MONROE, La. – The ULM men's basketball team will travel to Central Michigan and the Warhawk women's basketball team will entertain Miami (Ohio) in the first round of the inaugural MAC-SBC Challenge on Saturday, Nov. 11, in matchups jointly announced by the Mid-American Conference and Sun Belt Conference Thursday morning.
The scheduling alliance between the two conferences in men's and women's basketball will kick off during the opening week of the 2023-24 season. Twelve SBC men's programs will travel to face MAC opponents, while 12 MAC women's teams will visit 12 SBC clubs. The two conferences will play a second round on Saturday, Feb. 10, with the matchups set based on real-time NET rankings and will be announced in January. The ULM men will host a MAC opponent on Feb. 10, while the Warhawk women will travel to a MAC opponent on that date.
Scheduling assistance is provided by Ordinal Sports Group. In addition to relevant NET data, geography and frequency of past contests is considered in determining the matchups.
The MAC-SBC Challenge comes at the recommendation of the Sun Belt's strategic planning committees for men's and women's basketball, as the conference looks to return to its roots and bolster its success on the hardwood.
Each MAC-SBC Challenge game will be carried on an ESPN platform.
The remainder of the 2023-24 ULM basketball schedules will be announced later this summer.
MAC-SBC Challenge Men's Basketball Matchups
Wednesday, Nov. 8
Troy at Ohio
Thursday, Nov. 9
James Madison at Kent State
Saturday, Nov. 11
Southern Miss at Akron
Ragin' Cajuns at Toledo
Old Dominion at Ball State
South Alabama at Buffalo
Arkansas State at Bowling Green
App State at Northern Illinois
Texas State at Miami (OH)
Georgia Southern at Eastern Michigan
Georgia State at Western Michigan
ULM at Central Michigan
MAC-SBC Challenge Women's Basketball Matchups
Wednesday, Nov. 8
Toledo at James Madison
Thursday, Nov. 9
Northern Illinois at Arkansas State
Central Michigan at South Alabama
Friday, Nov. 10
Western Michigan at Georgia State
Saturday, Nov. 11
Ball State at Troy
Eastern Michigan at Georgia Southern
Akron at Southern Miss
Buffalo at Old Dominion
Bowling Green at Texas State
Ohio at App State
Miami (OH) at ULM
Sunday, Nov. 12
Kent State at Ragin' Cajuns
