San Diego State confirms games with Michigan, Oregon

Games are set for Nov. 24 and 25 at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort

San Diego State Aztecs head coach Brian Dutcher. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

San Diego State has confirmed what the college basketball world has known for two weeks — that it will face Michigan and Oregon in pool play in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas during Thanksgiving week. 

The Aztecs announced tipoff times on Monday. They will face Michigan on Monday, Nov. 24, at 7:30 p.m. PT and Oregon the next night at 8. Both games will be at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort. 

Word of the matchups leaked two weeks ago when Michigan inadvertently posted a news release on its website and then deleted it. 

The Aztecs will play a third game on either Nov. 26 or 27, with their opponent to be determined by various results from the first two days.

They will be strong early-season tests for coach Brian Dutcher’s Aztecs, who have already been buoyed by the announcements that guard Miles Byrd and 7-footer Magoon Gwath are returning to Montezuma Mesa for another season.

Nov 27, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; San Diego State Aztecs forward Magoon Gwath (0) blocks a shot attempt by Oregon Ducks guard Jackson Shelstad (3) during the first half at MGM Grand Garden Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

This will be the second matchup between the Aztecs and Wolverines. While the Wolverines provide a blockbuster matchup, it won’t have quite the feel as the first matchup, when Michigan won 72-58 at Ann Arbor on Dec. 4, 2021.

That game was arranged by then-Wolverines coach Juwan Howard, who was a member of the Fab Five recruited to Michigan in 1991 by Dutcher, who was then the top assistant to Steve Fisher. 

Fisher was fired just before the 1997-98 season due to his involvement in a scandal involving booster Ed Martin. 

Fisher was hired at San Diego State prior to the 1999-2000 season and brought Dutcher with him. They transformed a perennial loser into a perennial NCAA Tournament team that was often ranked in The Associated Press Top 25. Dutcher was named “head coach in waiting” in 2011 and took over when Fisher retired after the 2016-17 season.

Oregon leads the series with SDSU 4-3, including a 78-68 win last year in the Players Era Festival. This will be the third time the teams will meet on a neutral floor. 

The Players Era Festival is increasing from eight teams to 18 this year. Each team is guaranteed $1 million, with the champion to receive another $1 million.

Teams that go 2-0 on Monday and Tuesday will move into the championship round on Nov. 26, with point differential, total points scored and points allowed serving as tiebreakers. 

Ticket information will be announced later. Games will be broadcast on TNT, TruTV and HBO Max.