Troy University Athletics
MAC – SBC Challenge Game One Matchups Announced
6/22/2023 10:00:00 AM | Basketball (M), Basketball (W)
TROY, Ala. – A scheduling alliance for men's and women's basketball pits Troy and the Sun Belt Conference against the Mid-American Conference in a four-game series spread over the next two seasons. The opening week of the 2023-24 season sees the first of four as the men's side travels to face Ohio on Wednesday, Nov. 8, while the women host Ball State on Saturday, Nov. 11, the league office announced Thursday morning.
All games in the challenge are carried on an ESPN platform as the challenge is a part of the Sun Belt's strategic plan. The conference hopes to utilize these meetings to appreciate the league's roots while looking to increase competition and success on the court.
Troy will be the first matchup on the men's side in the MAC – SBC Challenge. As the only Sun Belt school with back-to-back 20-win seasons with 10-plus conference wins, the Trojans face a Bobcat team that went 19-14, 10-8 MAC, and made it to the MAC Semifinals before losing to No. 1-seed Toledo, 82-75.
When the women host on Nov. 11, they will be one of seven matchups. A 17-13, 12-6 SBC record that bolstered the Trojans to a No. 4-seed in the SBC tournament places them against Ball State. The Cardinals enter 2023-24 after a 26-9, 14-4 MAC season where they received a bid to the WNIT, losing to Memphis in the second round, 79-62.
Game two of the MAC – SBC Challenge is expected to occur on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. Matchups for that game will be based on real-time NET rankings and announced in January. The second matchup will pivot to have the MAC women and SBC men hosting.
All games in the challenge are carried on an ESPN platform as the challenge is a part of the Sun Belt's strategic plan. The conference hopes to utilize these meetings to appreciate the league's roots while looking to increase competition and success on the court.
Troy will be the first matchup on the men's side in the MAC – SBC Challenge. As the only Sun Belt school with back-to-back 20-win seasons with 10-plus conference wins, the Trojans face a Bobcat team that went 19-14, 10-8 MAC, and made it to the MAC Semifinals before losing to No. 1-seed Toledo, 82-75.
When the women host on Nov. 11, they will be one of seven matchups. A 17-13, 12-6 SBC record that bolstered the Trojans to a No. 4-seed in the SBC tournament places them against Ball State. The Cardinals enter 2023-24 after a 26-9, 14-4 MAC season where they received a bid to the WNIT, losing to Memphis in the second round, 79-62.
Game two of the MAC – SBC Challenge is expected to occur on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. Matchups for that game will be based on real-time NET rankings and announced in January. The second matchup will pivot to have the MAC women and SBC men hosting.
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