# SoCal Challenge

The SoCal Challenge was an eight-team college basketball tournament held during Monday and Wednesday of Thanksgiving week of the NCAA Division I men's basketball season, with the inaugural tournament taking place in 2021. Following games held at campus sites, teams were placed into either the Sand Division or the Surf Division and compete for the tournament title in their division. Semifinal and final games were held at The Pavilion at JSerra in San Juan Capistrano, California. Each of the games played on campus in the days leading up to the main event involved one team from each division. The event was hosted by the Big West Conference. The final tournament was held in 2023.

## Brackets
### 2023

The 2023 tournament featured one Southern California team: Cal State Bakersfield from the host Big West Conference as well as California from the Pac-12 Conference. On-campus games were hosted by the team listed second below. Following the on-campus games, teams were placed into either the Sand Division or the Surf Division without regard to the outcome of those games. Division semifinal winners met in the finals. Following the tournament, the SoCal Showcase matched California and San Diego State.

#### On-campus games

Game recaps:
| On-Campus Game November 13 (P12N) | On-Campus Game November 13 (P12N) |
| Cal State Bakersfield | 63 |
| California | 83 |
| On-Campus Game November 14 (ESPN+) | On-Campus Game November 14 (ESPN+) |
| Tarleton State | 63 |
| Bradley | 86 |
| On-Campus Game November 17 (ESPN+) | On-Campus Game November 17 (ESPN+) |
| Austin Peay | 63 |
| UTEP | 71 |
| On-Campus Game November 17 (ESPN+) | On-Campus Game November 17 (ESPN+) |
| Sacramento State | 57 |
| Tulane | 92 |

#### Sand Division

Game recaps:
| Semifinals November 20 (FloHoops) | Semifinals November 20 (FloHoops) | Championship November 22 (FloHoops) | Championship November 22 (FloHoops) |
| Cal State Bakersfield | 75 | | |
| Sacramento State | 71 | | |
| Sacramento State | 71 | Cal State Bakersfield | 40 |
| | | Tarleton State | 59 |
| Austin Peay | 59 | Tarleton State | 59 |
| Tarleton State | 66 | Third Place | Third Place |
| | | Sacramento State | 71 |
| | | Austin Peay | 74 |
KiAndre Gaddy of Tarleton State was named most valuable player for the Sand Division.

#### Surf Division

Game recaps:
| Semifinals November 20 (CBSSN) | Semifinals November 20 (CBSSN) | Championship November 22 (CBSSN) | Championship November 22 (CBSSN) |
| California | 72 | | |
| UTEP | 75 | | |
| UTEP | 75 | UTEP | 59 |
| | | Bradley | 63 |
| Bradley | 80 | Bradley | 63 |
| Tulane | 77 | Third Place (CBSSN) | Third Place (CBSSN) |
| | | California | 81 |
| | | Tulane | 84 |
Malevy Leons of Bradley was named most valuable player for the Surf Division.

#### Showcase

Game recap:
| Showcase November 25 (MWN) | Showcase November 25 (MWN) |
| California | 67 |
| San Diego State | 76* |
* – Denotes overtime period

### 2022

The 2022 tournament featured two Southern California teams: Cal State Northridge from the host Big West Conference and California Baptist, as well as Minnesota from the Big Ten Conference. On-campus games were hosted by the team listed second below. Following the on-campus games, teams were placed into either the Sand Division or the Surf Division without regard to the outcome of those games. Division semifinal winners met in the finals.
A four-game boys' high school basketball showcase event was held at the tournament site two days before the main tournament began.

