The third iteration of the Emirates NBA Cup continues as group play wraps up Friday and the knockout-round matchups begin to take shape

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers won the inaugural in-season tournament trophy in 2023, with James claiming the honors of tournament MVP. Last season, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks raised their NBA Cup banner over the eventual NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

But which team will stake its claim for the hardware in Las Vegas this season, and can it continue that tournament momentum into the postseason?

Here’s what you need to know about the in-season tournament, including rule changes for this season, takeaways from the week’s biggest games, schedule and scores.

Jump to:
Takeaways | FAQ | Schedule | Cup standings

Friday takeaways: Close games decide East quarterfinalists

The New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks entered the final night of NBA Cup group stage action Friday as the only teams to have qualified for the knockout rounds of the tournament in each of its first two iterations. But only the winner of Friday night’s clash at Madison Square Garden would get the chance to make it three in a row.

Because of the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ loss to the Atlanta Hawks, and the Orlando Magic‘s win over the Detroit Pistons, it was known with three minutes to go in New York that if the Knicks won, they’d be headed to Toronto for the quarterfinals and if the Bucks won, they’d be headed to Orlando.

Despite Giannis Antetokounmpo putting up 30 points, 15 rebounds and 8 assists in 28 minutes in his return from a groin strain and, it was New York that prevailed with a 118-109 victory, punching its ticket into the quarterfinals. The Knicks had maintained a slim lead throughout the majority of the second half, and New York eventually managed to escape with a victory thanks to some clutch time heroics from Jalen Brunson, whose 3-point play with 1:27 remaining in the fourth quarter made it a three-possession game. The Knicks ground things out from there.

As a result, the Eastern Conference bracket was set, with the Magic getting the top seed, and with it a matchup with their in-state rivals the Miami Heat, and New York heading to Toronto to face the Raptors.

Coming into Friday night, the Raptors were the only Eastern Conference team assured of a place in the Cup’s knockout rounds. The Raptors won all four of their group stage games, and had a plus-55 point differentia but still had to wait to see if they’d get the top seed because of the Magic’s rout against the injury-depleted Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night.

If Orlando won, it would be the top seed, and the Raptors would be second, whereas a Pistons win — as long as it wasn’t by over 30 points — would mean Toronto would get the top seed.

The Magic and Pistons played a barnburner in Detroit, where Cade Cunningham had a brilliant intentional free throw miss in the closing seconds, with it ricocheting directly back to him so he could kick it out to Duncan Robinson for a potential tying 3-pointer.

But Robinson missed and Orlando escaped with a 110-107 victory.

The other team whose résumé was set heading into this final day of action was the Heat, who were 3-1 and sported a plus-49 point differential in the group stage.

Miami had multiple ways to make it into the knockout rounds, but when Orlando won, the Heat were virtually assured of being the wild-card entry from the East if the Knicks won, and would’ve been the Group C winners had the Bucks won.

What to watch in the West

The Suns and Thunder meet Friday in Oklahoma City with the top spot in Group A on the line, but a little of the excitement is undercut by the fact that both undefeated teams might reach the quarterfinals. In fact, we might have a rematch at the same arena in the quarterfinals next week if the Thunder win close on Friday.

With a league-best plus-71 point differential in NBA Cup play, Oklahoma City is all but assured of advancing as either the No. 1 seed in the West or the wild card.

Phoenix’s chances are more tenuous with a loss, but their plus-35 differential is currently best of the contenders and San Antonio’s win means Group C can no longer produce a wild card. The Clippers and Grizzlies will square off, with both looking for a decisive win to get in the wild-card conversation.

However, the night’s only clear deciding game will be in Denver, where the Nuggets host the Spurs for Group C supremacy. San Antonio will remain without All-Star center Victor Wembanyama, who’s sidelined by a calf strain. The stakes are clear: Friday’s winner takes Group C, while the loser will be eliminated. — Kevin Pelton

Friday’s Games

• Hawks 130, Cavaliers 123

• Hornets 123, Bulls 116

• Knicks 118, Bucks 109

• Magic 112, Pistons 109

• 76ers 115, Nets 103

• Pacers 119, Wizards 86

• Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City Thunder, 9:30 p.m.

• Sacramento Kings at Utah Jazz, 9:30 p.m.

• San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets, 9:30 p.m.

• Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m. (Prime)

• Memphis Grizzlies at LA Clippers, 10 p.m.

FAQ (by Tim Bontemps)

The NBA unveiled the six groups for the third edition of its in-season tournament — now called the Emirates NBA Cup. Here’s a look at everything you’ll need to know about the return of the competition.

What is the format?

