Battle 4 Atlantis 2025 Men's Teams, Schedule, Live Stream, Bracket, TV Info

The 2025 edition of the Battle 4 Atlantis, arguably the most unique tournament in college basketball, is upon us. The eight-team, three-day tournament will kick off on Wednesday.

Vanderbilt, Saint Mary's, Virginia Tech and VCU headline this year's field, which does not feature a former champion. VCU has the most experience in the tournament, with three previous appearances, but Phil Martelli Jr.'s team has never won it.

This year's bracket doesn't feature any ranked in the top 20 either, with No. 24 Vanderbilt serving as the biggest draw and the logical favorite. However, the event should be plenty of fun for fans seeking a little Thanksgiving college basketball.

Battle 4 Atlantis 2025 Bracket Schedule and Viewing Info

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Wednesday, November 26

Game 1: Western Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN

Game 2: VCU vs. South Florida at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2

Game 3: Colorado State vs. Virginia Tech at 5 p.m. ET on ESPNU

Game 4: Wichita State vs. Saint Mary's at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2

Thursday, November 27

Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

Game 7: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2

Game 8: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser at 8 p.m. ET on ESPNU

Friday, November 28

3rd-Place Game: Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 loser at 10:30 a.m. ET on ESPNU

Championship Game: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2

5th-Place Game: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU

7th-Place Game: Game 7 loser vs. Game 8 loser at 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU

*All games available for live stream on ESPN app

Preview

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For those unfamiliar with the Battle 4 Atlantis, the event has been around since 2011 and serves as an early-season tournament and showcase. Games take place at Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

College programs can opt to play in the tournament in exchange for an appearance fee and, of course, an all-expenses-paid trip to the Bahamas. This has led to some marquee teams being featured on Paradise Island in the past.

In the NIL era, though, the allure of Atlantis isn't quite what it once was. Schools looking for a novel playing experience—and a payday—have alternatives. The Players Era Festival, for example, stormed onto the scene in 2024, promising to pay every school $1 million for participating.

This year's Players Era tournament expanded from eight to 18 teams and includes the likes of No. 3 Houston, No. 7 Michigan and No. 8 Alabama. Auburn is also in the Las Vegas field after dropping out of the Battle 4 Atlantis bracket.

None of that means that the atmosphere and the competition on Paradise Island won't be electric. The Battle 4 Atlantis has been around long enough to become a prestige event with significant bragging rights. Though the field won't feature any teams in the top 20, that doesn't mean fans won't see squads like Vandy, Saint Mary's or VCU in this year's NCAA tournament.

Western Kentucky is the only school in the field ranked outside the top 100 of the KenPom rankings.

Vanderbilt is the highest-ranked team, coming in at No. 15 in the KenPom, while Saint Mary's is second at No. 26. And while Western Kentucky might seem like an "easy" first matchup for Vandy, the Hilltoppers enter the event with an unblemished record.

Upsets aren't uncommon at the Battle 4 Atlantis either, possibly due to travel and the neutral-site environment. In last year's opening round, for example, third-ranked Gonzaga lost to West Virginia, while 14th-ranked Indiana lost to Louisville.

This year's tournament will be unpredictable and exciting, and it will give the teams involved an incredibly memorable experience.