Gonzaga schedule update: Tip times, matchups for NIL-driven college basketball tournament revealed

The Bulldogs drew Alabama for their first-round matchup, which has been set for Nov. 24 at 6:30 p.m. PST on TNT. The Zags will take on Maryland the next day at the same time, while being broadcast on TruTV. CBS Sports' Matt Norlander first reported the matchups earlier this month.

Though the exact locations weren't disclosed, each contest has been confirmed for either Michelob Ultra Arena or MGM Grand Garden Arena. If the Zags win both matchups out of the gate, they'll advance to the championship round set for Nov. 26 at 6:30 p.m. In the likely event that more than two teams go 2-0 to start, point differential, total points scored and points allowed will serve as tiebreakers. The third-place game is the same day at 4 p.m. PST.

Every participating team is assured $1 million, with an additional $1 million awarded to the winner of Players Era. The pay structure is expected to work in a similar manner this year, with each school directly receiving compensation from event organizers, though how the teams divvy up the money to their players will be case-by-case.

With the House v. NCAA settlement reaching final approval, schools will be allowed to share up to $20.5 million per year in revenue with their student-athletes. Many schools won't be able to reach that number, and some are planning to put portions of Players Era money into their overall rev-share cap, per Norlander.

According to The Field of 68, the team that finishes in second place will receive $500,000; third place will earn $300,000 and fourth will net $200,000.

Gonzaga's nonconference schedule includes seven opponents that qualified for the 2025 NCAA Tournament: Oklahoma (Nov. 8 at Spokane Arena), Creighton (Nov. 11 at the Kennel), Kentucky (Dec. 5 in Nashville, Tennessee), UCLA (Dec. 13 in Seattle), Baylor (TBD), Alabama (Nov. 24) and Maryland (Nov. 25). Additionally, those seven teams makeJon Rothstein's top 45 rankings of the offseason.

2025 Players Era Schedule 

All times PST

Monday, Nov. 24
Tennessee vs. Rutgers, 10 a.m.
Baylor vs. Creighton, 11 a.m. 
Kansas vs. Notre Dame, 12:30 p.m. 
St. John's vs. Iowa State, 1:30 p.m. 
Houston vs. Syracuse, 3 p.m. 
Oregon vs. Auburn, 5 p.m. 
Alabama vs. Gonzaga, 6:30 p.m. 
Michigan vs. San Diego State, 7:30 p.m. 
Maryland vs. UNLV, 9 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 25
Rutgers vs. Notre Dame, 10 a.m.
Iowa State vs. Creighton, 11:30 a.m. 
Kansas vs. Syracuse, 12:30 p.m 
St. John's vs. Baylor, 2 p.m. 
Houston vs. Tennessee, 3 p.m. 
Michigan vs. Auburn, 5:30 p.m. 
Gonzaga vs. Maryland, 6:30 p.m. 
Oregon vs. San Diego State, 8 p.m. 
Alabama vs. UNLV, 9 p.m. 

Wednesday, Nov. 26
Third-place game, 4 p.m. PST
Championship game, 6:30 p.m. PST

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