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has had a long-standing fascination with European soccer. Establishing an in-season cup competition within the NBA schedule came from soccer leagues having both a regular-season title, won by the team with the most points over the full year, and a separate tournament (or, in some leagues, multiple tournaments) that runs concurrently with the league season. In England, for example, there are the various divisions — led by the Premier League — and also the FA Cup competition. But unlike those European leagues, which play their cup competitions outside of their league schedules, the NBA Cup is built into the regular-season slate. The 30 NBA teams are split into six five-team groups — three featuring Eastern Conference teams, and three comprising Western Conference teams — with each team then playing one game against the other four in its group. The winner of each group, plus the team with the best record among the non-group winners, will then advance to the knockout stage of the competition.

How will this impact the regular-season schedule and standings?

Typically, the NBA sends out a full 82-game schedule in mid-August. Now, the league sends out only 80 games and leaves a gap for roughly a week to fill in later, depending on how the group stage of the NBA Cup plays out.

The two teams from the East and West that lose in the quarterfinals will play their 82nd game against one another on one of four dates: Dec. 11, 12, 14 or 15. Meanwhile, the 22 teams that fail to qualify for the knockout rounds will have their final two games scheduled — one at home and one on the road — on Dec. 11 or 12 and 14 or 15 against others eliminated in the group stage.

The teams that reach the NBA Cup’s finale will actually play 83 games — though the championship game won’t count toward the standings or any statistical markers. All four teams that make it to Las Vegas for the semifinals will have completed their 82 games, and won’t need anything else added. The additional wrinkle added to this year’s schedule is the possibility that a few dates on the calendar may move around. On Dec. 8, there are currently three games scheduled: the Sacramento Kings at the Indiana Pacers; the Phoenix Suns at the Minnesota Timberwolves; and the San Antonio Spurs at the New Orleans Pelicans. If any of those teams are playing in the quarterfinals, taking place on Dec. 9 and 10, those games would move to Dec. 7 (a decision that would be made by Nov. 29, the day after the end of the group stage).

This also would only be an issue if one of the teams were playing on Dec. 9. If they’re playing Dec. 10, nothing will change. The other scheduling quirk is that there are currently eight teams — the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, LA Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and Washington Wizards — scheduled to play on Dec. 17, the day after the championship game in Las Vegas.

Any team that makes it to the semifinals in Las Vegas would have that game moved later into the schedule to avoid back-to-back games. The NBA made this change in an effort to avoid having empty days on the calendar while attempting to minimize back-to-back games for all teams as much as possible.

Are the semifinals and finals still being played in Las Vegas?

For this season, yes. Next year, however, the semifinals — like the quarterfinals — will be played at home sites. Having teams go to Sin City for a week (and, more importantly, trying to get fans there for two games over several days on short notice) hasn’t gone the way the league initially believed that it would.

What is new about the tournament this year?

Most of the games are being shown on Amazon Prime, including the knockout rounds. The schedule is also primarily on Fridays, beginning on Halloween, rather than bouncing back and forth from Tuesday to Friday throughout November as it did during the first two years of the tournament.

Why does the NBA Cup include regular-season games?

Before its launch, one of the main questions surrounding the in-season tournament was why any team would be incentivized to compete in it. The NBA ensured teams will be motivated by making every game part of the season — and, being in-conference, potentially important from a playoff-tiebreaker standpoint. If this had been set up like the cup tournaments in European soccer, there would have been nothing stopping NBA teams from opting out, literally or figuratively — sitting their top players for extra rest.

What teams make up the groups?

To create the groups, the NBA put all 15 teams in each conference into five pots, separated by their finish in last season’s standings. Pot 1 included the teams that finished 1-3 in regular-season record, teams 4-6 went into Pot 2, teams 7-9 into Pot 3, teams 10-12 into Pot 4, and teams 13-15 into Pot 5. As a result, the following groups were drawn:

• East A: Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards

• East B: Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers

• East C: New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets

• West A: Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz

• West B: Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans

• West C: Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs

Does one group stand out the most from the others?

This one is easy: West Group C. Three of the top four teams in the Western Conference — Houston, Denver and Golden State — are in the group, plus a Blazers team that excelled down the stretch last season. Oh, and don’t forget about Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, too. West Group B is also competitive, but Memphis is already dealing with injuries, Dallas is missing Kyrie Irving and the Pelicans are expected to be well outside the playoff picture.

What do players get for winning?

In 2023, the first year the tournament was held, the players on the winning team received $500,000 each, while those on the runners-up got $200,000. The losing players of the semifinals each got $100,000, and those ousted in the quarterfinals each got $50,000. Now, in each subsequent year, the prizes will be slightly higher, as a result of negotiated raises year over year to keep pace with increases in the salary cap and basketball-related income as part of the most recent collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association.

Will anyone earn individual honors for their play in NBA Cup games?

There will be an MVP award, as well as an all-tournament team.

Will this have any impact on the playoffs?

