USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge

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Dickies Arena

Texas Tech, USC, North Texas and Texas State to Headline the USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge Presented by Visit Fort Worth at Dickies Arena on Sunday, December 13, 2026.

Texas Tech, USC, North Texas and Texas State to Headline the USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge Presented by Visit Fort Worth at Dickies Arena on Sunday, December 13, 2026.

Looking for group tickets? Email groupsales@dickiesarena.com for tickets for groups of 9+.

Total Sports Consulting (TSC) announced today the return of the 2026 USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge Presented by Visit Fort Worth, a premier college basketball doubleheader set for Sunday, December 13, 2026, at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. The 2026 event will feature Texas Tech taking on USC, while North Texas will face Texas State, bringing four Division I programs to Fort Worth for a full day of college basketball.  

The USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge continues to establish itself as one of Fort Worth’s premier annual college basketball events, bringing together nationally recognized programs and regional teams at one of the country’s top sports and entertainment venues. One ticket will provide admission to both games, with premium courtside seating, hospitality experiences and discounted group ticket packages also available. 

Date: Sunday, December 13, 2026

Location: Dickies Arena | Fort Worth, Texas

Game 1 – TBD CT: Texas Tech vs. USC

Game 2 – TBD CT: North Texas vs. Texas State 

“We’re thrilled to bring the USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge back to Fort Worth and Dickies Arena,” said Total Sports Consulting President Dan Shell. “Texas Tech and USC provide a tremendous national matchup, while North Texas and Texas State bring two strong programs with passionate fan bases from across the state. We appreciate the continued support of USLBM, Visit Fort Worth, Dickies Arena in helping us grow this event.” 

“Visit Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Sports Commission are proud to partner with Total Sports Consulting, bringing back another exciting day of college basketball,” said Drew Hays, executive director of the Fort Worth Sports Commission. “Events like this help showcase Fort Worth as a premier sports destination while welcoming teams and fans from across Texas and around the country. We can’t wait for everyone to experience the authentic Texas hospitality that makes Fort Worth such a special place to visit.” 

“We’re excited to play in the DFW Metroplex where Red Raiders always show up with great energy. Playing at Dickies Arena is a first-class experience for our program and taking on a talented and well coached USC team will really help us get better.” Texas Tech is coming off its third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament under head coach Grant McCasland and a 23-11 overall record. Through three seasons under McCasland, the Red Raiders are 74-31 after a season where the team earned a program record with four wins over Top 10 teams and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Second Round. Tech was ranked throughout the 2025-26 season for the first time in program history, ranking as high as No. 10 and finishing the season at No. 21 in the AP Top 25. The Red Raiders return JT Toppin, who has earned Consensus All-America honors the past two seasons, along with Donovan Atwell, who established a new program record by making 130 3-pointers last season. Tech has added nine newcomers in the offseason, including welcoming back Darrion Williams, who played last season at NC State after previously playing two seasons for the Red Raiders. Williams was a two-time All-Big 12 selection for the Red Raiders and earned All-ACC Honorable Mention last year. Tech has also added a pair of players who averaged over 20 points per game last season in Cruz Davis from Hofstra and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn from UNLV, while also signing Jamichael Stillwell, who averaged 11.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game at UCF last season. Texas Tech returns to Dickies Arena for the fourth straight season and fifth time overall. The Red Raiders knocked off LSU last season in the USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge and are 2-2 all-time at Dickies Arena entering this year’s matchup against USC. 

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. 

