MAC and SBC lock in multi-year basketball showdown
The Mid-American Conference and the Sun Belt Conference announced that their basketball challenge will continue through the 2028‑29 season, ensuring that twelve teams from each league will meet on the hardwood each year.
Both the men's and women's programs will feature a full slate of contests, with each participating school hosting one game and traveling to another, guaranteeing a balanced home-and-away format.
All of the matchups will be carried live on an ESPN platform, giving the games a national audience and adding a marquee slot to the network's college basketball coverage.
MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher said the partnership has become a cornerstone of the conferences' strategies, noting that the series offers meaningful exposure for member institutions while delivering competitive contests that fans look forward to each season.
Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill echoed the sentiment, pointing to the series' track record of producing memorable non-conference games and highlighting its role in shaping postseason résumés.
Scheduling will be handled by Ordinal Sports Group, which will use NET rankings, geographic proximity and historical head-to-head data to pair teams in a way that maximizes travel efficiency and competitive balance.
The 2026‑27 season is slated to open on November 2, with a set of opening-night pairings already confirmed, and the full schedule will be released in the coming weeks.