Fort Myers has quietly become a November tradition for college basketball, and the 2026 edition is shaping up to be the deepest field yet. Tickets for the Skechers Fort Myers Tip-Off went on sale this week, with the ninth-annual men’s tournament tipping off Nov. 23–26 at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on the Florida SouthWestern State College campus.
This year’s Beach Division brings Purdue, Oklahoma, DePaul and Pittsburgh to town, while the Palms Division expands to six teams for the first time — Charlotte, Davidson, FGCU, Georgia State, Northern Iowa and Tulane. The women’s Elevance Health Fort Myers Tip-Off follows Nov. 27–28, headlined by LSU, NC State, Kansas State and Villanova in the Island Division, with Indiana, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State and TCU in the Shell Division.
For Southwest Florida, the draw goes well beyond the bracket. A tournament of this size fills hotels and restaurants during a shoulder-season stretch and gives local fans — FGCU included — a rare chance to watch national programs up close without leaving the county.
Fort Myers keeps proving it can host the big stage, and for anyone planning a fall or early-winter visit, this is one more weekend worth circling. Source: Fort Myers Beach Observer & Beach Bulletin — read the full story.
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