Not beyond the games counting in the regular-season standings (and toward tiebreakers). The only playoff impact comes from the wins and losses accrued throughout the tournament. Though there was debate among league insiders about guaranteeing a playoff berth for winning the tournament, ultimately, that idea (or any other to further incentivize teams) was not enacted.

Why is it called the Emirates NBA Cup?

The league struck a sponsorship deal with Emirates, the Dubai-based airline, to sponsor the tournament after its initial run. The NBA said last year that it went with the most basic titles for both the tournament and its trophy — the “in-season tournament” and “NBA Cup” — as a way to introduce the concept to fans. However, using such nondescript names had another clear advantage: It gave the league a blank slate in case the tournament and cup became properties it ended up selling to a sponsor, and avoided the complications that could arise by naming them after someone (for example, the late NBA commissioner David Stern, one possibility that had been floated before the tournament was officially unveiled).

2025 Emirates NBA Cup schedule:

All times Eastern

Group Play

Oct. 31

Nov. 7

• Cavaliers 148, Wizards 114

• Magic 123, Celtics 110

• Raptors 109, Hawks 97

• Pistons 125, Nets 107

• Spurs 121, Rockets 110

• Bucks 126, Bulls 110

• Heat 126, Hornets 108

• Timberwolves 137, Jazz 97

• Grizzlies 118, Mavericks 104

• Thunder 132, Kings 101

• Nuggets 129, Warriors 104

Nov. 14

Nov. 21

Nov. 25

Nov. 26

Nov. 28

• Hawks 130, Cavaliers 123

• Hornets 123, Bulls 116

• Knicks 118, Bucks 109

• Magic 112, Pistons 109

• 76ers 115, Nets 103

• Pacers 119, Wizards 86

• Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City Thunder, 9:30 p.m.

• Sacramento Kings at Utah Jazz, 9:30 p.m.

• San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets, 9:30 p.m.

• Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m. (Prime)

• Memphis Grizzlies at LA Clippers, 10 p.m.

Knockout

Dec. 9 and 10: Quarterfinals

• TBD vs. TBD, (Prime)

• TBD vs. TBD, (Prime)

• TBD vs. TBD, (Prime)

• TBD vs. TBD, (Prime)

Dec. 13: Semifinals

• TBD vs. TBD, (Prime)

• TBD vs. TBD, (Prime)

Dec. 16: Championship

As a service to fans who have a general interest in WWE but might not have watched a match in months, we’re happy to provide this FAQ as a guide to Survivor Series: WarGames, on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET from Petco Park in San Diego. The Premium Live Event (PLE) will stream exclusively in the U.S. for fans with a subscription to the ESPN Unlimited plan — either directly or through a traditional pay TV package — on the ESPN App.

What’s a WarGames match again?

We’ve come a long way from the humble beginnings of Survivor Series. Back in the day, it was all about multi-wrestler elimination tag-team matches, with mismatched partners and goofy team names like “Roddy’s Rowdies” and “Clowns Are Us.” Want to see Lex Luger team with The Undertaker against a team of “foreigners” that included Roman Reigns’ cousin, Yokozuna? There’s a Survivor Series for that!

Since 2022, Survivor Series has featured men’s and women’s WarGames matches contested between the two rings surrounded by a giant steel cage without a roof. The lack of ceiling denotes the difference between a “cage” and a “cell” in WWE parlance. Two participants from each five-person team start the match. A new member from each team enters the match at preset time intervals until all the participants are in the ring and the match officially begins. The match can only be won by pinfall or submission. Things tend to get violent fairly quickly.

Last year’s match had Roman Reigns teaming with his cousins, Jimmy and Jey Uso, while forging a fragile alliance with CM Punk, against a team with Bronson Reed on it. This year’s match has … Reigns teaming with his cousins Jimmy and Jey Uso, while forging a fragile alliance with Punk, against a team with Bronson Reed on it. But so much more!

Who’s battling in the men’s WarGames match?

In addition to the Usos and Punk, the fifth member of Reigns’ team this year is undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes. And by that we mean “Rhodes’ team.” Or is it world heavyweight champion CM Punk’s team? As usual, galactic-sized egos are trying to coexist for the greater good, but Reigns has indicated he wouldn’t mind a shot at either Rhodes or Punk’s title when this WarGames business is over.

In this case, “the greater good” is beating the snot out of The Vision, the faction led by the malevolent Paul Heyman. Please recall that The Vision was the group founded by Seth Rollins after his epic heel turn against Reigns and Punk at WrestleMania 41. The Vision is now Bron Breakker and Reed, who joined forces with Rollins only to attack him months later, writing him off television for at least six months following a reported shoulder injury suffered at Crown Jewel. (Although after that swerve with the crutches, we’re side-eying any Rollins injury timeline.)