#### On-campus games

Game recaps:
| On-Campus Game November 15 (ESPN+) | On-Campus Game November 15 (ESPN+) |
| Cal State Northridge | 55 |
| California Baptist | 62 |
| On-Campus Game November 17 (ESPN+) | On-Campus Game November 17 (ESPN+) |
| Tennessee State | 44 |
| Southern Illinois | 57 |
| On-Campus Game November 17 (BTN) | On-Campus Game November 17 (BTN) |
| Central Michigan | 60 |
| Minnesota | 68 |
| On-Campus Game November 18 (MWN) | On-Campus Game November 18 (MWN) |
| High Point | 68 |
| UNLV | 78 |

#### Sand Division

Game recaps:
| Semifinals November 21 (FloHoops) | Semifinals November 21 (FloHoops) | Championship November 23 (FloHoops) | Championship November 23 (FloHoops) |
| Cal State Northridge | 73 | | |
| Tennessee State | 74 | | |
| Tennessee State | 74 | Tennessee State | 72 |
| | | High Point | 77 |
| High Point | 68 | High Point | 77 |
| Central Michigan | 67 | Third Place (FloHoops) | Third Place (FloHoops) |
| | | Cal State Northridge | 66 |
| | | Central Michigan | 82 |
Jaden House of High Point was named most valuable player for the Sand Division.

#### Surf Division

Game recaps:
| Semifinals November 21 (CBSSN) | Semifinals November 21 (CBSSN) | Championship November 23 (CBSSN) | Championship November 23 (CBSSN) |
| California Baptist | 61 | | |
| Minnesota | 62* | | |
| Minnesota | 62* | Minnesota | 62 |
| | | UNLV | 71 |
| Southern Illinois | 49 | UNLV | 71 |
| UNLV | 56 | Third Place (CBSSN) | Third Place (CBSSN) |
| | | California Baptist | 61 |
| | | Southern Illinois | 64* |
* – Denotes overtime period
Keshon Gilbert of UNLV was named most valuable player for the Surf Division.

### 2021

The inaugural tournament featured Cal Poly from the host Big West Conference, three other schools located in California and TCU from the Big 12 Conference. On-campus games were hosted by the team listed second below. Following the on-campus games, teams were placed into either the Sand Division or the Surf Division without regard to the outcome of those games. Division semifinal winners met in the finals.
A women's beach volleyball event was held two weekends before the men's basketball tournament began.

#### On-campus games

Game recaps:
| On-Campus Game November 15 | On-Campus Game November 15 |
| Utah Valley | 86* |
| Pepperdine | 74 |
| On-Campus Game November 15 | On-Campus Game November 15 |
| Idaho | 62 |
| Fresno State | 69 |
| On-Campus Game November 18 (ESPN+) | On-Campus Game November 18 (ESPN+) |
| Nicholls | 50 |
| TCU | 63 |
| On-Campus Game November 19 | On-Campus Game November 19 |
| Cal Poly | 57 |
| Santa Clara | 87 |
* – Denotes overtime period

#### Sand Division

Game recaps:
| Semifinals November 22 (FloHoops) | Semifinals November 22 (FloHoops) | Championship November 24 (FloHoops) | Championship November 24 (FloHoops) |
| Cal Poly | 72 | | |
| Nicholls | 75* | | |
| Nicholls | 75* | Nicholls | 63 |
| | | Utah Valley | 74 |
| Utah Valley | 83 | Utah Valley | 74 |
| Idaho | 45 | Third Place (FloHoops) | Third Place (FloHoops) |
| | | Cal Poly | 67 |
| | | Idaho | 63 |
* – Denotes overtime period
Fardaws Aimaq of Utah Valley was named most valuable player for the Sand Division.

#### Surf Division

Game recaps:
| Semifinals November 22 (CBSSN) | Semifinals November 22 (CBSSN) | Championship November 24 (CBSSN) | Championship November 24 (CBSSN) |
| TCU | 66 | | |
| Santa Clara | 85 | | |
| Santa Clara | 85 | Santa Clara | 52 |
| | | Fresno State | 59 |
| Fresno State | 70 | Fresno State | 59 |
| Pepperdine | 63 | Third Place (CBSSN) | Third Place (CBSSN) |
| | | TCU | 73 |
| | | Pepperdine | 64 |
Orlando Robinson of Fresno State was named most valuable player for the Surf Division.