“We’re excited to be part of the USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge and to get an in-state matchup with Texas State. I have a lot of respect for Coach TJ Johnson and his staff, and I believe they’re going to carry that program into the new Pac-12 with a team their university and alumni can be proud of. Between our matchup and the field of teams in the event, it’s going to be a great day for basketball in our state. Heading back down the road to a first-class venue like Dickies Arena is something our program is looking forward to. This is a perfect opportunity for our fans to circle December 13 and bring Mean Green energy to Fort Worth,” said North Texas head coach Daniyal Robinson. Robinson enters his second season in Denton after leading the Mean Green to 19 wins last year, the third-most in program history by a first-year head coach. North Texas returns five players, headlined by guard Je’Shawn Stevenson, the program’s only returning All-American Conference selection from a season ago. Robinson added seven newcomers — four transfers and three incoming freshmen — giving the Mean Green a blend of returning production and new talent as they look to build on last season’s momentum and contend for another strong finish in the American Conference. “We are excited the USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge is returning to Dickies Arena with another outstanding lineup of college basketball programs,” said Matt Homan, General Manager at Dickies Arena. “This doubleheader will continue to build the event into a fan favorite in Fort Worth and provide another great day of college basketball at Dickies Arena.” 

“We are extremely excited for the opportunity to be part of the USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge. This is a first-class event that gives our program an opportunity to compete on a national stage against high-level competition. These are the types of games that challenge you, prepare you and bring out the best in your team. “For our players, this will be a great experience to represent Texas State and showcase the growth of our program. We know the atmosphere and level of competition will be outstanding, and we are looking forward to embracing the challenge,” said Texas State Associate Head Coach Bennie Seltzer.

Additional information regarding game times, television coverage, premium experiences, parking and event-day activities will be announced in the coming weeks. 

ABOUT US LBM 

US LBM is the largest privately owned, full-line distributor of specialty building materials in the United States. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of products, including windows, doors, millwork, wallboard, roofing, siding, engineered components and cabinetry. With more than 450 locations nationwide, US LBM combines the scale and operational advantages of a national platform with the local expertise, service and customer relationships of its operating divisions. US LBM serves custom home builders, national builders and specialty contractors while providing the materials and services used to build homes, businesses and communities across the country. For more information, visit USLBM.com. 

ABOUT VISIT FORT WORTH 

Fort Worth, known for Texas hospitality and a dozen remarkable districts chock full of cultural experiences, is now the 10th-largest city in the United States. The historic western Stockyards features the world’s only twice-daily cattle drive; Billy Bob’s Texas, the world’s largest honky-tonk and Mule Alley with restaurants, retail and the MICHELIN-recognized Hotel Drover. Downtown offers a variety of shopping, dining, live music and theater along the 37-block Sundance Square entertainment district. Enjoy world-class museums in the Cultural District, as well as a stunning Botanic Garden and award-winning Fort Worth Zoo, nearby. 

ABOUT DICKIES ARENA 

Dickies Arena is a 14,000-seat multipurpose venue built in 2019, owned by the City of Fort Worth, and managed by Trail Drive Management Corp. (TDMC). Located adjacent to the Will Rogers Memorial Center campus, the arena hosts a variety of events including concerts, sporting events, and family shows and is home to the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. Dickies Arena has received multiple Arena of the Year nominations and ranked #1 worldwide in Pollstar Magazine’s 2025 year-end chart for venues with capacities between 10,001 and 15,000. For more information, visit www.DickiesArena.com.

ABOUT TOTAL SPORTS CONSULTING 

Total Sports Consulting (TSC) is a nationally recognized sports management and consulting firm specializing in the creation, operation and commercialization of premier collegiate basketball events throughout the United States. TSC partners with universities, conferences, arenas, broadcast partners and corporate sponsors to develop nationally televised neutral-site games, multi-team events and championship-level experiences. The company oversees every aspect of event management, including scheduling, television partnerships, sponsorship sales, venue operations, ticketing, marketing, hospitality, team logistics and on-site execution. TSC also provides athletic departments with innovative revenue generation strategies through multimedia rights, corporate partnerships, NIL initiatives, coaching representation and strategic consulting. From concept through execution, Total Sports Consulting is committed to creating first-class events that elevate the student-athlete experience while delivering exceptional value for participating institutions, corporate partners and fans nationwide. For more information, visit TotalSportsConsulting.com. 

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