CLEVELAND – The second round of the MAC-SBC Challenge — a scheduling alliance in men’s and women’s basketball — is set for this weekend. The matchups are based on real-time NET rankings. The MAC men’s programs will hit the road for all 13 February matchups.

Akron (19-4, 10-1 MAC) will battle Troy at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2, while the remaining matchups will be broadcast on ESPN+. A full schedule can be found below:

Saturday, Feb. 7
Eastern Michigan at Appalachian State (1PM ET), Live Stats | ESPN+
UMass at Coastal Carolina (1PM ET), Live Stats | ESPN+
Kent State at Southern Mississippi (2PM ET), Live Stats | ESPN+
Northern Illinois at Georgia State (2PM ET), Live Stats | ESPN+
Ball State at Louisiana Monroe (3PM ET), Live Stats | ESPN+
Bowling Green at Arkansas State (3PM ET), Live Stats | ESPN+
Western Michigan at Texas State (3PM ET), Live Stats | ESPN+
Buffalo at South Alabama (4PM ET), Live Stats | ESPN+
Central Michigan at Louisiana (4PM ET), Live Stats | ESPN+
No. 23 Miami at Marshall (4PM ET), Live Stats | ESPN+
Toledo at James Madison (4PM ET), Live Stats | ESPN+
Akron at Troy (6PM ET), Live Stats | ESPN2
Ohio at Old Dominion (7PM ET), Live Stats | ESPN+

Nine MAC squads opened the 2025-26 season with home-court victories over Sun Belt opponents in the first round of the challenge:

- Akron 85, James Madison 71
- Ball State 75, Louisiana 64
- Bowling Green 83, Texas State 48
- Buffalo 85, Southern Miss 79
- Central Michigan 82, App State 66
- Eastern Michigan 71, Georgia State 49
- Miami 87, Old Dominion 72
- Northern Illinois 102, Louisiana Monroe 82
- Western Michigan 76, Coastal Carolina 71

The MAC and Sun Belt men’s teams drew even in the 2024-25 Battle for the Belt with 12 wins apiece over two rounds of the challenge. The MAC won four road matchups to open the season before claiming eight victories at home in February.