The official 2025-2026 Schedule Thread

[Mason2006Patriot]

It seems like we always play Stony Brook in the OOC schedule

 

[2011WinOverVillanova]

Anyone else remember when we lost to FIU which denied us a shot at VA Tech? These garbage tourneys are too high risk especially when we don’t have much margin for error in terms of an at large.

 

[DRK331]

"The George Mason University men's basketball team will face a series of early tests at the 2025 Sunshine Slam, held November 24-25 in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The Patriots will play two games at the Ocean Center and also host an additional game in Fairfax as part of the multi-team event.

Potential opponents in the tournament's Beach Bracket in Daytona include Florida Atlantic, Ohio and Loyola Marymount. Both of those contests will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

George Mason will open the event in Fairfax against one of four potential foes: Bethune-Cookman, Jacksonville, Pacific, and Stony Brook.

Florida Atlantic has reached the postseason in each of the past four campaigns, including two NCAA Tournament bids and a berth in the 2023 Final Four.

Meanwhile, Ohio is a perennial power in the Mid-American Conference, having won four games in the NCAA Tournament since 2010. Under current head coach Jeff Boals, the Bobcats upset Virginia in the 2021 Big Dance to reach the Round of 32.

The format for the Sunshine Slam will consist of a pair of semifinal round games in each bracket on November 24 and a championship and consolation game in each bracket on November 25. Champions will be crowned for both the Beach and Ocean brackets as well as all-tournament teams being announced for each.

Match-ups and schedules will be announced at a later date.

Tickets may be purchased in advance at Ticketmaster.com or on the day of competition at the Ocean Center box office"

Article about the Sunshine Slam event:

Men’s Basketball to Compete in 2025-26 Sunshine Slam on CBSSN - George Mason University Athletics

The George Mason University men's basketball team will face a series of early tests at the 2025 Sunshine Slam, held November 24-25 in Daytona Beach, Fla.

gomason.com

 

[Mason2006Patriot]

Which of these teams do you want to play the most?

Bethune-Cookman, Jacksonville, Pacific, or Stony Brook?

 

[GSII]

FUGLY

 

[psyclone]

Bleh - was really hoping we would get into the next tier MTE to help our OOC/resume - but this aint it.

Good to have high aspirations but realistically the staff will still be working on getting a bunch of new guys to transform into a cohesive team. Especially in the first month of the season.

 

[JimP]

In contrast to recent tournaments, the arena looks nice.

 

[GunstonsGhost]

Least it's being picked up by CBSSN and not being streamed through a potato.

 

[GM Logo Guy]

Yea, this is hot garbage. I'm no scheduling expert, but I don't understand how this is the best we can do.

Because Skinn knows this roster isn’t as good as last year’s roster.

 

[GSII]

Because Skinn knows this roster isn’t as good as last year’s roster.

Offensively we will be better imo. Maybe a trip to the Bahamas could help us get faster.

 

[GMUSteve]

Which of these teams do you want to play the most?

Bethune-Cookman, Jacksonville, Pacific, or Stony Brook?

anyone besides Stony Brook!

 

[GM Logo Guy]

Offensively we will be better imo. Maybe a trip to the Bahamas could help us get faster.

I hope you’re right. But last year, we brought back key contributors, so there was already some built-in chemistry. It made sense to throw some challenges at them early. And even then, they still had their early season hiccups.

So honestly, I’m totally fine with easing into the season this year. Way too many new pieces to expect things to click right away.

 

[mkaufman1]

Bummed that we ended up in this MTE where we don’t get potential top 100 opportunities and without beating the crap out of our opponents, no real benefit. At least it seems like a real tournament.

We will need some beef to our schedule to make it a little more exciting. Hopefully we take 2 power 5 buy games at minimum and maybe find a neutral game of some sort so we get some solid chances to balance.

 

[Old Man]

"Just win, baby!"

Otherwise, it doesn't matter who we play. If we don't win, a lot, it won't matter how many P4/5 games we have on the schedule.

 

[Pablo]

2025-26 Men’s College Basketball Exempt Multi-Team Event (MTE) Tracker

A regularly-updated list of the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season’s exempt multiple-team events (MTEs). If you have any info to add to this page, please email it to mcbb dot mte dot info at gmail dot com.

www.bloggingthebracket.com

Atlantic 10 Teams Scheduled for MTEs:​

Bracketed MTEs:​

Shriners Hospitals Charleston Classic (Nov. 21 and 23: Charleston, S.C.: 2 games)
Bracket 1: Clemson (ACC), Georgia (SEC), West Virginia (Big 12), Xavier (Big East)
Bracket 2: Boston College (ACC), Davidson (A 10), Tulane (American), Utah State (MW)

Cayman Islands Classic (Nov. 23–25: George Town, Cayman Islands: 3 games)
George Washington (A 10), McNeese (Southland), Middle Tennessee (CUSA), Murray State (MVC), 4 TBA (The D1 Docket x2 x3)

Sunshine Slam (Nov. 24 and 25: Daytona Beach, Fla.: 2 games)
Beach Bracket: Florida Atlantic (American), George Mason (A 10), Loyola Marymount (WCC), Ohio (MAC)
Ocean Bracket: Bethune-Cookman (SWAC), Jacksonville (ASUN), Pacific (WCC), Stony Brook (CAA)

Players Era Festival (Nov. 24-30: Las Vegas, formats TBD)
Alabama (SEC), Auburn (SEC), Baylor (Big 12), Creighton (Big East), Gonzaga (WCC), Houston (Big 12), Iowa State (Big 12), Kansas (Big 12), Michigan (Big Ten), Notre Dame (ACC), Oregon (Big Ten), Rutgers (Big Ten), San Diego State (MW), St. John’s (Big East), Saint Joseph’s (A 10), Syracuse (ACC), Tennessee (SEC), UNLV (MW)

