EDISON, NJ (September 22, 2021) - The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and the ASUN Conference today announced the participants and schedule for the 2021 MAAC/ASUN Men’s and Women’s Basketball Challenge.
The two-day event, scheduled for November 19 – 20, 2021, will take place in the HP Field House at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Kissimmee, FL. Seven of the eight games will be broadcast on ESPN3, while the Iona College vs. Liberty University game on Friday, November 19 will be featured on ESPNU at 5 p.m.
| Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) |
ASUN Conference |
| Fairfield University (W) |
Florida Gulf Coast University (W) |
| Manhattan College (W) |
Stetson University (W) |
| Iona College (M) |
Liberty University (M) |
| Manhattan College (M) |
University of North Alabama (M) |
The MAAC and ASUN will have a combined eight teams for the event, with two men’s basketball teams and two women’s basketball teams representing each conference. In the 2019 MAAC/ASUN Challenge, the MAAC won six of eight games.
Highlighting the men’s side of the event will be a pair of defending conference champions in Iona and Liberty. Also joining on the men’s side is Manhattan College and the University of North Alabama. The Jaspers return two All-MAAC Third Team selections in Ant Nelson and Warren Williams, while Iona’s unanimous All-Rookie Team selection and 2020-21 MAAC Rookie of the Year, Nelly Junior Joseph, comes back to the Gaels for another championship run. Iona and Manhattan have combined to win eight MAAC Championships since 2013.
"We look forward to a challenging non-conference schedule to prepare us for league play, and we feel like this year's slate will do just that,” said Iona Men’s Basketball Head Coach Rick Pitino. “Playing a pair of quality opponents from the ASUN Conference on a neutral floor at Disney World this November is a perfect precursor."
"We are very excited to participate in the MAAC/ASUN Challenge,” remarked Manhattan Men’s Basketball Head Coach Steve Masiello. “It will be a great platform for mid-major basketball in which our program will be challenged by two terrific teams. We look forward to representing the MAAC in one of the most magical places there is, Disney!"
On the women’s side, the MAAC will have Fairfield University and Manhattan taking on defending ASUN champion Florida Gulf Coast University and Stetson University. The Jaspers will feature 2020-21 All-MAAC Second Team selections Dee Dee Davis and Courtney Warley. The Stags return unanimous All-MAAC First-Team selection Lou Lopez-Senechal and 2020-21 MAAC Sixth Player of the Year, Andrea Hernangomez.
"Our program is very excited to be a part of such an incredible event,” noted Manhattan Women’s Basketball Head Coach Heather Vulin. “This is a tremendous opportunity for all involved to play elite competition at a beautiful venue. We can’t wait to represent the MAAC."
“The MAAC/ASUN Challenge gives us the opportunity to play two very good teams in preparation for conference play,” said Fairfield Women’s Basketball Coach Joe Frager. “We are looking forward to representing the MAAC in Florida.”
The full matchup schedule is below:
| Friday, November 19, 2021 |
|
Matchup |
Time |
Network |
| Game 1 (W) |
Manhattan vs. FGCU |
11:00 a.m. |
ESPN3 |
| Game 2 (W) |
Fairfield vs. Stetson |
1:30 p.m. |
ESPN3 |
| Game 3 (M) |
Iona vs. Liberty |
5:00 p.m. |
ESPNU |
| Game 4 (M) |
Manhattan vs. North Alabama |
7:30 p.m. |
ESPN3 |
| Saturday, November 20, 2021 |
|
Matchup |
Time |
Network |
| Game 5 (W) |
Fairfield vs. FGCU |
12:00 p.m. |
ESPN3 |
| Game 6 (W) |
Manhattan vs. Stetson |
2:30 p.m. |
ESPN3 |
| Game 7 (M) |
Manhattan vs. Liberty |
6:00 p.m. |
ESPN3 |
| Game 8 (M) |
Iona vs. North Alabama |
8:30 p.m. |
ESPN3 |
Ticket information will be released at a later date. To stay up to date on MAAC basketball, visit
MAACSports.com/mbb,
MAACSports.com/wbb, and follow
@MAACHoops on Twitter. For more information on Disney and the ESPN Wide World of Sports please click
here.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 41st year of competition during the 2021-22 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.