What’s the sense of having nefarious antagonists if Logan Paul isn’t part of the team, right? The heat magnet slugged Punk with a pair of brass knuckles on a recent episode of “Raw” before aligning with Heyman’s group. Later, Paul and The Vision attacked Punk, with Rhodes and Jey Uso arriving to have his back against their own rivals. Punk issued the challenge for a WarGames match, telling Heyman to go find his team. The next guy he found technically wasn’t allowed to wrestle.

Drew McIntyre was suspended by “SmackDown” general manager Nick Aldis for attacking a referee. But Heyman, wise man that he is, found a loophole in his WarGames contract: He was allowed to choose any member of the WWE roster to join Team Vision. McIntyre, while suspended, is still a member of the roster, so he was on the team and joined in an attack on the Usos, Rhodes and Punk.

On Nov. 17, Heyman’s team added a formidable fifth: Brock Lesnar, who hit the “Raw” ring and gave Punk and Rhodes an all-expenses-paid trip to Suplex City. But just as Lesnar was congratulating Heyman at ringside, Reigns’ music hit to the shock of the crowd. One Superman punch on Lesnar later, and it was clear the odds had been evened.

(Lesnar would later light up the internet on the “go home” episode of “Raw,” slipping and falling during his pyro-filled intro. But we give him major props for the Simone Biles-esque somersault that undercut the botch.)

While half the competitors in this WarGames match were banging against the cages a year ago, this is far from a repeat affair. Heyman was aligned with Punk and Reigns in 2024 — not so much now. Last year’s match was in the last gasps of The Bloodline feud; this year’s event finds The Vision, and especially Breakker, more ascendant. And due respect to Sami Zayn, who was the fifth member of the Punk-Reigns team last year, but any WarGames is more compelling with Rhodes inside the cages, considering his father, the late Dusty Rhodes, was the inventor of the format.

What about the women’s WarGames match?

There are a lot of simmering rivalries fueling this match, but the most compelling features a former women’s champion who hadn’t been seen in the WWE for nearly a decade before this year: AJ Lee.

About two months ago, Punk was feuding with WWE power couple Rollins and Becky Lynch, who attacked Punk during a match against Rollins at Clash In Paris. When Lynch and Punk dueled on the mic in the aftermath of that attack, fans began chanting “AJ Lee!” in reference to Punk’s real-life wife. Lynch eventually snapped back with “she doesn’t work here!” … until Lee started working there again in September, skipping out of the back like it was 2013 again, to the shock of Lynch.

This led to a mixed tag-team match between the two couples at Wrestlepalooza, where Lee forced Lynch to submit with the Black Widow. Then came the ultimate indignity: Lee distracted Lynch in a title match at Madison Square Garden, allowing Maxxine Dupri to end “The Man’s” Intercontinental Championship reign at a record 163 days.

The loss sent Lynch into a spiral. She accused referee Jessika Carr of being a “crooked” CM Punk fan. She threatened legal action, calling Lee an unlicensed manager at ringside and claiming the match was “rigged.”

Another feud in the women’s WarGames match is between the Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) and their former teammate, Iyo Sky. The Warriors didn’t like that Sky wanted to align with Rhea Ripley, which eventually led them to turn on Sky and attack both Sky and Ripley.

Meanwhile, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss — the rivals-to-besties who won the Women’s Tag Team Championship at SummerSlam in August — were involved in a feud with Nia Jax and, eventually, NXT call-up Lash Legend. Legend, a former WNBA player, attacked Bliss during a match between Flair and Jax and later helped Jax cost them the titles in a match against the Kabuki Warriors, the new champs. Sky and Ripley returned from injury to rescue Bliss and Flair from a four-on-two beatdown, leading Ripley — sporting a facemask after breaking her nose in a match last month — to issue the challenge to WarGames.

Initially, Flair refused to play Ripley’s reindeer games, citing their long history as rivals as a reason not to trust her. But thanks to a wooden table, dramatic music and mood lightning, the two called a truce after Ripley said there was no one she’d rather go to war with. Which, admittedly, sounded a little confrontational, so she followed that up with “there’s no one I’d rather stand side-by-side with” in a war.

Anyway, Flair was like “OK” because flattery will get you everywhere.

There’s a ton of talent in this match, with high-fliers and power wrestlers. But it’s hard not to think that this WarGames match will come down to Lynch and Lee.

What about the Women’s World Championship?

WWE women’s champion Jade Cargill isn’t on the Survivor Series card — although she might have some business with women’s United States champion Chelsea Green on the horizon. Women’s world title holder Stephanie Vaquer, she of the scary ram horns, defends her title against former ally Nikki Bella at Survivor Series.

