Opening Day marathon kicks off
Murray State University is set to begin its 2026‑27 men’s basketball season with a road test against Tennessee State on November 2 inside the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with tipoff scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Central Time.
The contest anchors an eight‑game Opening Day Marathon that will spill across Sioux Falls and Rock Hill, South Carolina, running from midnight Central Time — when High Point meets Liberty — to the final matchup of Furman and Bethune‑Cookman later in the day.
Tennessee State arrives after a breakthrough year that saw the Tigers capture both the Ohio Valley Conference regular‑season and tournament titles and secure their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1994, raising the stakes for the season‑opening showdown.
Following the road opener, Murray State will host Northwestern State on November 7 and Alcorn State on November 10, giving the Racers a chance to build momentum at home after the early test.
The marathon is organized by the Field of 68, a college‑basketball scheduling initiative designed to spotlight mid‑major programs and deliver a compact, high‑energy start to the season for fans and teams alike.