Acrisure Series (Nov. 25–28: Palm Desert, Calif., formats TBD)
Cal Baptist (WAC), Colorado (Big 12), Grand Canyon (WAC), Iowa (Big Ten), Loyola Chicago (A 10), Minnesota (Big Ten), Mississippi (SEC), Nevada (MW), Northern Iowa (MVC), Saint Louis (A 10), San Diego (WCC), San José State (MW), Santa Clara (WCC), Stanford (ACC), Tulsa (American), Washington (Big Ten) (Utah, Shad Powers, Palm Springs Desert Sun, Jon Rothstein, College Hoops Today)

Battle 4 Atlantis (Nov. 26–28: Paradise Island, Bahamas, 3 games)
Colorado State (MW), Saint Mary’s (WCC), South Florida (American), Vanderbilt (SEC), vcu (A 10), Virginia Tech (ACC), Western Kentucky (CUSA), Wichita State (American)

ESPN Events Invitational (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.)
Adventure Bracket (Nov. 24–26, 3 games): Bradley (MVC), Liberty (CUSA), Princeton (Ivy), Rhode Island (A 10), Temple (American), Towson (CAA), UC San Diego (Big West), and Vermont (AE)
Imagination Bracket (Nov. 27 and 28, 2 games): Charlotte (American), Furman (SoCon), Illinois State (MVC), Richmond (A 10)
Magic Bracket (Nov. 27 and 28, 2 games): BYU (Big 12), Dayton (A 10), Georgetown (Big East), Miami (ACC)

MTEs With Pre-Determined Matchups:​

Villanova (MTE) (Nov. TBA: 3 games)
Duquesne (A 10, 2 home games); Queens (ASUN, reclassifying year 4 of 4, 1 home game); Sacred Heart (MAAC); Villanova (Big East, 3 home games) (Rocco Miller)

Fort Myers Tip-Off (Nov. 25 and 27: Fort Myers, Fla., 2 games)
East Carolina (American), Michigan State (Big Ten), North Carolina (ACC), St. Bonaventure (A 10) (Rocco Miller)

Cathedral of College Basketball Classic (Nov. 28–30: Philadelphia)
Hofstra (CAA), La Salle (A 10), Merrimack (MAAC), Penn (Ivy, host) (Rocco Miller)

Teams Not Yet Attached To An MTE:​

Atlantic 10 (1/14): Fordham

 

[phoenix-arizona]

Maybe I missed it, but it is funny they didn't have anything to say about Mason's potential foes:

George Mason will open the event in Fairfax against one of four potential foes: Bethune-Cookman, Jacksonville, Pacific, and Stony Brook.

Florida Atlantic has reached the postseason in each of the past four campaigns, including two NCAA Tournament bids and a berth in the 2023 Final Four.

Meanwhile, Ohio is a perennial power in the Mid-American Conference, having won four games in the NCAA Tournament since 2010. Under current head coach Jeff Boals, the Bobcats upset Virginia in the 2021 Big Dance to reach the Round of 32.

I guess it would be cool to have Pacific in Fairfax. When was the last time a Cali team was in the Patriot Center?

 

[psyclone]

Maybe I missed it, but it is funny they didn't have anything to say about Mason's potential foes:

George Mason will open the event in Fairfax against one of four potential foes: Bethune-Cookman, Jacksonville, Pacific, and Stony Brook.

Florida Atlantic has reached the postseason in each of the past four campaigns, including two NCAA Tournament bids and a berth in the 2023 Final Four.

Meanwhile, Ohio is a perennial power in the Mid-American Conference, having won four games in the NCAA Tournament since 2010. Under current head coach Jeff Boals, the Bobcats upset Virginia in the 2021 Big Dance to reach the Round of 32.

I guess it would be cool to have Pacific in Fairfax. When was the last time a Cali team was in the Patriot Center?

My guess is the match-ups will be based on geography, so Stony Brook for us and Pacific for Loyola Marymount. Either B-C or Jacksonville for FAU with one of those playing Ohio. Some chance that B-C or Jacksonville plays us with Stony Brook going to Ohio.

 

[jessej]

Which of these teams do you want to play the most?

Bethune-Cookman, Jacksonville, Pacific, or Stony Brook?

Bethune-Cookman is a 350+ KenPom HBCU School in Floriday founded by Mary McLeod Bethune.
Mason Coach VBL ran the women's BBall program there for 13 years (2008-2021).

 

[GMUgemini]

These are games we could get on our own. A buy game with a low major and two home-and-homes with decent mid-majors. The point of these MTEs should be to get a shot on a neutral court to play teams we normally would have a hard time scheduling.

Not really sure the extra game is even worth it if these are the games we are going to get. Is this MTE even televised? Is our travel even being covered?

 

[psyclone]

These are games we could get on our own. A buy game with a low major and two home-and-homes with decent mid-majors. The point of these MTEs should be to get a shot on a neutral court to play teams we normally would have a hard time scheduling.

Not really sure the extra game is even worth it if these are the games we are going to get. Is this MTE even televised? Is our travel even being covered?

It's in the title:

https://gomason.com/news/2025/6/2/m...sketball-to-compete-in-2025-26-sunshine-slam-on-cbssn.aspx

and in the second sentence:
"Potential opponents in the tournament's Beach Bracket in Daytona include Florida Atlantic, Ohio and Loyola Marymount. Both of those contests will be televised on CBS Sports Network."