College basketball rankings: Players Era needs a bracket, not complicated tiebreakers to determine finalists
For a team like Houston, making the finals of the Players Era event in Las Vegas could get complicated
By
Gary Parrish
•
1 min read
The format of the Players Era Festival is so goofy that trying to predict which two teams will participate in Wednesday's championship is mostly a pointless exercise. It could literally be determined by how many points a team allows in a game, never mind that all games aren't even the same amount of time.
Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer my Thanksgiving-week tournaments to have a proper bracket. This is silly. Regardless, the 18-team event based in Las Vegas has created some interesting non-league matchups, and the best one on Tuesday is a contest between Houston and Tennessee, two schools that met in the Elite Eight of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Both remain undefeated after victories on Monday -- Houston's over Syracuse, Tennessee's over Rutgers. The Cougars remain No. 3 in Tuesday morning's updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings. The Vols are No. 21.
College basketball picks, schedule: Predictions for Tennessee vs. Houston, all Players Era games Tuesday
Kyle Boone
In a testament to the absurdity of the Players Era format, Houston, the highest-ranked team in the event, according to the Top 25 And 1, could back its win on Monday with another on Tuesday and still be omitted from Wednesday's title game because of point-differential. The Cougars only beat Syracuse 78-74 in OT on Monday. So, even if they beat Tennessee convincingly Tuesday, it might not be enough.
Houston-Tennessee tips at 6 p.m. ET on TNT.
The only other game scheduled for Tuesday between two teams in the Top 25 And 1 is Michigan-Auburn. The Wolverines are No. 7 in the Top 25 And 1 after Monday's 94-54 win over San Diego State. The Tigers are No. 22 after Monday's 84-73 win over Oregon. Michigan-Auburn tips at 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
Biggest Movers
2
Iowa State
2
Alabama
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Brayden Burries finished with 20 points and seven rebounds in Monday's 103-73 win over Denver. The Wildcats' next game is Saturday against Norfolk State. | -- | 6-0 |
| 2 |  | Oscar Cluff finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds in Friday's 86-56 win over Texas Tech. The Boilermakers' next game is Friday against Eastern Illinois. | -- | 6-0 |
| 3 |  | Milos Uzan finished with 26 points and five assists in Monday's 78-74 overtime win over Syracuse. The Cougars' next game is Tuesday against Tennessee. | -- | 6-0 |
| 4 |  | Eric Reibe finished with 16 points and six rebounds in Sunday's 72-49 win over Bryant. The Huskies' next game is Friday against Illinois. | -- | 5-1 |
| 5 |  | Richie Saunders finished with 26 points and three rebounds in Friday's 98-70 win over Wisconsin. The Cougars' next game is Thursday against Miami. | -- | 4-1 |
| 6 |  | Alex Condon finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds in Friday's 80-45 win over Merrimack. The Gators' next game is Thursday against TCU. | -- | 4-1 |
| 7 |  | Yaxel Lendeborg finished with 15 points and six rebounds in Monday's 94-54 win over San Diego State. The Wolverines' next game is Tuesday against Auburn. | -- | 5-0 |
| 8 |  | Cameron Boozer finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds in Sunday's 93-56 win over Howard. The Blue Devils' next game is Thursday against Arkansas. | -- | 7-0 |
| 9 |  | Isaac McKneely finished with 17 points and three rebounds in Monday's 87-46 win over Eastern Michigan. The Cardinals' next game is Wednesday against NJIT. | -- | 6-0 |
| 10 |  | Milan Momcilovic finished with 23 points and three rebounds in Monday's 83-82 win over St. John's. The Cyclones' next game is Tuesday against Creighton. | 2 | 5-0 |
| 11 |  | Graham Ike finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds in Monday's 95-85 win over Alabama. The Zags' next game is Tuesday against Maryland. | 2 | 6-0 |
| 12 |  | Aiden Holloway missed 11 of the 14 shots he attempted in Monday's 95-85 loss to Gonzaga. The Crimson Tide's next game is Tuesday against UNLV. | 2 | 3-2 |
| 13 |  | Joson Sanon missed eight of the 10 shots he attempted in Monday's 83-82 loss to Iowa State. The Red Storm's next game is Tuesday against Baylor. | 2 | 3-2 |
| 14 |  | Andrej Stojakovic finished with 24 points and six rebounds in Monday's 87-73 win over UT Rio Grande Valley. The Illini's next game is Friday against UConn. | -- | 6-1 |
| 15 |  | Skyy Clark finished with 22 points and two steals in Friday's 86-46 sin over Presbyterian. The Bruins' next game is Tuesday against Cal. Skyy Clark was 3 of 11 from the field on Friday's 69-65 loss to Arizona. The Bruins' next game is Tuesday against Sacramento State. | -- | 5-1 |
| 16 |  | Jeremy Fears finished with 18 points and 11 assists in Friday's 84-56 win over Detroit Mercy. The Spartans' next game is Tuesday against East Carolina. | -- | 6-0 |
| 17 |  | Jaylen Petty missed eight of the 10 shots he attempted in Friday's 86-56 loss to Purdue. The Red Raiders' next game is Wednesday against New Orleans. | -- | 4-2 |
| 18 |  | DJ Wagner finished with 17 points and seven assists in Friday's 115-61 win over Jackson State. The Razorbacks' next game is Thursday against Duke. | 1 | 5-1 |
| 19 |  | Caleb Wilson finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds in Tuesday's 73-61 win over Navy. The Tar Heels' next game is Tuesday against St. Bonaventure. | 1 | 5-0 |
| 20 |  | Kam Williams finished with 13 points and nine rebounds in Friday's 88-46 win over Loyola Maryland. The Wildcats' next game is Wednesday against Tennessee Tech. | 1 | 4-2 |
| 21 |  | Ja'Kobi Gillespie finished with 32 points and four assists in Monday's 85-60 win over Rutgers. The Vols' next game is Tuesday against Houston. | 1 | 6-0 |
| 22 |  | Tahaad Pettiford finished with 24 points and four assists in Monday's 84-73 win over Oregon. The Tigers' next game is Tuesday against Michigan. | 1 | 5-1 |
| 23 |  | AJ Storr finished with 14 points and two steals in Friday's 82-60 win over Cal State Bakersfield. The Rebels' next game is Tuesday against Austin Peay. | 1 | 5-0 |
| 24 |  | Flory Bidunga finished with 18 points and nine rebounds in Monday's 71-61 win over Notre Dame. The Jayhawks' next game is Tuesday against Syracuse. | 1 | 4-2 |
| 25 |  | Pryce Sandfort finished with 21 points and three rebounds in Friday's 86-85 win over Kansas State. The Cornhuskers' next game is Tuesday against Winthrop. | 1 | 6-0 |
| 26 |  | Tucker DeVries finished with 25 points and three assists in Thursday's 73-53 win over Lindenwood. The Hoosiers' next game is Tuesday against Kansas State. | NR | 5-0 |
