Central Michigan University Athletics
Women’s Basketball to host Marshall for MAC-SBC Challenge Feb. 7
1/6/2026 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Chippewas will see a once-familiar foe for the MAC-Sun Belt scheduling alliance in back-to-back seasons
CLEVELAND — Central Michigan Women's Basketball will host Marshall on Saturday, February 7 (1 p.m. ET) as part of the Mid-American Conference-Sun Belt Conference Challenge, the two leagues announced Tuesday. The game will be televised on an ESPN platform.
The February matchups were set based on real-time NET rankings, projected NET finish and in consideration of previous cross-conference matchups. Each MAC and Sun Belt team included in the MAC-SBC Challenge is guaranteed one home and one away game each season.
The Chippewas and Thundering Herd will rehash last season's outing in Huntington, W.Va. where CMU leveled the all-time series, 5-5, with a 73-68 comeback victory. It was the first meeting nearly two decades after Marshall's departure from the MAC in 2005.
In its third year of existence, The MAC-SBC Challenge—a scheduling alliance in the sports of men's and women's basketball—began on opening day of the 2025-26 season in November as the 13 Mid-American Conference (MAC) women's basketball programs traveled to 13 Sun Belt Conference (SBC) teams, while the 13 MAC men's basketball programs hosted 13 SBC teams.
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-SBC Challenge game will be broadcast on an ESPN platform.
The Chippewas will host Kent State Wednesday (11 a.m.) to host the 15th Hoops for Hunger contest before hosting Eastern Michigan Saturday (1 p.m.) and Kent State (Jan. 22, 11 a.m.) for the annual Hoops for Hunger contest.
The February matchups were set based on real-time NET rankings, projected NET finish and in consideration of previous cross-conference matchups. Each MAC and Sun Belt team included in the MAC-SBC Challenge is guaranteed one home and one away game each season.
The Chippewas and Thundering Herd will rehash last season's outing in Huntington, W.Va. where CMU leveled the all-time series, 5-5, with a 73-68 comeback victory. It was the first meeting nearly two decades after Marshall's departure from the MAC in 2005.
In its third year of existence, The MAC-SBC Challenge—a scheduling alliance in the sports of men's and women's basketball—began on opening day of the 2025-26 season in November as the 13 Mid-American Conference (MAC) women's basketball programs traveled to 13 Sun Belt Conference (SBC) teams, while the 13 MAC men's basketball programs hosted 13 SBC teams.
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-SBC Challenge game will be broadcast on an ESPN platform.
The Chippewas will host Kent State Wednesday (11 a.m.) to host the 15th Hoops for Hunger contest before hosting Eastern Michigan Saturday (1 p.m.) and Kent State (Jan. 22, 11 a.m.) for the annual Hoops for Hunger contest.
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