NEW ORLEANS – A scheduling alliance in men’s and women’s basketball, the MAC-SBC Challenge closes out its third season when round two of the 2025-26 event tips off Saturday, February 7.
The games will feature 13 Sun Belt Conference (SBC) men’s basketball programs hosting 13 Mid-American Conference (MAC) teams and 13 SBC women’s basketball teams visiting 13 MAC programs based on current NET rankings.
Headlining the men’s edition of the MAC-SBC Challenge is a showdown between reigning conference champions Troy and Akron. The Trojans are currently listed No. 125 in the NET rankings, while the Zips are No. 50. Additionally, Marshall (NET 133) will host Miami-Ohio (NET 58), while Arkansas State (NET 134) will welcome Bowling Green (NET 100).
One men’s basketball matchup within the MAC-SBC Challenge will be elevated to a linear broadcast on ESPN2 at 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT. The selected game will be announced in late January.
On the women’s side, James Madison, which leads the Sun Belt with a No. 59 NET ranking, will square off against the MAC’s top team in the NET rankings, UMass (NET 68). The contest will cap the MAC-SBC Challenge on Sunday, February 8 at noon ET/11 a.m. CT on CBS Sports Network, while the initial 12 matchups will tip off on Saturday, Feb. 7 on ESPN+.
Other key matchups include Troy (NET 69) traveling to Ball State (NET 80), Marshall (NET 83) heading to Central Michigan (NET 102), Georgia Southern (NET 93) making the trip to Miami-Ohio (NET 111), and reigning champion Arkansas State (NET 96) visiting Eastern Michigan (NET 137).
On Monday, November 3 - the 2025-26 season’s opening night - Sun Belt women’s basketball programs collected eight home wins over MAC opponents in first round matchups, while the MAC’s men’s basketball teams earned nine victories over the Sun Belt. The Sun Belt can clinch its second title over the MAC with six road victories on the women’s side, and the men can accomplish the same with 10 home wins across the 13 contests.
The Sun Belt and MAC men played to a series split in 2024-25 with the SBC claiming an 8-4 record in November home games, before the MAC accomplished the same feat on its home courts in February. The MAC women secured their first Challenge win over the SBC last season.
The Sun Belt captured the inaugural MAC-SBC Challenge titles on the men’s and women’s fronts, respectively, in 2023-24. The men’s teams compiled 15 wins across the 24 total matchups, including 10 in the February 2024 home contests, while the women’s teams posted 14 wins in the 24 contests, including nine during the November 2023 tilts.
About The MAC-SBC Challenge
The MAC-SBC Challenge began during the 2023-24 season at the recommendation of the Sun Belt’s strategic planning committees for men’s and women’s basketball. Scheduling assistance is provided by Ordinal Sports Group. In addition to relevant NET data, geography and frequency of past contests is considered in determining the matchups.
Each MAC and Sun Belt team included in the MAC-SBC Challenge, currently scheduled to resume through the 2026-27 campaign, is guaranteed one home and one away game each season.
MAC-SBC Challenge Men’s Basketball Matchups
Saturday, February 7
Eastern Michigan at App State
Bowling Green at Arkansas State
UMass at Coastal Carolina
Northern Illinois at Georgia State
Toledo at James Madison
Central Michigan at Louisiana
Ball State at ULM
Miami (Ohio) at Marshall
Ohio at Old Dominion
Buffalo at South Alabama
Kent State at Southern Miss
Western Michigan at Texas State
Akron at Troy
MAC-SBC Challenge Women’s Basketball Matchups
Saturday, February 7
App State at Kent State
Arkansas State at Eastern Michigan
Coastal Carolina at Bowling Green
Georgia Southern at Miami (Ohio)
Louisiana at Akron
ULM at Buffalo
Marshall at Central Michigan
Old Dominion at Ohio
South Alabama at Western Michigan
Southern Miss at Toledo
Texas State at Northern Illinois
Troy at Ball State
Sunday, February 8
James Madison at UMass