The road to winning $1 million on the hardwood this summer has been laid out for the 64 teams participating in the 11th edition of The Basketball Tournament.
Known as TBT, the summertime basketball institution unveiled its bracket and first-round matchups on Wednesday. Games will begin on Friday, July 19. The single-elimination tournament, which is broken up across eight regionals, is partnering with FOX Sports for the first time this year, with FOX, FS1 and FS2 carrying a combined 27 games. The $1 million winner-take-all-championship game will air Sunday, Aug. 4 on FOX.
Among the headliner teams and players, Kentucky‘s alumni have formed a squad this year with La Familia, a team that features former First Team All-American and seven-year NBA player Willie Cauley-Stein, along with former 11-year NBA vet Eric Bledsoe. And how about this for drama? In the quarterfinals, La Familia could meet their archrival, The Ville, a team of Louisville Cardinals alumni featuring former All-American Russ Smith, two-time Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player Peyton Siva and 2020 NBA Sixth Man of the Year winner Montrezl Harrell.
As for some of the other top storylines, Stars of Storrs makes its TBT debut in the Pittsburgh Regional, as former UConn national champions Ryan Boatright, DeAndre Daniels and Joey Calcaterra headline the Huskies alumni. Mass Street is back and off to the raucous Wichita Regional, as the Kansas alumni reload behind a new addition: 2017 national player of the year Frank Mason. There’s a lot of Ohio flavor with the potential for Buckeyes alumni team Carmen’s Crew to meet Dayton alumni team Red Scare in the second round of the Dayton Regional, while Nasty Nati’s Jacob Evans charges the Bearcats into a regional that features 2-seed Zip Em Up, a team that includes former All-Big East guards Trevon Bluiett and Paul Scruggs.
And just how big is TBT? Hall of Famer and four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal is sponsoring a team this year: Team Diesel. Shaq’s son Shareef will be featured on the squad, which will be the No. 1 seed in Louisville.
Defending champion Heartfire, which outlasted North Texas alumni team Bleed Green last year to win the title, will run it back with most of the same core and head coach — FOX Sports analyst Laphonso Ellis — as the 1-seed in the Dayton Regional.
The semifinals and championship game will be held Aug. 2 (FS1) and Aug. 4 (FOX) at Drexel’s Daskalakis Athletic Center in Philadelphia, while quarterfinals will be held at the regional sites of a host team. If two hosts make it, the tiebreaker will be round one attendance at each respective site.
[10 stars to watch in The Basketball Tournament]
Here are the eight regional sites, with the pairings shown to reveal who could meet in a quarterfinal:
- Wichita, Kansas (hosted by the AfterShocks/Wichita State) and Houston, Texas (hosted by Forever Coogs/University of Houston)
- Indianapolis, Indiana (hosted by All Good Dawgs/Butler University) and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (hosted by Zoo Crew/University of Pittsburgh)
- Cincinnati, Ohio (hosted by Nasty Nati/University of Cincinnati) and Dayton, Ohio (hosted by Red Scare/University of Dayton)
- Lexington, Kentucky (hosted by La Familia/University of Kentucky) and Louisville, Kentucky (hosted by The Ville/University of Louisville)
Here’s the entire bracket, with a look at key storylines to watch in each region.
Lexington: Rupp Arena
1. Herd That (Marshall) vs. 8. Jackson TN Boom
2. La Familia (Kentucky) vs. 7. 305 Ballers
3. WoCo Showtime (Wofford) vs 6. The NAWF
4. War Ready (Auburn) vs. 5. D2
La Familia will feature Kentucky alumni Marquis Teague, who was a part of the 2012 national title team, along with Andrew Harrison, Bledsoe, Cauley-Stein and perhaps another big name on the horizon.
Auburn Alumni is looking to bounce back after a round 1 loss in TBT 2023. The squad is full of former Tigers such as Malik Dunbar, Mustapha Heron, TJ Dunans, Wendell Green and Laron Smith.
You may notice that La Familia is the 2-seed and not the 1-seed. That’s because TBT likes to reward past success for veteran teams that have achieved it. Herd That went to the semifinals last year and has become a crowd favorite in The Tournament, with JP Tokoto and new addition Xavier Munford ready to lead the way.
Louisville: Freedom Hall
1. Team Diesel vs. 8. Team DRC
2. The Ville (Louisville) vs. 7. UKnighted (Bellarmine)
3. Sideline Cancer vs. 6. Puma/VBL
4. Run DFW vs. 5. Team Fredette
The matchup between The Ville and UKnighted carries intrigue because Freedom Hall, formerly the Cardinals homecourt, is now Bellarmine Basketball’s home floor.
TBT partner Puma has teamed up with the Venice Basketball League in California to establish a play-in tournament that will carry an automatic berth to The Basketball Tournament for the champion. The great reward for winning the VBL title? You have to play a TBT staple, Sideline Cancer, which plays for pancreatic cancer research.
Team DRC, which will meet Shaq’s Team Diesel in round one, has pro influence of their own with two-time NFL Pro Bowler Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie organizing and playing on the team.
Butler: Hinkle Fieldhouse
1. Assembly Ball (Indiana) vs. 8. The Cru (Valpo)
2. All Good Dawgs (Butler) vs. 7. Fail Harder (Kyle Guy’s Team)
3. Team Arkansas (Arkansas) vs. 6. Eberlein Drive
4. Men of Mackey (Purdue) vs. 5. Fort Wayne Champs
Top-seeded Assembly Ball will be led by two-time All-Big Ten First Team selection and former All-NBA Rookie Second Team Selection Yogi Ferrell, who will also be joined by Hoosier alums Jordan Hulls, Juwan Morgan, Miller Kopp, Troy Williams and Devonte Green.
