Courtesy of Mike Cawood
PHOENIX (June 4, 2026) – Arizona vs. Arkansas and SMU vs. UNLV are the matchups for the 2026 Hall of Fame Series Phoenix, taking place on Saturday, December 19, at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Position Sports, in partnership with the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, announced the event, marking the fourth consecutive year of the Hall of Fame Series Phoenix.
The showcase will feature a likely preseason Top 10 showdown as Arizona, a recent Final Four participant, and Arkansas, led by Hall of Fame coach John Calipari (Class of 2015), meet in a Sweet 16 rematch. SMU, back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017, faces UNLV, who won 18 games in Josh Pastner’s first year at the helm.
“We’re excited to return to the Valley for the fourth consecutive year with another Hall of Fame Series doubleheader,” said Melissa Meacham-Grossman, President of Position Sports. “Both SMU and UNLV arrive as programs on the upswing, and Arkansas and Arizona give Valley fans a chance to see their rematch just months after meeting in San Jose. We’re proud to keep the tradition of elite-level college basketball in Phoenix going with what promises to be an incredible night of college basketball right before the holidays.”
The Hall of Fame Series, owned and operated by Valley-based Position Sports, is a collection of high-profile non-conference basketball events featuring top collegiate programs competing in premier venues across the United States and internationally. The series annually showcases marquee men’s and women’s matchups while celebrating the legacy and impact of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on the game.
“Phoenix holds a special place in the history of basketball, and Jerry Colangelo, our Chairman, is at the center of that story,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “He was instrumental in bringing this arena to life, and transformed the Valley into a basketball community that has embraced the sport at every level. It is fitting that we return to Phoenix with the caliber of matchups this event deserves. Arizona and Arkansas are two of the sport’s elite programs, and college basketball fans in the Valley are going to see something special this December.”
Previous Hall of Fame Series events have been held in Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, San Antonio, and Toronto, featuring many of the nation’s top-ranked programs and drawing national television audiences each season.
Fans can visit HOFSeries.com for official hotel information, pre-sale details, and event updates. Further details regarding game times, broadcast details, and media credentials for the event will be shared at a later date.
