A New Era of Non‑Conference Play
The Mid-American Conference and the Sun Belt Conference have announced an extension of their basketball challenge series that will run through the 2028‑29 season. Each year, 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams from the two leagues will meet in a slate of games designed to boost exposure and competitiveness.
All contests will be carried on an ESPN platform, giving the matchups a national audience and reinforcing the series’ role as a marquee non‑conference event.
Scheduling Powered by Data
Ordinal Sports Group will continue to handle the scheduling, leveraging NET rankings, geographic proximity and historical matchup frequency to create balanced home‑and‑away pairings. Each team is guaranteed one home game and one away game per season, ensuring equitable travel and revenue distribution.
The 2026‑27 season opens on November 2, when Sun Belt men’s squads host their MAC counterparts, while MAC women’s teams welcome Sun Belt opponents. A second round of games follows on February 6, flipping the host pattern for the women’s and men’s divisions.
Voices from the Commissioners
MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher praised the partnership, saying it “provides meaningful exposure and competitive matchups” that benefit student‑athletes and fans alike. Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill added that the series “has a history of producing top non‑conference matchups” and expressed optimism about its continued growth.
The extension through 2029 underscores the conferences’ commitment to delivering high‑quality basketball outside their own borders, while giving ESPN a reliable pipeline of mid‑major games that attract viewers and sponsors.
Fans can look forward to a series of tightly contested games that not only highlight the talent within each league but also serve as a proving ground for teams eyeing deeper runs in the NCAA tournament.