Vaquer and Bella were a tag team feuding with the Judgment Day’s Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez. Vaquer put over the fact that she was teaming with a Divas’ Revolution legend. As the saying goes, never form a makeshift tag team with your idols. Bella turned on Vaquer, attacking her with the title belt then doffing her red shirt to reveal an EVIL BLACK SHIRT underneath, like she went from nWo WolfPac to Hollywood in an instant!

Whoever could have seen a betrayal like this coming from Nikki Bella? You know, besides her twin sister, Brie?

What’s the latest on the John Cena retirement tour?

Survivor Series is the final PLE for Cena before his retirement match on Dec. 13 at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, D.C. Fun fact: He first appeared on a WWE pay-per-view over 23 years ago, defeating Chris Jericho at Vengeance 2002.

Cena enters Survivor Series as Grand Slam Champion after his Intercontinental Championship victory over Dominik Mysterio on Nov. 10, winning each of the singles and tag team championships during his WWE career. That victory came in Boston, not far from Cena’s hometown of West Newbury. He agreed to give “Dirty Dom” a rematch in Mysterio’s hometown of San Diego at Survivor Series.

As one might expect, Mysterio has enjoyed trolling Cena ahead of their title rematch. Witness his shenanigans at “Raw” on Monday, when he popped the crowd by playing Cena’s theme music only to have a Micro Wrestling Federation wrestler dressed as Cena emerge from the back. When “little” John went off script in the ring, Dom gave him a boot to the chest. Just in case you were worried, Dom couldn’t become any more loathsome.

While Cena has this title defense at Survivor Series, there’s an ongoing “The Last Time Is Now” tournament in the WWE to determine who will face “The Last Real Champion” in his retirement match.

Did you know that Gunther, who is in the final four of the tournament, is the longest-reigning Intercontinental champion ever and has never before faced Cena in a match? Huh, fancy that.

What’s the biggest thing to watch at Survivor Series?

The thing to watch for this Saturday is the thing that has always made Survivor Series matches intriguing: “Can they coexist?”

That not only goes for Flair and Ripley in the women’s match, but the holy trinity of self-importance that is Rhodes, Punk and Reigns — three wrestlers united by a common enemy and potentially divided by their own self interests. In the end, the real survivors are the ones who can check their egos at the cage door. And clearly, not everyone in these WarGames will survive them.

Las Vegas has already hosted important and exciting early-season games, but nothing tops next week’s Players Era Women’s Championship, a chance for players to earn NIL money and for teams to separate themselves from the other elite squads in the country.

Four of the nation’s best — Duke, South Carolina, Texas and UCLA — will compete at Michelob ULTRA Arena, the home of the WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces, on Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day in a Final Four-caliber event. In the first game Wednesday, the Longhorns (6-0) got up big early on before holding on for a win over the third-ranked and previously unbeaten Bruins (6-1).

That event is the highlight of the holiday week tournaments and games — but not the only intriguing action across the globe over the next week. Games from Puerto Rico to Cancun and from Florida to Texas help create one of the best stretches on the women’s basketball calendar this season.

Many of these games will have far-reaching implications into March and could be the difference between being in or out of the NCAA tournament field.

It’s a crowded sports calendar at this time of year, but this is your guide to the best games and how to watch them. Come back after the final whistle to see how each contest ended and for analysis on how it might impact March.

All times Eastern

Jump to: Must-watch game schedule | Players Era coverage | More results and analysis

Players Era results and analysis

No. 4 Texas 76, No. 3 UCLA 65

In a game expected to provide some answers in determining which team lines up behind UConn as the second best in the country, Texas stepped forward. Early on, the Longhorns looked headed for a runaway win after a dominant opening two quarters and 20-point lead at halftime. But UCLA made a run in the fourth quarter that left the game in doubt into the final minute. Rori Harmon led a stifling first-half defense that held a UCLA team averaging 82.8 points per game to 25 — then made big plays late that helped the Longhorns hang on. She finished with 26 points to go with five assists.

This was the first real test for Texas, which entered the game with an average margin of victory of 53.6 points. UCLA entered the matchup ranked third in the AP poll and as the No. 2 team in the latest Bracketology — ahead of Texas in both instances — and already has wins over Oklahoma and North Carolina on its résumé. Texas will certainly overtake the Bruins in both rankings following this win, which gives the Longhorns breathing room in their bid for a No. 1 seed.

UCLA will stay on the top line for now, but its margin for error isn’t as great — and Thursday’s consolation game will determine whether the Bruins stay there.

No. 2 South Carolina 83, Duke 66

With Duke‘s recent struggles, South Carolina entered the second Players Era matchup as a big favorite — and delivered. The Blue Devils weren’t an easy out, but the Gamecocks leaned heavily on the frontcourt duo of Joyce Edwards and Madina Okot to dominate inside. With Edwards and Okot combining for 45 points, South Carolina outscored Duke 58-28 in the paint to set up SEC rivals South Carolina and Texas in a “nonconference” game for the Players Era championship. The winner of Thursday’s game will emerge as the clear No. 2 team in the country.

