Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Women Hosting Arkansas State, Men Playing at Appalachian State in MAC-SBC Challenge
1/6/2026 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball
Both programs playing first-ever contest against their SBC opponent
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team hosts Arkansas State University Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, and the Eastern men's program travels to Appalachian State University on the same day in the second leg of the Mid American Conference-Sun Belt Conference Challenge, as announced Tuesday, Jan. 6.
The Eagles and Red Wolves will meet for the first time in program history as Eastern is 1-4 all-time record in the MAC-SBC Challenge and 1-1 at home with a win against South Alabama in the 2023-24 season, on Feb.10, topping the Jaguars, 81-69. Arkansas State holds a 13-3 record (4-0 SBC), and is coming off a season where it won the SBC Tournament and earned an NCAA Tournament appearance, losing to UConn in the first round, on March 22, 2025.
Eastern dropped a high-scoring season opener, 80-71, at Louisiana Monroe in the first leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge, on Nov. 3, as it was led by Sisi Eleko (Montreal, Quebec/New Hope Academy/Canisius), who scored 24 points with seven rebounds. On the other hand, Arkansas State dropped a close game to the reigning MAC Tournament Champion, Ball State, 68-66, whom EMU played close, losing to the Cardinals on the road, 78-74, on Dec. 20.
The EMU women are in the middle of a turnaround season, as they have already more than tripled their 2024-25 win total just 12 games into the 2025-26 campaign, and are receiving votes in the latest College Insider Mid-Major Poll.
Eastern and Appalachian State will meet for the first time in program history. The Mountaineers are 9-7 overall, 5-2 at home, and fell at Central Michigan, 82-66, to start the season, Nov. 3.
The Eastern men controlled the season opener, a 71-49 win over Georgia State, Nov. 3, in the opening leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge. The men are 3-2 in the MAC-SBC Challenge all-time, including road losses to Lousiana Monroe, Feb. 10, 2024, and to Texas State, Nov. 4, 2025.
Mohammad Habhab (Dearborn, Mich./Dearborn/Central Michigan) (14.1 ppg), Carlos Hart (Miami, Fla./North Miami/Valdosta State) (13.4 ppg), and Addison Patterson (Mississauga, Ontario/Bella Vista College Prep/ Northwestern State) (12.3 ppg) are all scoring at least 12.0 points per game to highlight the 7-8 Eagles.
About the MAC-SBC Challenge
The MAC-SBC Challenge – the third installment of a scheduling alliance in men's and women's basketball – tipped off Monday, Nov. 3, with 13 MAC women's basketball programs hosting 13 SBC teams, while the 13 MAC men's basketball programs will visit 13 SBC teams.
The second MAC-SBC Challenge contest for each team will take place Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, with the matchups based on real-time NET rankings. The MAC women and Sun Belt men will host the February matchups.
Each MAC and Sun Belt team included in the MAC-SBC Challenge is guaranteed one home and one away game each season.
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.
Each MAC-SBC Challenge game will be carried on an ESPN platform.
MAC-SBC Challenge Women's Basketball Matchups
Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026
App State at Kent State
Arkansas St. at Eastern Mich.
Coastal Carolina at Bowling Green
Georgia Southern at Miami
Louisiana at Akron
Marshall at Central Mich.
Old Dominion at Ohio
South Alabama at Western Mich.
Southern Miss. at Toledo
Texas State at Northern Illinois
Troy at Ball State
Louisiana Monroe at Buffalo
Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026
James Madison at UMass
MAC-SBC Challenge Women's Basketball Results
Monday, Nov. 3, 2025
App State def. Western Mich., 64-45
Ball State def. Arkansas St., 68-66
Miami def. Coastal Carolina, 63-53
Georgia Southern def. Central Mich., 98-72
James Madison def. Kent State, 80-48
Bowling Green def. Louisiana, 82-67
Louisiana Monroe def. Eastern Mich., 80-71
Marshall def. Buffalo, 53-39
UMass def. Old Dominion, 58-52
South Alabama def. Akron, 87-63
Southern Miss. def. Northern Illinois, 77-56
Ohio def. Texas State, 72-66
Troy def. Toledo, 88-51
SBC leads MAC, 8-5
MAC-SBC Challenge Men's Basketball Matchups
Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026
Akron at Troy
Ball State at Louisiana Monroe
Bowling Green at Arkansas State
Buffalo at South Alabama
Central Michigan at Louisiana
Eastern Michigan at Appalachian State
Kent State at Southern Mississippi
Miami at Marshall
Northern Illinois at Georgia State
Ohio at Old Dominion
Toledo at James Madison
UMass at Coastal Carolina
Western Michigan at Texas State
MAC-SBC Challenge Men's Basketball Results
Monday, Nov. 3, 2025
Akron def. James Madison, 85-71
Ball State def. Louisiana, 75-64
Bowling Green def. Texas State, 83-48
Buffalo def. Southern Mississippi, 85-79
Central Michigan def. Appalachian State, 82-66
Eastern Michigan def. Georgia State, 71-49
Troy def. Kent State, 103-97
Miami def. Old Dominion, 87-72
Northern Illinois def. ULM, 102-82
Arkansas State def. Ohio, 89-85
South Alabama def. Toledo, 76-74
Marshall def. UMass, 78-72
Western Michigan def. Coastal Carolina, 76-71
MAC leads SBC, 9-4
Next Up
The Eastern men play at Ball State Tuesday, Jan. 6, while the Eastern women play at Ohio Wednesday, Jan. 7.
