South Carolina men's basketball to play in California-based tournament this season

South Carolina men’s basketball will be making a trip out west this upcoming season. The Gamecocks will take part in the 2026 Acrisure Series in California, according to CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein.

The event, which will feature 28 total teams, will be held at Acrisure Arena in Thousand cf We Palms, Calif. The 11,000-seat arena is home to the American Hockey League’s Coachella Valley Firebirds and the NBA G League’s Coachella Valley Lakers. It’s also a primary venue for events in the Greater Palm Springs area.

The Acrisure Series has typically been played during Thanksgiving week, though official dates haven’t been revealed yet.

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In addition to South Carolina, other teams confirmed by Rothstein so far to compete in this event include LSU, SMU, Southern Cal, Stanford, Arizona State, Colorado, Utah State, Grand Canyon, Nevada, Oregon State, Saint Louis, Santa Clara, Seattle and Fresno State. Official matchups will be released later this summer.

Per Rothstein’s report, the following teams in the top two pods will feature: South Carolina, Southern Cal, Arizona State, Utah State, Grand Canyon, Saint Louis, Stanford and Colorado.

The Gamecocks are coming off a 13-19 season under head coach Lamont Paris, who’s back for his fifth season in Columbia.

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