Duke drops below .500 at 3-4, and unless the Blue Devils upset UCLA in Thursday’s consolation game, they will fall out of Bracketology’s next projection on Tuesday. Duke has plenty of opportunities to get back into the field with games against LSU and South Dakota State before ACC play begins, but early losses to Baylor, West Virginia and South Florida have put the Blue Devils in a hole. A top-four seed with the opportunity to host first- and second-round NCAA tournament games seems unlikely now.

Thursday games

South Dakota State vs. North Carolina

11 a.m., FloHoops, Cancun Challenge (Cancun, Mexico)

After the Players Era Championship, this is the next-best event of Thanksgiving week. The Jackrabbits and Tar Heels lead off a great first day. South Dakota State’s Brooklyn Meyer is off to a great start and ranks among the national leaders in scoring. North Carolina’s success starts with defense. The winner of that matchup likely wins the game.

NC State vs. Green Bay

4 p.m. ET, FloHoops, Cancun Challenge (Cancun, Mexico)

The Wolfpack and Phoenix represent a contrast in styles. NC State wants to run. Green Bay likes to control the pace. This is a dangerous game for the Wolfpack, who can’t afford any more nonconference losses if they want a top-four seed in the NCAA tournament.

Texas vs. South Carolina

8 p.m. ET, truTV, Players Era championship game (Las Vegas)

In a game between SEC rivals that officially counts as a nonconference game, the Longhorns and Gamecocks will meet to decide the clear No. 2 team in the country.

Richmond vs. TCU

9 p.m., FloHoops, Cancun Challenge (Cancun, Mexico)

Coming off the most successful season in program history and with All-American candidate Maggie Doogan back, the expectations are high for Richmond. Four games removed from a 29-point loss at Texas on Nov. 7, this represents a chance to check the Spiders’ progress. The players have meshed quickly for the Horned Frogs, who should be unbeaten heading into Big 12 play with a win over the Spiders.

Oregon State vs. Vanderbilt

9 p.m., ESPN+, Paradise Jam (U.S. Virgin Islands)

Coach Scott Rueck always seems to find a way at Oregon State — and how he defends Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes will be another test. After the Beavers’ win over Illinois, they are back in the NCAA tournament hunt.

UCLA vs. Duke

10:30 p.m., truTV, Players Era consolation game (Las Vegas)

Despite the quality of the opponents at the Players Era Championship, two losses in Las Vegas will be devastating to No. 1 seed aspirations — or possibly even No. 2 seed prospects given how many more challenges in and out of conference await the Blue Devils, Bruins, Gamecocks and Longhorns.

Friday games

Iowa State vs. Marquette

11 a.m., FloHoops, Coconut Hoops (Fort Myers, Florida)

The Cyclones won’t have been challenged until this trip to Florida. Minnesota dominated Marquette two weeks ago, the Golden Eagles should approach this game with some desperation if the NCAA tournament is part of their future.

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Marquette Golden Eagles vs. Milwaukee Panthers: Game Highlights

Marquette Golden Eagles vs. Milwaukee Panthers: Game Highlights

Indiana vs. Gonzaga

1 :30 p.m., FloHoops, Coconut Hoops

Allie Turner of Gonzaga and Indiana’s Shay Ciezki are two of the best small guards in the country. Ciezki is off to a fast start and is one of the best 3-point shooters in the nation.

Kansas vs. Georgia

7:30 p.m., ION, Fort Myers Classic (Fort Myers, Florida)

Neither team was on the NCAA tournament radar until a combined 9-0 start. This could be the game that proves whether postseason hopes are realistic.

Saturday games

Oklahoma State vs. Miami

11 a.m., FloHoops, Cayman Islands Classic (Grand Town, Cayman Islands)

Expect plenty of points in this one. The Cowgirls hit the 100-point mark four times in their first five games.

South Dakota State vs. Kansas State

11 a.m., FloHoops, Cancun Challenge

Spin the wheel again in Cancun and more good matchups emerge. The Wildcats have eight players averaging at or around seven points. That kind of balance will help against a SDSU defense that is consistently good, especially in the half court, under coach Aaron Johnston.

Paradise Jam, Island Division championship game

1 p.m. or 3:30 p.m., ESPN+ (U.S. Virgin Islands)

The Vanderbilt-Oregon State winner will meet either BYU or Virginia Tech. Regardless of the matchup, this game will have meaning. If the Beavers come out of the Paradise Jam with two wins, they are not only the clear WCC favorite but also in a position to earn an at-large bid. The Hokies won’t likely threaten for the top of the ACC, but their at-large chances increase significantly with a championship here.

