HARRISONBURG, Va. (JMU Athletics) – A matchup with 2025 Sweet 16 participant Arkansas and the renewal of regional rivalries highlight James Madison men’s basketball’s 2025-26 non-conference slate, which was announced by head coach Preston Spradlin on Thursday afternoon.
The full non-conference schedule features six games inside the Atlantic Union Bank Center, five matchups with teams from across the Commonwealth, and three games against teams that appeared in the 2025 Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.
Highlighting the slate is a Dec. 29 trip to Arkansas, which advanced to the Sweet 16 under the direction of John Calipari in the 2024-25 season. JMU’s five games against the Commonwealth include a road exhibition at Richmond (Oct. 25), home games versus Washington & Lee (Nov. 5) and Norfolk State (Dec. 6), and road bouts against Longwood (Nov. 12) and George Mason (Nov. 29).
“I am excited to announce the matchups for our non-conference schedule,” Spradlin said. “Once again, we will consistently challenge our team with championship-level opponents and reward our fan base with regional rivalries at both home and on the road. Two years ago, our fan base put the entire nation on notice in Brooklyn, so a return to play at LIU will provide an opportunity for JMU Nation to showcase their passion! Games at George Mason and Longwood will give our alumni base and fans the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment and willingness to travel. Playing back-to-back games in Florida will prepare our team for the Sun Belt Tournament, and teams like Arkansas will get us ready for challenges that come in the NCAA Tournament.”
JMU will tip off the 2025-26 season on Monday, Nov. 3, at Akron as part of the third annual MAC-SBC Challenge. The Dukes are 2-1 against the Zips all-time and last played in Akron on Dec. 6, 2003. The second leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge will be on Feb. 7, 2026, where JMU will host a MAC school to be determined based upon real-time NET rankings.
Following the trip to Ohio, JMU will host Division III Washington & Lee (Nov. 5) and MEAC foe Coppin State (Nov. 9) before a road date at Longwood (Nov. 12), the Dukes’ first matchup against the Lancers since Dec. 3, 2016. JMU has won four straight against Longwood and is 6-2 against the Lancers all-time.
The Dukes will remain on the road for a tilt at LIU (Nov. 15) before returning home to host 2024-25 CAA regular-season champions Towson (Nov. 18). Despite a 67-63 Tigers win over JMU last season, the Dukes hold a 37-22 series lead on Towson dating back to their time in the CAA.
Thanksgiving week brings three games for JMU as the Dukes will play FIU (Nov. 24) and 2024-25 Summit League Champions Omaha (Nov. 25) in Miami on the campus of FIU. JMU will remain on the road following the trip, trekking to Fairfax, Va., to play George Mason (Nov. 29) for the 98th all-time meeting between the two programs.
Home tilts with North Carolina Central (Dec. 3) and Norfolk State (Dec. 6) inside the Atlantic Union Bank Center highlight the first week of December. In the all-time series, JMU is 1-0 against NC Central – a 79-66 win in Miami in 2009 – and 2-3 against Norfolk State.
Click here to view the entire 2025-26 schedule.
— JMU Athletics —
