
Consolation, 10:30 a.m.
Continental Tire Challenge
Friday at T-Mobile Arena
Duke vs. Gonzaga, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Women’s basketball
South Point Thanksgiving Shootout
At South Point Arena
Thursday’s games
SMU vs. Seattle, 6 p.m.
Friday’s games
Oklahoma State vs. Green Bay, 1 p.m.
Kansas vs. Tennessee, 3:30 p.m.
Seattle vs. Texas-El Paso, 3:30 p.m.
Saturday’s games
Green Bay vs. SMU, 1 p.m.
Tennessee vs. Oklahoma State, 3:30 p.m.
UTEP vs. Kansas, 6 p.m.
UNLV Thanksgiving Classic
Saturday’s games
UNLV vs. UT-Arlington, Noon
UM-Kansas City vs. Grambling State, 2:30 p.m.
Sunday’s games
UNLV vs. Grambling State, Noon, Cox-14
UT-Arlington vs. UM-Kansas City.