North Carolina vs. Columbia

1:30 p.m., FloHoops, Cancun Challenge

The Lions’ Riley Weiss scored 24 points in an NCAA tournament win over Washington last season. If you missed that, here is another chance to watch Weiss, who is having an even better junior season.

George Mason vs. Ole Miss

3 p.m., BallerTV, Daytona Beach Classic (Daytona, Florida)

If the Atlantic 10 is going to get multiple bids to the NCAA tournament like it did a season ago, George Mason is the key. A game at Maryland right before this trip to Florida and this matchup with Ole Miss gives the Patriots their two biggest opportunities for a foundational résumé win.

Georgia Tech vs. Florida

5 p.m. ET, FloHoops, Cayman Islands Classic (Grand Town, Cayman Islands)

In the four games with sophomore Liv McGill, the Gators have scored at least 87 points. In the game she missed with a leg injury, they scored 54. If she’s on the floor, Florida is a must-watch.

Paradise Jam, Reef Division championship game

8:30 p.m., ESPN+ (U.S. Virgin Islands)

LSU and Washington State is the likely matchup here. The Tigers’ nonconference schedule once again doesn’t provide many challenges, and the Cougars are struggling this season. But this might be a chance to see MiLaysia Fulwiley in her new surroundings. She’s leading LSU in scoring despite still coming off the bench.

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LSU Tigers vs. Tulane Green Wave: Game Highlights

LSU Tigers vs. Tulane Green Wave: Game Highlights

Sunday games

Coconut Hoops, Blue Heron Division championship game

11 a.m. or 1:30 p.m., FloHoops (Fort Myers, Florida)

An Indiana–Iowa State meeting seems most likely here, and the Hoosiers have size to throw at Cyclones star Audi Crooks, who already has a 43-point game this season.

Coconut Hoops, Great Egret Division championship game

4 or 6:30 p.m., FloHoops (Fort Myers, Florida)

With their fast pace, ability to shoot and the addition of freshman Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma is fun to watch. The Sooners meeting Florida State here is the likely matchup in one of the final games of the weekend.

Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo, Junkanoo Division championship game

6:30 p.m., FloHoops (Nassau, Bahamas)

Michigan State and Clemson will be the big favorites to meet in this one. The Tigers’ early losses were to South Carolina and Louisville, but they played well for long stretches in both. The Spartans opened the season by scoring at least 92 points in four straight games, sparked by Grace VanSlooten and the best assist totals in the country.

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

Wednesday

Ohio State 83, No. 21 West Virginia 81

Ohio State handed West Virginia its first loss of the season thanks to a strong fourth quarter. It gave Ohio State the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo championship, Goombay Division, in Nassau, Bahamas. It’s a big win for Ohio State, which has now won three consecutive games after a tough 100-68 loss to No. 1 UConn on Nov. 16, and should help propel the Buckeyes, who were already on the rise as a No. 7 seed in ESPN’s latest Bracketology.

This loss will sting for West Virginia, which led by eight with less than four minutes left and won the rebounding battle 38-28. Most things lined up for a West Virginia win. But the Mountaineers committed 25 turnovers to Ohio State’s 17 — West Virginia is typically on the right side of turnover margin — and shot 4-of-17 from 3-point range.

Ohio State guards Jaloni Cambridge, the team’s leading scorer this season, and her sister, Kennedy Cambridge, both fouled out in the last 4½ minutes. Two other Ohio State players, Kylee Kitts and Bryn Martin, also fouled out of the game. Yet the Buckeyes still managed to outscore the Mountaineers 28-20 in the final period.

Ohio State guard Ava Watson made two free throws with three seconds left to give the Buckeyes an 83-80 lead. West Virginia still had a chance to tie the score as guard Sydney Shaw was fouled on a 3-point attempt with six-tenths of a second left. She missed the first attempt, made the second and intentionally missed the third to try to get a rebound and putback for the Mountaineers. But Ohio State grabbed the ball and the victory.

Jaloni Cambridge led Ohio State (5-1) with 22 points. Guard Gia Cooke‘s 24 points led West Virginia. — Michael Voepel

Auburn 58, California 50

Auburn has opened Larry Vickers’ coaching tenure with the Tigers with eight straight wins, and this one was by far the biggest. Cal had just moved into the field in the latest Bracketology as a No. 10 seed, and Auburn was among the First Four Out. If these two remain bubble teams come March, this could prove to be a difference-making win for the Tigers, who were led by senior guard A’riel Jackson‘s 17 points.

Another one of these matchups awaits Auburn on Sunday when the Tigers host Oregon. The Bears will fall entirely out of NCAA tournament contention for now if they drop a game at Missouri next Thursday in the ACC/SEC Challenge.

