ESPN Events, the recently rebranded subsidiary of ESPN, has released the brackets for its owned and operated early-season basketball tournaments beginning in November and running through the Christmas holiday. The five multi-day, destination events consisting of the Gildan Charleston Classic, Puerto Rico Tip-Off, Wooden Legacy, Orlando Classic and the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic will be shown across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3.
Each tournament will also be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 or Xbox One to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
The bracket-format tournaments feature 12 games over three days. The teams compete once per day, advancing with a victory. The two teams that remain undefeated will face off in a championship game.
Gildan Charleston Classic – Nov. 20, 21 & 23
The Gildan Charleston Classic, held at TD Arena in Charleston, S.C., will include Akron, Charlotte, Cornell, Drexel, Miami (Fla.), Penn State, Southern California and South Carolina. Penn State advanced to the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) quarterfinals, while Akron participated in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). Additional information, including travel packages, can be found on the Gildan Charleston Classic website.
Gildan Charleston Classic (Schedule subject to change)
| Date | Time (ET) | Game | Network |
| Thu, Nov 20 | 12:30 p.m. | Southern California vs. Akron | ESPN3 |
| 3 p.m. | Drexel vs. Miami (Fla.) | ESPNU | |
| 5 p.m. | Penn State vs. Charlotte | ESPNU | |
| 7:30 p.m. | Cornell vs. South Carolina | ESPN3 | |
| Fri, Nov 21 | Noon | Consolation #1 | ESPNU or ESPN3 |
| 2:30 p.m. | Semifinal #1 | ESPN2 or ESPNU | |
| 7 p.m. | Semifinal #2 | ESPNU | |
| 9 p.m. | Consolation #2 | ESPN3 | |
| Sun, Nov 23 | 1:30 p.m. | 7th-place Game | ESPN3 |
| 3:30 p.m. | 5th-place Game | ESPN3 | |
| 6:30 p.m. | 3rd-place Game | ESPNU | |
| 9 p.m. | Championship Game | ESPN2 | |
| Tue, Nov 25 | TBD | Akron at Penn State^ | TBD |
| TBD | Miami at Charlotte^ | TBD |
^ – Non-bracketed game
Puerto Rico Tip-Off – Nov. 20, 21 & 23
The Puerto Rico Tip-Off will showcase NCAA National Champion Connecticut, Boston College, Charleston, Dayton, George Mason, New Mexico, Texas A&M and West Virginia. Five of these teams participated in postseason tournaments last season, including Connecticut, with its magical run to capture the NCAA National Championship. Dayton played in the NCAA Elite Eight, while New Mexico advanced to the second round. West Virginia participated in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and Texas A&M advanced to the CBI quarterfinals. Additional information, including travel packages, can be found on the Puerto Rico Tip-Off website.
Puerto Rico Tip-Off (Schedule subject to change)
| Date | Time (ET) | Game | Network |
| Thu, Nov 20 | 10:30 a.m. | Texas A&M vs. Dayton | ESPNU |
| 12:30 p.m. | Charleston vs. Connecticut | ESPNU | |
| 5 p.m. | New Mexico vs. Boston College | ESPN2 | |
| 7:30 p.m. | George Mason vs. West Virginia | ESPNU | |
| Fri, Nov 21 | Noon | Consolation #1 | ESPNU or ESPN3 |
| 2:30 p.m. | Semifinal #1 | ESPN2 or ESPNU | |
| 5 p.m. | Semifinal #2 | ESPN2 or ESPNU | |
| 7 p.m. | Consolation #2 | ESPN3 | |
| Sun, Nov 23 | 11:30 a.m. | 7th-place Game | ESPN3 |
| 2 p.m. | 5th-place Game | ESPNU | |
| 4:30 p.m. | 3rd-place Game | ESPN2 | |
| 6:30 p.m. | Championship Game | ESPN2 | |
| Sat, Nov 29 | TBD | Charleston at West Virginia^ | TBD |
^ – Non-bracketed game
Wooden Legacy – Nov. 27, 28 & 30
The Wooden Legacy will be played in Orange County, Calif., with the first two days played on the campus of Cal State Fullerton and the final day of competition at Honda Center in Anaheim. The field consists of Long Beach, Princeton, San Diego, San Jose State, UTEP, Washington, Western Michigan and Xavier.
Five of these teams competed in 2013-14 postseason action, including Western Michigan, which played into the second round of the NCAA Championship, and Xavier, which made it to the first round. San Diego advanced to the CIT quarterfinals, Princeton to the CBI quarterfinals and UTEP played in the CBI first round. Additional information, including travel packages, can be found on the Wooden Legacy website.