Follow Us
For the most up-to-date information on the Eagles, continue to visit EMUEagles.com. Fans can also follow the team on social media, including Twitter (@EMU_MBB) and Instagram (@EMUMBB).
The Eagles and Red Wolves will meet for the first time in program history as Eastern is 1-4 all-time record in the MAC-SBC Challenge and 1-1 at home with a win against South Alabama in the 2023-24 season, on Feb.10, topping the Jaguars, 81-69. Arkansas State holds a 13-3 record (4-0 SBC), and is coming off a season where it won the SBC Tournament and earned an NCAA Tournament appearance, losing to UConn in the first round, on March 22, 2025.
Eastern dropped a high-scoring season opener, 80-71, at Louisiana Monroe in the first leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge, on Nov. 3, as it was led by Sisi Eleko (Montreal, Quebec/New Hope Academy/Canisius), who scored 24 points with seven rebounds. On the other hand, Arkansas State dropped a close game to the reigning MAC Tournament Champion, Ball State, 68-66, whom EMU played close, losing to the Cardinals on the road, 78-74, on Dec. 20.
The EMU women are in the middle of a turnaround season, as they have already more than tripled their 2024-25 win total just 12 games into the 2025-26 campaign, and are receiving votes in the latest College Insider Mid-Major Poll.
Eastern and Appalachian State will meet for the first time in program history. The Mountaineers are 9-7 overall, 5-2 at home, and fell at Central Michigan, 82-66, to start the season, Nov. 3.
The Eastern men controlled the season opener, a 71-49 win over Georgia State, Nov. 3, in the opening leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge. The men are 3-2 in the MAC-SBC Challenge all-time, including road losses to Lousiana Monroe, Feb. 10, 2024, and to Texas State, Nov. 4, 2025.
Mohammad Habhab (Dearborn, Mich./Dearborn/Central Michigan) (14.1 ppg), Carlos Hart (Miami, Fla./North Miami/Valdosta State) (13.4 ppg), and Addison Patterson (Mississauga, Ontario/Bella Vista College Prep/ Northwestern State) (12.3 ppg) are all scoring at least 12.0 points per game to highlight the 7-8 Eagles.
About the MAC-SBC Challenge
The MAC-SBC Challenge – the third installment of a scheduling alliance in men's and women's basketball – tipped off Monday, Nov. 3, with 13 MAC women's basketball programs hosting 13 SBC teams, while the 13 MAC men's basketball programs will visit 13 SBC teams.
The second MAC-SBC Challenge contest for each team will take place Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, with the matchups based on real-time NET rankings. The MAC women and Sun Belt men will host the February matchups.
Each MAC and Sun Belt team included in the MAC-SBC Challenge is guaranteed one home and one away game each season.
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.
Each MAC-SBC Challenge game will be carried on an ESPN platform.
MAC-SBC Challenge Women's Basketball Matchups
Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026
App State at Kent State
Arkansas St. at Eastern Mich.
Coastal Carolina at Bowling Green
Georgia Southern at Miami
Louisiana at Akron
Marshall at Central Mich.
Old Dominion at Ohio
South Alabama at Western Mich.
Southern Miss. at Toledo
Texas State at Northern Illinois
Troy at Ball State
Louisiana Monroe at Buffalo
Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026
James Madison at UMass
MAC-SBC Challenge Women's Basketball Results
Monday, Nov. 3, 2025
App State def. Western Mich., 64-45
Ball State def. Arkansas St., 68-66
Miami def. Coastal Carolina, 63-53
Georgia Southern def. Central Mich., 98-72
James Madison def. Kent State, 80-48
Bowling Green def. Louisiana, 82-67
Louisiana Monroe def. Eastern Mich., 80-71
Marshall def. Buffalo, 53-39
UMass def. Old Dominion, 58-52
South Alabama def. Akron, 87-63
Southern Miss. def. Northern Illinois, 77-56
Ohio def. Texas State, 72-66
Troy def. Toledo, 88-51
SBC leads MAC, 8-5
MAC-SBC Challenge Men's Basketball Matchups
Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026
Akron at Troy
Ball State at Louisiana Monroe
Bowling Green at Arkansas State
Buffalo at South Alabama
Central Michigan at Louisiana
Eastern Michigan at Appalachian State
Kent State at Southern Mississippi
Miami at Marshall
Northern Illinois at Georgia State
Ohio at Old Dominion
Toledo at James Madison
UMass at Coastal Carolina
Western Michigan at Texas State
MAC-SBC Challenge Men's Basketball Results
Monday, Nov. 3, 2025
Akron def. James Madison, 85-71
Ball State def. Louisiana, 75-64
Bowling Green def. Texas State, 83-48
Buffalo def. Southern Mississippi, 85-79
Central Michigan def. Appalachian State, 82-66
Eastern Michigan def. Georgia State, 71-49
Troy def. Kent State, 103-97
Miami def. Old Dominion, 87-72
Northern Illinois def. ULM, 102-82
Arkansas State def. Ohio, 89-85
South Alabama def. Toledo, 76-74
Marshall def. UMass, 78-72
Western Michigan def. Coastal Carolina, 76-71
MAC leads SBC, 9-4
Next Up
The Eastern men play at Ball State Tuesday, Jan. 6, while the Eastern women play at Ohio Wednesday, Jan. 7.
Follow Us
For the most up-to-date information on the Eagles, continue to visit EMUEagles.com. Fans can also follow the team on social media, including Twitter (@EMU_MBB) and Instagram (@EMUMBB).
Players Mentioned
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