Utah basketball opening multi-team event against intriguing mid-major opponent

As Division I programs and multi-team event organizers alike finalize their respective calendars for the upcoming college basketball season, the Utah Runnin' Utes have learned who they'll potentially face in the Acrisure Series from Palm Desert, California, this Thanksgiving holiday break.

Utah, which has been placed in the Acrisure Class pod, will help cap the first day of the midseason tournament with a matchup against Grand Canyon, set for Nov. 25 at 9 p.m., before taking on either Iowa or Ole Miss from Acrisure Arena the following day at a to-be-determined time.

The four-team pod is part of one of the nation's largest MTE, the Acrisure Series, featuring 20 teams competing over the course of four days (Nov. 25-28). Sixteen of the 20 teams are split into four-team pods, resulting in four different champions, while the other four teams break out into two single-game matchups.

The Utes' first-round opponent pits them against an Antelopes squad that's undergone some important renovations since going 26-8 and appearing in a third consecutive NCAA Tournament this past season. While losing six of its top seven scorers over the offseason, GCU reeled in six newcomers via the transfer portal to replace its outgoing talent. Head coach Bryce Drew's incoming transfer class includes William Breidenbach (Washington), Jaden Henley (UNLV), Brian Moore Jr. (Norfolk State), Nana Owusu-Anane (Brown), Kaleb Smith (UC Riverside) and Dusty Stromer (Gonzaga).

Utah's ensuing opponent in the Acrisure Classic will be against either a team (Ole Miss) or a head coach (Iowa's Ben McCollum) from last season's NCAA Tournament qualifiers. The Rebels and Hawkeyes square off at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 25. The championship game is set for the next day at 6:30 p.m. and will precede the third-place game slated for 9 p.m.

Iowa's new coach, Ben McCollum, was hired after he led a roster that featured several Division-II transfers to a 31-4 record at Drake in 2024-25, culminating in a round of 64 victory over 6-seeded Missouri and a loss to 3-seeded Texas Tech in the second round. Six former Drake players followed McCollum to Iowa over the offseason.

The Rebels, led by head coach Chris Beard, have posted back-to-back 20-win seasons and are coming off the program's first Sweet 16 berth since 2001.

As for Utah, the addition of junior college stud Joshua Hayes earlier this month unofficially ended Jensen's efforts to rebuild the Utes roster from scratch. Hayes joins a lengthy list of transfers to Salt Lake City, including Elijah "Choppa" Moore (5.2 ppg at Syracuse), 6-foot-8 forward James Okonkwo (6.9 ppg at Akron), 6-foot-3 guard Terrence Brown (20.6 ppg at Fairleigh Dickinson), 6-foot-6 wing Jahki Howard (4.2 ppg at Auburn), 6-foot-7 forward Seydou Traore (5.9 ppg at Iowa), Don McHenry (17.0 ppg at Western Kentucky) and 6-foot-8 forward Babacar Faye (15.2 pgg at Western Kentucky).

The Utes also welcome Jacob Patrick (Germany), Elmeri Abbey (Finland) and three-star recruit Kendyl Sanders. Additionally, Utah returns Keanu Dawes, Jerry Huang and Ibi Traore from last season's 16-17 squad.

Day session tickets for the Acrisure Classic go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday on Ticketmaster's website.

2025 Acrisure Series Schedule

Tuesday, Nov. 25

10:30 a.m.: San Jose State vs. Tulsa
1 p.m.: Northern Iowa vs. Loyola Chicago
3:30 p.m.: California Baptist vs. San Diego
6:30 p.m.: Iowa vs. Ole Miss (CBS Sports Network)
9 p.m.: GCU vs. Utah (CBS Sports Network)

Wednesday, Nov. 26

11 a.m.: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser (CBS Sports Network)
1:30 p.m.: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 loser (CBS Sports Network)
4 p.m.: Fresno State vs. Pepperdine (CBS Sports Network)
6:30 p.m.: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner (CBS Sports Network)
9 p.m.: Game 4 loser vs. Game 5 loser (CBS Sports Network)

Thursday, Nov. 27

11 a.m.: Colorado vs. San Francisco (CBS Sports Network)
1:30 p.m.: Washington vs. Nevada (CBS Sports Network)
4 p.m.: Saint Louis vs. Santa Clara (CBS Sports Network)
6:30 p.m.: Minnesota vs. Stanford (CBS Sports Network)

Friday, Nov. 28

11 a.m.: Game 11 loser vs. Game 12 loser (truTV)
1:30 p.m.: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner (truTV)
4 p.m.: Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner (truTV)
6:30 p.m.: Game 13 loser vs. Game 13 loser (truTV)

Acrisure Series Pods

Acrisure Classic (Nov. 25-26)

GCU
Iowa
Ole Miss
Utah

Acrisure Holiday Invitational (Nov. 25-26)

Loyola Chicago
Northern Iowa
San Jose State
Tulsa

Acrisure Holiday Classic (Nov. 27-28)

Colorado
Nevada
San Francisco
Washington

Acrisure Invitational (Nov. 27-28)

Minnesota
Saint Louis
Santa Clara
Stanford

Acrisure Series solo games

California Baptist vs. San Diego
Fresno State vs. Pepperdine