The University of Akron men’s and women’s basketball teams will play their 2026-2027 Mid-American Conference openers about a month apart.
The MAC unveiled its 2026-27 conference schedules for men’s and women’s basketball on Wednesday, Aug. 12.
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Every MAC men’s basketball team will play a 22-game conference schedule and face the other 11 MAC teams at home and on the road, a change from the 18-game scheduled used in recent seasons. All tip-off times will be announced at a later date.
Akron men’s basketball to host Ball State in MAC opener
The Akron men’s basketball team is set to begin its MAC schedule against Ball State on Wednesday, Dec. 2, at Rhodes Arena. The Zips have won the past three MAC men’s basketball tournament championships and four of the last five to qualify for the NCAA Tournament in 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Akron’s recent run of success in men’s basketball was with John Groce as head coach. Groce left Akron in late March to lead the program at Charleston and was replaced by longtime Zips assistant Dustin Ford.
Zippy gestures as the band plays during the Zips game against Princeton in the second half of the basketball game at University of Akron Rhodes Arena on Nov. 8, 2025.
The Akron’s men’s basketball team will open the regular seaon at Louisiana Lafayette in a MAC-Sun Belt Conference Challenge game at a time to be announced Monday, Nov. 2. The complete nonconference schedule has not been finalized yet.
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The Zips men’s basketball team will visit rival Kent State University on Saturday, Feb. 13, and conclude the regular season at home against KSU on Friday, March 5.
The MAC women’s basketball teams will continue to play an 18-game schedule. All tip-off times will be announced at a later date.
Akron women’s basketball to host UMass in MAC opener
The Akron women’s basketball team, led by coach Ryan Gensler, is scheduled to host Massachusetts on Saturday, Jan. 2, to begin MAC play.
The Akron’s women’s basketball team will open the regular season at home against South Alabama in a MAC-SBC Challenge game at a time to be announced Monday, Nov. 2. The complete nonconference schedule has not been finalized yet.
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The Zips women’s basketball team will host rival Kent State on Saturday, Jan. 30, and visit Kent on Saturday, Feb. 27.
From left, University of Akron president R.J. Nemer, Zips men’s basketball coach Dustin Ford and athletic director Andrew T. Goodrich take a selfie after the introduction of Ford as the new Zips coach on April 15, 2026, at House Three Thirty.
2026-27 Akron Zips men’s basketball MAC schedule
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Jan. 12 at Eastern Michigan
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Feb. 2 at Western Michigan
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March 2 at Central Michigan
Home games in ALL CAPS. Game times to be announced at a later date.
University of Akron’s Coach Ryan Gensler gestures during a game against Kent State, Jan. 17, 2026, at M.A.C. Center in Kent, Ohio.
2026-27 Akron Zips women’s basketball MAC schedule
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Jan. 23 at Eastern Michigan
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Feb. 3 at Western Michigan
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Feb. 13 at Central Michigan
Home games in ALL CAPS. Game times to be announced at a later date.
Akron Beacon Journal sports writer Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournaland is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Zips MAC men’s and women’s basketball schedules announced
