Women’s Basketball to Host Northern Illinois in MAC-SBC Challenge

CLEVELAND & NEW ORLEANS – The initial matchups of 2025-26 MAC-SBC Challenge have been announced by the respective league offices today. All 13 MAC women's basketball programs will travel to Sun Belt opponents on Monday, Nov. 3, with Southern Miss hosting Northern Illinois at Reed Green Coliseum.

Matchups for the MAC-SBC Challenge were determined using NET ratings from the 2024-25 season. The Lady Eagles finished last season 10-21 (5-13 Sun Belt) and held a NET rating of 274 at the end of last season. Northern Illinois posted a 13-17 overall ledger and finished 6-12 in MAC play with an end of year NET rating of 238.

Southern Miss holds a 4-2 overall record against MAC opponents and is 2-2 in the MAC-SBC Challenge. Southern Miss also holds a 3-0 record at Reed Green Coliseum against MAC teams with a 2-0 showing when playing in the Challenge. Since the start of the MAC-SBC Challenge in the 2023-24 season, Southern Miss has posted wins over Akron and Ohio with losses to Bowling Green and Buffalo.

As a league, the Sun Belt leads the MAC with a 25-23 overall record. The MAC took last year's challenge with a 15-9 showing over the Sun Belt.

The second game of the 2025-26 MAC-SBC Challenge will take place on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, with matchups based on real-time NET ratings. The 13 participating Sun Belt Conference women's basketball teams will travel to their MAC opponents while the Sun Belt's men's programs will host their MAC counterparts.

MAC-SBC Challenge Matchups – Nov. 3, 2025
Western Michigan at App State
Ball State at Arkansas State
Miami (Ohio) at Coastal Carolina
Central Michigan at Georgia Southern
Kent State at James Madison
Bowling Green at Louisiana
Eastern Michigan at ULM
Buffalo at Marshall
UMass at Old Dominion
Akron at South Alabama
Northern Illinois at Southern Miss
Ohio at Texas State
Toledo at Troy

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Women’s Basketball to Host Northern Illinois in MAC-SBC Challenge

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