Women’s Basketball Set to Face Massachusetts in MAC-SBC Challenge

NEW ORLEANS – James Madison women’s basketball is slated to take on Massachusetts on Feb. 8, in the second and final MAC-SBC Challenge game of the 2025-26 season, as announced by the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and Sun Belt Conference (SBC) on Tuesday afternoon.
 
Game time is scheduled for 12 p.m. inside the Mullins Center and will broadcast on the CBS Sports Network.
 
The Dukes own a 2-0 lead over UMass in the all-time series, dating back to 2001. JMU is 12-4 (.750) against Mid-American Conference opponents and has perfect marks versus Kent State (3-0), Eastern Michigan (2-0), Massachusetts (2-0) and Ohio (2-0). Additionally, the Dukes are 3-2 (.600) in MAC-SBC Challenge matchups, having won three straight, most recently dominating Kent State, 80-48, on Nov. 3.
 
The Minutewomen are 10-2 with a 2-0 record in league play, coming in at 68th in the latest NET ranking. The program is currently in its inaugural season in the MAC after competing in the Atlantic 10 Conference from 1983 to 2025.

The Sun Belt won eight of the 13 matchups in the first leg of the challenge to kick off the 2025-26 season on Nov. 3, with UMass picking up a 58-52 win over Old Dominion

 

About The MAC-SBC Challenge

The MAC-SBC Challenge began during the 2023-24 season 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.

Each MAC and Sun Belt team included in the MAC-SBC Challenge, currently scheduled to resume through the 2026-27 campaign, is guaranteed one home and one away game each season

 

MAC-SBC Challenge Women’s Basketball Matchups

Saturday, February 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, February 8

James Madison at Massachusetts (CBS Sports Network)