The 13th annual D3hoops.com Classic returns to the South Point Arena in Las Vegas this season with a big lineup of quality men's and women's basketball teams.

With 16 teams playing 16 games over 72 hours, the D3hoops.com Classic is the biggest event of its type in Division III basketball, and this year's nine men's teams and seven women's participants include a number of teams expected to compete for spots in NCAA Tournament. The event takes place Dec. 27 through Dec. 30, and it is played in an arena, not a ballroom.

The men's teams include: 2023 Elite Eight participant Oswego State, second-round participant Case Western Reserve, NCAA Tournament team Pomona-Pitzer, along with a 20-game winner in Trinity (Texas), as well as Rhodes, Clark, Husson, Whittier and La Verne. The women's teams include Sweet 16 participants Ohio Northern and Trinity (Texas). La Verne, which missed out on the NCAA Tournament despite a 24-3 record, will get a chance to boost the strength of schedule it sorely lacked last season. Framingham State, Rhodes and Westminster (Mo.) each won 17 games last year, and Occidental will be one of five SCIAC programs making the drive from SoCal to Vegas. 

The grouping includes a number of first-time participants in the D3hoops.com Classic, including the Trinity (Texas) men and women, while the Ohio Northern women are making their fourth trip and Occidental is making its fourth. 

Come and watch all 16 games? Sure. It's Vegas. Who needs to sleep? Patrick Coleman, Gordon Mann and Dave McHugh will also be on-site to broadcast all 16 games for D3hoops.com.

The schedule follows. All times Pacific/local time in Las Vegas:

Wednesday, Dec. 27
Women
6 p.m., Framingham State v. Westminster (Mo.)
 
Thursday, Dec. 28
Women
10 a.m., Rhodes v. La Verne
Noon, Ohio Northern v. Trinity (Texas)
Men
2 p.m., Husson v. La Verne
4 p.m., Rhodes v. Whittier
6 p.m., Clark v. Trinity (Texas)
8 p.m., Oswego State v. Case Western Reserve
 
Friday, Dec. 29
Women
10 a.m., Occidental v. Westminster (Mo.)
Noon, Framingham State v. Trinity (Texas)
2 p.m., La Verne v. Ohio Northern
Men
4 p.m., Trinity (Texas) v. Pomona-Pitzer
6 p.m., Case Western Reserve v. Clark
8 p.m., Whittier v. Husson
 
Saturday, Dec. 30
Women
11 a.m., Occidental v. Rhodes
Men
1 p.m., Rhodes v. La Verne
3 p.m., Oswego State v. Pomona-Pitzer