LSU To Play Arizona State In Tournament Sponsored by Acrisure, Which Had CEO At Governor’s Mansion Summit

TIGER RAG NEWS SERVICES

The LSU Tigers will face Arizona State and SMU in Palm Springs, California, this November as part of one of the nation’s premier Thanksgiving college basketball events.

The 2026 Acrisure Series Tournament features 26 games with 26 programs across six days in the Coachella Valley. Acrisure, by the way, is a financial technology company headquarted in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in which Greg Williams is the Chief Executive Officer and private equity expert.

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Williams has been in Baton Rouge this week for the Governor’s Mansion summit with 40 of the most significant LSU athletic department donors with Governor Jeff Landry, LSU president Wade Rousse and other LSU officials concerning a $100 million financial plan in the works for LSU’s quest to be at the top of the Name, Image & Likeness game to fund its athletic deparment and athletes.

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LSU will face Arizona State on Wednesday, Nov. 25 and SMU on Thursday, Nov. 26 at the Acrisure Arena. 

The LSU-Arizona State game will be played at 1 p.m. CT (11 a.m. PT in Palm Springs) on Nov. 25 and the SMU game will be at 6 p.m. CT (4 p.m. PT). Both games will be televised on the CBS Sports Network and broadcast on the affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network. 

LSU and Arizona State has played twice, both on neutral courts, including an overtime game in the 2007 Maui Invitational. 

LSU and SMU are familiar with each other, having played each of the last two years (Frisco, Texas in 2024 and New Orleans in 2025) in the Compete 4 Cause Classics. The teams have played seven times overall with SMU having a 4-3 lead in the series. 

“The Acrisure Series has become one of the premier events in college basketball, and we believe this year’s field is the strongest we’ve assembled,” said Dan Shell, President of Total Sports Consulting and Co-Tournament Director. “Bringing together 26 outstanding programs for six consecutive days creates an incredible experience for student-athletes, coaches and fans while continuing to establish Greater Palm Springs as one of the country’s premier destinations for Thanksgiving college basketball.”

Tickets for the 2026 Acrisure Series Thanksgiving Tournament go on sale on Saturday at Noon through Ticketmaster.com, the official ticketing provider of Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs.