Full Breakdown
Mount St. Mary's and Austin Peay Unveil 2026-27 Men’s Basketball Schedules
8/21/2026, 11:30:34 AM
Core Event – Schedule Releases
Mount St. Mary's University released its Metro Conference slate for 2026-27, a 20-game conference schedule beginning December 4 with road games at Niagara and Canisius. The Mount will host 16 conference contests at Knott Arena, opening with Marist on December 29 and ending with Niagara on February 28. Combined with a non-conference slate announced on August 6, the Mount will play 31 regular-season games plus a home exhibition against Navy on October 28.
Austin Peay State University (APSU) announced a 16-game non-conference schedule that opens at home against Evansville on October 11 and features nine home games at Gary Mathews Court. The slate includes first-time meetings with Lane, Livingstone, Seattle and West Florida, plus road trips to Kansas, Wyoming and a New Year’s Eve game at Queens on December 31.
Background & Context – Program Milestones
Mount St. Mary's finished the prior season second in the 13-team Metro Conference for attendance and posted an 8-5 record at Knott Arena.
APSU entered 2026-27 after a 12-1 home record last season, a 92.3 % winning percentage at home—the best since a perfect 14-0 season in 2019-20. The Governors will host 17 games, tying the third-most home contests in program history.
Timeline – Key Dates
- August 6 – Mount St. Mary's announces non-conference schedule (31 games total).
- October 11 – APSU opens at home vs. Evansville.
- October 28 – Mount St. Mary's exhibition vs. Navy.
- December 4 – Metro Conference play begins for Mount St. Mary's.
- December 5 – APSU hosts second half of home-and-home series vs. Kennesaw State.
- December 10 – APSU hosts Air Force.
- December 15 – APSU travels to Seattle.
- December 28 – APSU’s final non-conference home game vs. UT Southern.
- December 31 – APSU plays Queens on New Year’s Eve.
- January 6 – APSU begins United Athletic Conference play vs. Eastern Kentucky.
- February 13 – Mount St. Mary's hosts Sacred Heart for Winter Homecoming.
- February 28 – Mount St. Mary's concludes conference slate vs. Niagara.
Data & Statistics – Games, Venues, Travel
- Mount St. Mary's: 20 conference games, 31 total regular-season contests, 16 home conference games at Knott Arena.
- APSU: 17 home games, 16 non-conference opponents, travel exceeding 15,300 miles, the highest mileage in program history (? 61 % of Earth’s circumference). The longest trip is a 4,000-plus-mile round-trip to Seattle.
- Ticket Pricing: APSU’s average season-ticket price in bowl seating has dropped 58 % compared with the 2025-26 season.
Why It Matters – Fan Engagement and Logistics
Both programs are using the schedule announcements to boost ticket sales. Mount St. Mary's will open season-ticket renewals in late August and offer new purchases in early September, leveraging last year’s strong attendance. APSU’s reduced ticket prices and expanded home slate aim to sustain the 12-1 home performance and manage the extensive travel demands.
What’s Next – Upcoming Ticket Sales and Conference Play
Mount St. Mary's plans to begin season-ticket renewals in late August, with new tickets available shortly thereafter. APSU’s season-ticket program is already active, sold through Ticketmaster and the university ticket office. Both schools will transition to conference play in early December (Mount St. Mary's) and early January (APSU), setting the stage for postseason aspirations.
