WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita State men's basketball has added another elite matchup to its 2026 non-conference schedule with the addition of the USC Trojans at the inaugural Caesars Lake Tahoe Classic.
The Shockers and Trojans will square off on the final day of college basketball's opening week of the season on Sunday, Nov. 8 in the Tahoe Blue Event Center in Stateline, Nev. The event will feature four marquee matchups, with Wichita State taking on USC, Nevada facing Saint Mary's, Houston meeting California and California Women's Basketball taking on San Francisco Women's Basketball, bringing eight Division I programs to Lake Tahoe for a full day of college basketball.
"We are incredibly excited to be part of the inaugural Lake Tahoe Classic," said Wichita State head men's basketball coach
Paul Mills. "Dan Shell (President of Total Sports Consulting) and his team have gone out of their way to create a terrific event and meaningful games during the opening week of the season. Playing USC will be a phenomenal early-season matchup for our team. We look forward to Shocker fans joining us in Lake Tahoe for this contest."
This will be the fifth time Wichita State and USC have met on the hardwood with the Trojans taking three of the first four meetings. The most recent contest came in 2015 when the two programs met in the first round of the AdvoCare Invitational in Orlando. Playing without Fred VanVleet, the Trojans held off the Shockers, 72-69.
Tickets for the 2026 Caesars Lake Tahoe Classic go on sale Wednesday, Sept. 2, through Ticketmaster and the Tahoe Blue Event Center Box Office. The event will feature two separate sessions, with fans able to purchase tickets to either individual session or take advantage of a discounted two-session package providing access to all four games. Premium courtside seating, suites, hospitality experiences and group ticket packages will also be available.
Heading into a season with high expectations, the Trojans look to improve upon last year's 18-14 campaign and aim for the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance under third-year head coach Eric Musselman. Former five-star recruit Alijah Arenas, senior guard Rodney Rice and junior forward Jacob Cofie give the Trojans three starting-caliber returners from a season ago, while the 11 newcomers give USC depth and positional size. USC welcomes three McDonald's All Americans — Christian Collins, Adonis Ratliff and Darius Ratliff — in the nation's No. 7 recruiting class, per ESPN, while the six-man transfer portal class ranks as high as No. 4 in the nation, per On3.
Wichita State is coming off a 24-win season and its second straight postseason berth. The Shockers have increased their win total each year under Mills, who will be entering his fourth season on the sideline. Mills' 58 wins are the second most in program history by a Wichita State head coach through his first three seasons. The 2026-27 team enters with high expectations after the announcement of 10 Shockers returning from last season, including American Conference Sixth Man of the Year
Will Berg,
Dillon Battie and
TJ Williams.
Date: Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026
Location: Tahoe Blue Event Center | Stateline, Nev.
Session #1
Game 1 - Cal-WBB vs. San Francisco-WBB - Time TBA
Game 2 - Nevada vs. Saint Mary's - Time TBA
Session #2
Game 3 - Houston vs. California - Time TBA
Game 4 - USC vs. Wichita State - Time TBA
Season tickets are on sale now, and season ticket renewals are available as well. To purchase, visit GoShockers.com/Tickets, dial 316-978-FANS (3267) or stop by the Shocker Ticket Office, located inside Charles Koch Arena, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Individuals interested in donating to the We Fight For Wichita Fund may do so at
GoShockers.com/Giving. For more information, contact the WSU Development Office at 316-978-SASO (7276).
About Caesars Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment is the largest casino-entertainment company in the United States and one of the world's most diversified gaming, hospitality and entertainment providers. Its portfolio includes destinations operating under the Caesars, Harrah's, Horseshoe and Eldorado brands, all connected through the Caesars Rewards loyalty program. In Lake Tahoe, Caesars Entertainment owns and operates Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe and Harrah's Lake Tahoe, two iconic South Shore properties that together offer nearly 1,250 guest rooms along with extensive gaming, dining, nightlife and entertainment experiences. The two resorts are located across the street from one another and connected by an easy-access underground connector. Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe, formerly Harveys Lake Tahoe, officially celebrated its grand opening in July 2026 following a sweeping $200 million transformation that reimagined the historic property as a modern, luxury resort. The destination features a redesigned hotel and casino experience along with dining and entertainment concepts including Gordon Ramsay HELL'S KITCHEN, WOLF by Vanderpump and Tessie's Cocktails & Chords. Across the street, Harrah's Lake Tahoe has been a fixture of the South Shore since 1955 and continues to complement Caesars Republic with additional accommodations, gaming, dining and entertainment. Together, Caesars Republic and Harrah's provide guests with a connected resort experience in the heart of Lake Tahoe and serve as a major hospitality and entertainment destination for visitors to the region.
About Visit Lake Tahoe
Visit Lake Tahoe, the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, is the official destination marketing organization for the South Shore of Lake Tahoe. The organization promotes Lake Tahoe as a unique, world-class, year-round destination while supporting the region's tourism economy through overnight visitation and visitor spending. Visit Lake Tahoe showcases the destination's unmatched combination of outdoor recreation, entertainment, dining, lodging, events and natural beauty while promoting responsible and sustainable tourism to help preserve Lake Tahoe for future generations. From skiing and snowboarding to hiking, biking, boating, beaches, golf, live entertainment and major events at Tahoe Blue Event Center, the South Shore offers experiences throughout every season. Visit Lake Tahoe works to share those experiences with travelers from around the world while positioning the destination as a premier location for leisure travel, meetings, sporting events and entertainment. For more information, visit
VisitLakeTahoe.com.
About Tahoe Blue Event Center
Tahoe Blue Event Center is the premier sports and entertainment venue serving South Lake Tahoe and the surrounding Sierra Nevada region. Opened in 2023, the state-of-the-art arena hosts major concerts, family entertainment, collegiate athletics, professional sporting events and community programming while welcoming visitors from throughout California, Nevada and beyond. The venue has quickly established itself as one of the premier event destinations in the western United States.
About Total Sports Consulting
Total Sports Consulting (TSC) is a premier sports event management and consulting company specializing in the creation, operation and commercialization of high-level collegiate basketball events nationwide. TSC partners with universities, conferences, arenas, broadcast partners and corporate sponsors to develop and execute nationally recognized neutral-site games, multi-team events and marquee showcases. The company manages every aspect of event strategy and execution, including scheduling, television partnerships, sponsorship sales, venue operations, team logistics, hospitality, ticketing and on-site management. TSC also specializes in revenue-generation initiatives for athletic departments, including multimedia rights, naming rights, NIL solutions, coaching representation and large-scale corporate partnerships. From concept to final buzzer, TSC is committed to delivering first-class events that create meaningful value for participating schools, corporate partners and fans while continuing to elevate college basketball on a national stage. For more information, visit TotalSportsConsulting.com.