Tuesday

Nebraska 91, Virginia 82

The Cornhuskers (7-0) held off a furious fourth quarter rally by Virginia in the Emerald Coast Classic Beach Bracket championship to remain unbeaten. They should stay that way heading into Big Ten play. This was Nebraska’s toughest nonconference test, and the Huskers passed it. Britt Prince also won the battle of all-conference-caliber guards with 30 points. Kymora Johnson had 24 for the Cavaliers, who have a trip to Vanderbilt coming up next week. After suffering a stunning loss to UMBC, this was one Virginia needed. The Cavaliers will now have to pull an upset or two in the ACC to remain on the right side of the NCAA tournament bubble.

Texas A&M 59, Colorado 49

The Buffaloes just moved back into the NCAA field in the latest Bracketology as the second-to-last team in. They immediately fall back out after this loss in the Hawaii North Shore Showcase. It’s an extremely damaging defeat since Colorado doesn’t have another potential résumé-building nonconference game on the schedule.

With upcoming games against Georgia Tech and West Virginia, both of which rank in the top-50 of the NET, the Aggies set themselves up nicely with this win. Texas A&M completely controlled the second half with 23 points from new point guard Ny’Ceara Pryor.

Mississippi State 69, Middle Tennessee 47

This was a must-have for the Bulldogs. They have gotten off to a good start, but this Emerald Coast Classic Bay Bracket championship game against Middle Tennessee marked their best nonconference game the rest of the way. A loss here would have been damaging to the résumé, so while a win guarantees nothing, beating the Blue Raiders sets Mississippi State up to have a solid record when SEC play begins.

Oregon 71, Saint Mary’s 53

Oregon stayed unbeaten (7-0) but more importantly did exactly what it needed to do in this matchup. With December games looming against Oregon State, UCLA, Stanford and Michigan, the Ducks can’t afford a stumble in the Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Classic in Frisco, Texas.

Monday

Minnesota 57, South Florida 45

This was the kind of game South Florida needed to win to stay in the running for an at-large bid. Minnesota picked up a good résumé booster, and will have more chances to secure important wins in the Big Ten.

Sunday

Missouri 71, Washington State 54

After losses to Kansas and Troy, Missouri got a much-needed win Sunday — its fourth game in eight days — to move the Tigers to 5-2 in Kellie Harper’s first year as coach. Mizzou’s offense has scored at least 70 points in every game and has been ahead of its defense thus far. The victory at the WBCA Showcase in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, was a confidence-builder for the Tigers’ defense. They held the Cougars to 29% shooting from the field (21 of 72) while shooting 48% (27 of 56) themselves.

Mizzou is relying a lot on transfers as Harper begins a new era for the program. Junior guard Shannon Dowell (Illinois State), who has been Mizzou’s top offensive weapon, had 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting with 10 rebounds Sunday. Senior guard Jayla Smith (Purdue) had 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting. — Michael Voepel

Saturday

Iowa 64, Miami 61

Through three quarters of Iowa–Miami, it looked like the more intriguing game Saturday at the WBCA Showcase might have already been played, as No. 7 Baylor needed overtime to beat Davidson 74-72 and avoid a second straight loss.

The No. 19 Hawkeyes looked comfortably in control and led the Hurricanes 61-49 with 8:30 to play — but then Iowa failed to hit another field goal in the game. The Hurricanes, who have 12 new players this season, looked like they might pull the upset in their first true test of the season, scoring 10 unanswered points to cut the Hawkeyes’ lead to two. But Kylie Feuerbach hit three free throws in the final 11 seconds to move Iowa to 6-0.

After beating Baylor on Thursday, the Hawkeyes looked like a team about to be in consideration for a top-16 seed in the NCAA bracket. Although they’re still undefeated and got a game-high 20 points from sophomore Ava Heiden, their offense disappearing for almost an entire quarter has to be concerning. — ESPN

Friday

UConn 72, Michigan 69

The No. 6 Wolverines accomplished more in a loss than they will in winning their next six games. Hanging as closely as they did with the defending NCAA champion Huskies solidifies their place among the top-10 seeds and, more importantly, will serve them well in the battle to be a No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. UConn, which got 31 points from Azzi Fudd, might not play a closer game all season. If the Huskies go unbeaten, the fact that Michigan made UConn sweat down the stretch will mean that much more. In the Wolverines, UCLA now has a new, legitimate threat in the Big Ten.

MORE: What makes UConn’s Sarah Strong so good

Thursday

Iowa 57, Baylor 52

No. 19 Iowa has three significant nonconference games on its schedule. This WBCA Showcase matchup was one of them. So getting this win, on a neutral court, could prove huge for the Hawkeyes, who can now enter the conversation of deserving to be in the top 16 seeds of the NCAA bracket. No. 7 Baylor, which suffered its first loss of the season, should still be one of the best teams in the Big 12, making this a foundational win for a young Iowa team whose two top scorers in the game — Ava Heiden and Taylor Stremlow — are sophomores.