NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference, in conjunction with ESPN, announced that the Saturday, January 10 men’s basketball matchup between Georgia Southern and South Alabama will be broadcast on ESPNU with a 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT tipoff at the Mitchell Center in Mobile, Ala.
The contest is the first of four wildcard appearances for the Sun Belt on the ESPN Family of Networks during the 2026 league season. The remaining wildcard appearances will take place on February 7, February 14 and February 28 with matchups to be determined.
The game will mark the only regular season matchup and 31st all-time meeting between Georgia Southern (10-5) and South Alabama (10-4), as the Jaguars lead the all-time series, 18-12. The teams last met in Mobile on Feb. 7, 2024 as the Jags outlasted the Eagles, 78-65.
Led by eighth-year head coach Richie Riley, South Alabama was one of four 2024-25 Sun Belt regular season co-champions and earned the top seed in last year’s conference tournament. The Jaguars were picked third in the Sun Belt’s 2025-26 preseason poll despite receiving the most first-place votes with four.
Under third-year head coach Charlie Henry, Georgia Southern currently leads the Sun Belt in 3-pointers made per game (9.9), turnover margin (+4.5) and free throw attempts per game (25.3) while ranking second in points per game (84.0).
Both teams possess four scorers averaging at least 11 points per game, as reigning Sun Belt Player of the Week and senior guard Chaze Harris leads South Alabama at 16.9 per contest. For Georgia Southern, two-time Sun Belt Player of the Week and senior guard Spudd Webb leads the Eagles with 16.4 points per contest.
As part of the Sun Belt’s comprehensive media rights partnership with ESPN, which runs through the 2030-31 academic year, the Worldwide Leader in Sports will also broadcast the championship games of the 2026 Visit Pensacola Sun Belt Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships presented by Air Force Reserve on Monday, March 9. The men’s basketball championship game will air at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT on ESPN or ESPN2 at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Fla.
Ticket packages are now on sale for the 2026 Sun Belt Men’s & Women’s Basketball Championships.
Click here for more information and to purchase your tickets today.
2025-26 Sun Belt Men’s Basketball ESPN2/ESPNU Wildcard Schedule
Saturday, January 10 – Georgia Southern at South Alabama – 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT [ESPNU]
Saturday, February 7 – Wildcard – 6 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CT [ESPN2]
Saturday, February 14 – Wildcard – 8:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. CT [ESPNU]
Friday, February 27 – Wildcard – 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT [ESPN2]