2026 Players Era 16 Festival: Tennessee Basketball's Schedule and Matchups Revealed
Tennessee basketball is set to face off against Maryland in the 2026 Players Era 16 Festival in Las Vegas on Nov. 24 at 3 p.m. ET. The Vols will take on the Terrapins at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Bracket 1, with potential matchups against Iowa State and San Diego State depending on the outcome. If Tennessee wins, they will play at 1:30 p.m., while a loss would lead to a 9 p.m. tipoff in the consolation bracket, both on Nov. 26. The other half of the bracket features St. Johns, Oregon, Louisville, and Texas Tech, with the possibility of facing any of those teams in the semifinals on Nov. 27.
This tournament marks Tennessee's second appearance in the Players Era tournament, following their victories over Rutgers and Houston but falling to Kansas in 2025. The Vols' upcoming schedule for the 2026-27 season includes nonconference matchups such as a home game against Michigan State, an away game at Purdue, a neutral site game against NC State at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, at least three games in the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas, and a home game against Florida State in the SEC/ACC Challenge on Dec. 1. Additionally, the SEC schedule has been released, featuring key home games against Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky.
Stay tuned for more updates on Tennessee basketball's schedule as the season progresses.