Stanford men’s basketball will compete in the College Basketball Crown this week, the program’s 29th postseason appearance and second consecutive one under head coach Kyle Smith.

The Crown, now in its second year, markets itself as a premier alternative to the NCAA Tournament for high-major “snubs,” with a $500,000 NIL prize on the line. Teams earn bids through NET rankings, meaning the top two eligible teams from the Big East, Big 12 and Big Ten receive automatic invitations, with the remaining spots filled by an at-large committee. Stanford received one of those at-large bids.

The Cardinal (20-12, 9-9 ACC) open Thursday, April 2 at 5 p.m. against West Virginia at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, broadcast on FS1. Games also appear on FOX.

Stanford is led by two ACC honorees: freshman Ebuka Okorie, who averages 22.8 points per game (first in the ACC, sixth nationally), and Benny Gealer, the ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, who shoots 41.6% from three.

Smith is the first coach in program history to win 20-plus games in each of his first two seasons and looks to continue his success in the Crown.