NEW ORLEANS – App State Men's Basketball will host Eastern Michigan, while App State Women's Basketball will visit Kent State in the second installment of the 2025-26 MAC-SBC Challenge, the Sun Belt and Mid-American Conference announced Tuesday. Both games will be played on Saturday, March 7.
The matchups mark the men's program's first meeting with Eastern Michigan and the women's program's first meeting with Kent State.
The App State men are 2-3 all-time in the MAC-SBC Challenge, which began in the 2023-24 campaign, posting wins over Toledo in double overtime on Feb. 10, 2024, and Ohio on Feb. 8, 2025. The Mountaineers lost 82-66 at Central Michigan in Nov. 3's season opener and first installment of this year's challenge.
The women are 3-2 all-time in the challenge. In the first edition of the MAC-SBC Challenge, the Mountaineers won over Ohio (Nov. 11, 2023) and Western Michigan (Feb. 10, 2024). The women's squad opened the 2025-26 campaign with a 65-45 victory over Western Michigan in Boone in the first installment of this season's challenge.
The MAC men went 9-4 against the Sun Belt back in November, while the Sun Belt women went 9-5 against the MAC women. Both the Sun Belt men and women seek their second MAC-SBC Challenge title after claiming the inaugural crowns in 2023-24.
The MAC-SBC Challenge was formed 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 are considered in determining the matchups.
MAC-SBC Challenge Men's Basketball Matchups
Saturday, Feb. 7
App State vs. Eastern Michigan
Arkansas State vs. Bowling Green
Coastal Carolina vs. UMass
Georgia State vs. Northern Illinois
James Madison vs. Toledo
Louisiana vs. Central Michigan
ULM vs. Ball State
Marshall vs. Miami (Ohio)
Old Dominion vs. Ohio
South Alabama vs. Buffalo
Southern Miss vs. Kent State
Texas State vs. Western Michigan
Troy vs. Akron
MAC-SBC Challenge Men's Basketball Matchups
Saturday, Feb. 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, Feb. 8
James Madison at UMass
