Louisville and Bellarmine alums will play in TBT opener July 20 at Freedom Hall

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The only way to ensure a game featuring alumni teams from the University of Louisville and Bellarmine University in The Basketball Tournament (TBT) this summer would be to match them in the first game of the single-elimination event.

Done.

What was rumored last week became official Wednesday morning:

The Ville, the team of former Cardinals, will play UKnighted, the team of former Knights, in their TBT opener July 20 at 1 p.m. in Freedom Hall.

The game will air on WDRB locally and should attract a substantial crowd.

Teams sponsored by former Lakers' star Shaquille O'Neal and another by former Brigham Young star Jimmer Fredette will be among the eight squads in the Louisville regional, which will be contested over five days.

O'Neal's team, which features his son, Shareef, is the region's top seed. The Ville is the 2-seed and UKnighted the 7-seed.

The winner of the Louisville regional will be matched against the winner of the Lexington regional in the quarterfinals of the tournament. A team of former University of Kentucky players, named LaFamilia, is favored to win at Rupp Arena.

The UK team will be led by Eric Bledsoe, Marquis Teague and Doron Lamb. LaFamilia is also a 2-seed, which will open against the 365 Ballers, team based in Miami, Fla. That game is booked for July 19 at 8 p.m. and will be carried by FS2.

This is the second year of competition for the former Cards and the first for the former Knights. The Ville won its first two games before losing in 2023.

The TBT is a 64-team, single-elimination tournament with a $1 million winner-take-all prize. The finals will be played in Philadelphia. The championship game is Aug. 4.

Peyton Siva and Russ Smith, the starting backcourt for Louisville's 2013 NCAA title team, headline The Ville. They will be joined by former Cards Chris Jones, Kyle Kuric, Montrezl Harrell, Chinanu Onuaku, Dillon Avare and others. Reece Gaines will coach the group with assistance from Luke Hancock.

The Bellarmine squad will feature Braydon Hobbs, Adam Eberhard and Jeremy Kendle. Al Davis will coach UKnighted.

Teams of former Indiana, Purdue and Butler stars will also compete in a regional at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The IU team, Assembly Ball, is a No. 1 seed. Yogi Ferrell, Miller Kopp, Juwan Morgan, Troy Williams, Jordan Hulls and Devonte Green will play for them.

Assembly Ball opens against a team of former Valparaiso stars at 8 p.m. July 19. It will air on the Big Ten Network.