Wooden Legacy (Schedule subject to change)
| Date | Time (ET) | Game | Network |
| Tue, Nov 18 | TBD | Long Beach at Xavier ^ | TBD |
| Mon, Nov. 24 | 10 p.m. | Western Michigan at San Diego^ | TBD |
| Thu, Nov 27# | 2 p.m. | Princeton vs. UTEP | ESPNU |
| 4:30 p.m. | San Diego vs. Xavier | ESPN2 | |
| 8:30 p.m. | Long Beach State vs. Western Michigan | ESPNU | |
| 11 p.m. | San Jose State vs. Washington | ESPN2 | |
| Fri, Nov 28# | 3:30 p.m. | Semifinal #1 | ESPN2 |
| 5:30 p.m. | Consolation #1 | ESPN3 | |
| 9 p.m. | Consolation #2 | ESPN3 | |
| 11:30 p.m. | Semifinal #2 | ESPN2 | |
| Sun, Nov 30* | 2 p.m. | 5th-place Game | ESPNU |
| 4 p.m. | 3rd-place Game | ESPNU | |
| 7:30 p.m. | 7th-place Game | ESPN3 | |
| 10 p.m. | Championship Game | ESPN2 |
^ – Non-bracketed game
# – Titan Gym, Fullerton, Calif.; * – Honda Center, Anaheim, Calif.
Orlando Classic – Nov. 27, 28 & 30
The Orlando Classic, held at HP Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walk Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla., will feature Georgia Tech, Kansas, Marquette, Michigan State, Rhode Island, Rider, Santa Clara and Tennessee. The Orlando Classic will feature three teams that earned berths in the NCAA Championship: Michigan State lost to eventual NCAA champion Connecticut in the Elite Eight. Tennessee advanced to the Sweet 16 and Kansas advanced to the third round. Additional information, including travel packages, can be found on theOrlando Classic website.
Orlando Classic (Schedule subject to change)
| Date | Time (ET) | Game | Network |
| Mon, Nov 24 | TBD | Santa Clara at Michigan State^ | TBD |
| 8 p.m. | Rider at Kansas^ | TBD | |
| Thu, Nov 27 | Noon | Santa Clara vs. Tennessee | ESPN2 |
| 2 p.m. | Kansas vs. Rhode Island | ESPN2 | |
| 6:30 p.m. | Michigan State vs. Rider | ESPN2 | |
| 8:30 p.m. | Marquette vs. Georgia Tech | ESPN2 | |
| Fri, Nov 28 | Noon or 2:30 p.m. | Consolation #1 | ESPN or ESPNU |
| Noon or 2:30 p.m. | Semifinal #1 | ESPN or ESPNU | |
| 6:30 p.m. | Consolation #2 | ESPNU | |
| 9 p.m. | Semifinal #2 | ESPN2 | |
| Sun, Nov 30 | 10:30 a.m. | 7th-place Game | ESPN3 |
| 1 or 4 p.m. | 3rd-place Game | ESPN or ESPN2 | |
| 6:30 p.m. | 5th-place Game | ESPNU | |
| 1 or 4 p.m. | Championship Game | ESPN or ESPN2 |
^ – Non-bracketed game
Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic – Dec. 22, 23 & 25
The Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, played at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, will include tournament host Hawaii, along with Colorado, DePaul, George Washington, Loyola Marymount, Ohio, Nebraska and Wichita State. Five of these teams participated in the postseason, including Colorado, George Washington and Nebraska, which all earned second-round berths. Wichita State had a storybook season with a 35-1 record, appearing in the NCAA Championship for the second-straight year. Ohio played into the CIT quarterfinals. Additional information, including travel packages, can be found on the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic website.
Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic (Schedule subject to change)
| Date | Time (ET) | Game | Network |
| Thu, Dec 11 | TBD | DePaul at George Washington^ | TBD |
| Mon, Dec 22 | 2:30 p.m. | Ohio vs. George Washington | ESPNU |
| 4:30 p.m. | DePaul vs. Colorado | ESPNU | |
| 11 p.m. | Loyola Marymount vs. Wichita State | ESPNU | |
| Tue, Dec 23 | 1 a.m. | Nebraska vs. Hawaii | ESPNU |
| 2:30 p.m. | Consolation #1 | ESPNU | |
| 4:30 p.m. | Semifinal #1 | ESPNU | |
| 9 p.m. | Semifinal #2 | ESPN2 | |
| 11:30 p.m. | Consolation #2 | ESPNU | |
| Thu, Dec 25 | 1:30 or 4 p.m. |
7th-place Game | ESPNU or ESPN3 |
| 1:30 or 4 p.m. |
5th-place Game | ESPNU or ESPN3 | |
| 6:30 p.m. | 3rd-place Game | ESPN2 | |
| 8:30 p.m. | Championship Game | ESPN2 |
^ – Non-bracketed game
Additional ESPN Events early-season games
The third installment of the Armed Forces Classic will take place from the United States Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen in Puerto Rico, on Friday, Nov. 14, and will feature Louisville vs. Minnesota. Rick Pitino, a 2013 inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, will face his son Richard Pitino, who heads into his second season as head coach of the Gophers. The game will be shown on ESPN.
In its fourth year, the State Farm Champions Classic – a neutral-site, early-season doubleheader that matches four of the winningest programs against each other – will pit Michigan State vs. Duke and Kansas vs. Kentucky from Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Nov. 18. This is the culminating event of the College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon, and both games will air on ESPN.
The Jimmy V Men’s Classic Presented by Corona Extra will showcase four top college basketball programs — Indiana, Louisville, Illinois and Villanova – in the 20th annual doubleheader Tuesday, Dec. 9. ESPN will televise both games from New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden, beginning with Villanova vs. Maryland at 7 p.m., followed by Indiana vs. Louisville at 9 p.m.
The Jimmy V Women’s Classic Presented by Corona Extra will feature defending national champion Connecticut against Final Four participant Notre Dame in the 13th annual event on Saturday, Dec. 6, from Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Ind. The game will air on ESPN or ESPN2.