The 2025 Players Era Festival was an early-season college basketball tournament. It was the second edition of the Players Era Festival and the first to feature men's and women's teams. The tournament was played from November 24 to November 27, 2025. After the 2024 men's edition featured eight teams, in 2025 it was expanded to include 18 teams. The men's tournament was changed from an elimination tournament to a Swiss-system in 2025, with the teams with the best record and the largest margin of victory point differential advancing to the championship. A women's tournament was created in 2025, including four teams. Every participating team was guaranteed at least $1 million in NIL. An additional $12 million was given to teams based on performance. The Michigan Wolverines won the men's tournament, and the Texas Longhorns won the women's inaugural edition.
Standings Men's Point differentials for each game are capped at a maximum of twenty points, even if a team wins by more than twenty. First tie break is average margin of victory, second tie break is total points scored and the third tiebreak is total points allowed. Team GP W L PD PF PAQualificationMichigan 2 2 0 +40 196 126 Advanced to Championship GameGonzaga 2 2 0 +30 195 146Tennessee 2 2 0 +23 161 133 Advanced to 3rd Place Game Kansas 2 2 0 +21 142 121Iowa State 2 2 0 +19 161 142 Consolation GamesSt. John's 2 1 1 +14 178 164 Alabama 2 1 1 +10 200 162Houston 2 1 1 +1 151 150 San Diego State 2 1 1 -3 151 174 Notre Dame 2 1 1 -5 129 134 Baylor 2 1 1 -8 162 170Auburn 2 1 1 -9 156 175 Maryland 2 1 1 -13 135 167 Syracuse 2 0 2 -15 134 149 Creighton 2 0 2 -25 134 159 Rutgers 2 0 2 -25 123 153 UNLV 2 0 2 -27 143 189 Oregon 2 0 2 -28 153 181
Bracket Men's Group Stage DateTimeWinning TeamLosing TeamScoreLocationTelevisionAttendance November 24, 2025 10:00 AM No. 17 Tennessee Rutgers 85–60 MGM Grand Garden Arena TNT 12:30 PM Kansas Notre Dame 71–61 3:00 PM No. 3 Houston Syracuse 78–74OT 6:30 PM No. 12 Gonzaga No. 8 Alabama 95–85 9:00 PM Maryland UNLV 74–67 11:00 AM Baylor Creighton 81–74 Michelob Ultra Arena TruTV 1:30 PM No. 15 Iowa State No. 14 St. John's 83–82 5:00 PM No. 21 Auburn Oregon 84–73 7:30 PM No. 7 Michigan San Diego State 94–54 November 25, 2025 10:00 AM Notre Dame Rutgers 68–63 MGM Grand Garden Arena TNT 12:30 PM Kansas Syracuse 71–60 3:00 PM No. 17 Tennessee No. 3 Houston 76–73 6:30 PM No. 12 Gonzaga Maryland 100–61 TruTV 9:00 PM No. 8 Alabama UNLV 115–76 11:30 AM No. 15 Iowa State Creighton 78–60 Michelob Ultra Arena 2:00 PM No. 14 St. John's Baylor 96–81 5:30 PM No. 7 Michigan No. 21 Auburn 102–72 TNT 8:00 PM San Diego State Oregon 97–80
Times are PST. Winning teams in bold. Source:
Consolation Games
Championship Day
Women's
Times are PST. Source:
Broadcasting TNT Sports holds the exclusive rights to broadcast the 2025 Players Era Festival. Unlike last season, games will air only on TNT or TruTV. All games will additionally stream on HBO Max.
The commentary teams for the tournament are as follows Brian Anderson, Grant Hill, and Lauren Jbara (lead) Brandon Gaudin, Candace Parker or Robbie Hummel, and Nabil Karim Spero Dedes, Greg Anthony, and Jared Greenberg JB Long, Candace Parker, and Autumn Johnson or Chelsea Sherrod
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