All Good Dawgs, who are hosting TBT for the first time ever with the event heading to historic Hinkle Fieldhouse, will feature former eight-year NBA player Shelvin Mack, who was a part of Butler’s 2010 and 2011 national runner-up teams.
The Men of Mackey will also look to make their mark on this Indiana-heavy regional, with Boilers alum Kelsey Barlow returning and Sasha Stefanovic making his TBT debut. One note: if Men of Mackey advance to the quarterfinals, they could meet Stars of Storrs in what would be an alumni national title game rematch.
Pittsburgh: Petersen Events Center
1. Stars of Storrs (UConn) vs. 8. Herkimer Originals
2. Zoo Crew (Pitt) vs. 7. Million $ Worth of Game
3. Best Virginia (WVU) vs. 6. Happy Valley Hoopers (Penn State)
4. Dubois Dream vs. 5. Brotherly Love Pro-Am Foundation
We could get a second-round showdown between bitter rivals if Zoo Crew and Best Virginia advance. That would mean Pitt and West Virginia alums would meet again, with Zoo Crew hosting TBT for the first time and being led by Jamil Artis, Nelly Cummings, Nike Sibande & Lamar Patterson.
The Stars of Storrs will be coached by UConn great Chris Smith Jr. while … 17-year NBA player Rudy Gay could be on the radar for this roster!
The Happy Valley Hoops — Penn State Alumni — are playing in their second-ever TBT and looking for their first win. John Harrar & Jamari Wheeler lead the squad.
Wichita: Charles Koch Arena
1. AfterShocks (Wichita State) vs. 8. Midtown Prestige
2. Mass Street (Kansas) vs. 7. Ram Up (Colorado State)
3. Florida TNT vs. 6. LA Cheaters
4. Purple Reign (KState) vs. 5. Team Colorado (Colorado)
– AfterShocks have the best homecourt advantage in TBT, boasting an 11-2 record in their last 13 games at Charles Koch Arena. The Wichita State faithful could break their own attendance record this season after breaking it last year with 7,202 for a game.
– Mass Street is not only powered by Frank Mason, but another former Jayhawks star in 2012 Big 12 Player of the Year and First Team All-American Thomas Robinson.
Watch out for the Kansas State alumni, Purple Reign. They will be led by former All-American and two-time First Team All-Big 12 star Jacob Pullen, who averaged more than 30 PPG in 2022.
Houston: Fertitta Center
1. We Are Bleed Green (North Texas & Runner Ups) vs. 8. La Ignite
2. Forever Coogs (Houston) vs. 7. Austin’s Own (Texas)
3. The Enchantment (New Mexico) vs. 6. Once a Bronco (Boise State)
4. The Program NYC for Autism vs. 5. Challenge ALS
We get an old school, gritty Texas battle when the Houston and Longhorns alumni meet in the Forever Coogs vs. Austin’s Own game. Forever Coogs is led by former Houston players Rob Gray, Galen Robinson, Fabian White, Devin Davis and more. Austin’s Own is in its second season of TBT and will be powered by Kerwin Roach and Jacob Young.
We Are Bleed Green has unfinished business after reaching last year’s championship game. The 2023 TBT MVP Brandon Jefferson will look to lead them to redemption.
Challenge ALS is an event staple and shows the power of it, with 13-year NBA veteran Darren Collison joining the team.
Dayton: UD Arena
1. Heartfire (Defending Champs) vs. 8 Rise & Grind
2. Red Scare (Dayton) vs. 7. DaGuys STL
3. Carmen’s Crew (Ohio State) vs. 6. Purple Hearts
4. We Are D3 vs. 5. Sweet Home Alabama
Red Scare seeks redemption after falling to India Rising last year, which was the biggest upset in TBT history. Scoochie Smith, Jordan Sibert, Ryan Mikesell and Darrell Davis headline the Flyers alumni, while 2022 TBT champion Wes Clark has been added to the roster and looks to provide experience on the perimeter.
Former Buckeyes Kyle Young & Kaleb Wesson are featured on Carmen’s Crew while there could be more big news in the coming weeks with this roster.
Purple Hearts is one of the most powerful teams in this event because it goes way beyond basketball. Led by NBA Veteran Duane Causwell, the team was created to represent Duane’s goddaughter, who was killed tragically in a senseless gun violence incident. The squad will donate to charities and bring awareness to gun violence.
Cincinnati: Fifth Third Arena
1. Nasti Nati (Cincinnati) vs. 8. About Billions
2. Zip Em UP (Xavier) vs. 7. Takeover BC
3. Team Gibson vs. 6. Dream 34
4. Brown Ballers vs. 5. Red Rose Thunder
The big storyline: the potential is there for another edition of the Crosstown Shootout, TBT style. Last year, Nasty Nati marched into the Cintas Center and took down the Xavier alumni 77-73 behind a combined 45 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists from Jacob Evans and Jarron Cumberland. This year, Fifth Third Arena takes center stage. One thing is for certain: Cincinnati-area hoops fans are legit and will show out in a big way.
Brown Ballers — formerly India Rising — pulled off the biggest upset in TBT history last year when they beat Red Scare (Dayton Alumni) in Dayton.
The 3-seed, Team Gibson, is organized by current 15-year NBA player Taj Gibson. This is the team’s second year in TBT.
PHILADELPHIA: Drexel’s Daskalakis Athletic Center
TBT’s Championship Week Returns to Philly:
Semifinals August 2nd
Championship August 4th
Tickets are on sale at thetournament.com/tickets
John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him on Twitter @John_Fanta.
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