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Men's Basketball

Cancun Challenge Sets Tournament Field & Schedule

Men's Basketball

Cancun Challenge Sets Tournament Field & Schedule

Sophomore Lance Stone and the Titans now know three opponents for this season.
DETROIT (7/29/2026) -- The first part of the non-conference schedule is now completed as the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team found out its opponents at this year's Cancun Challenge.

The Titans will see a very familiar foe in Eastern Michigan to begin the event, but that game will take place on the road at EMU on Nov. 17. It will be the 83rd meeting between the two schools, the fourth-most against any foe in Titan history, while Detroit Mercy's 60 wins over EMU are the most over any opponent in the school record book.

Both teams will then head to Cancun a week later, with the red, white and blue facing North Dakota on Nov. 24 and either Southeastern Louisiana or Northern Colorado the next day, all at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya Convention Center.

It will be the first meeting for the Titans against either of those three schools.

Powered by Triple Crown Sports, the 2026 event marks the 21st edition of the women's tournament and the 19th for the men. Players and fans will once again be just steps from their rooms to the converted ballroom that hosts the competition at the all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya.

The men's tournament runs Nov. 24-25 with all eight programs confirmed, featuring one cross-play game in the U.S. plus two bracket play games in Mexico. Detroit Mercy, North Dakota, Northern Colorado and Southeastern Louisiana make up the Mayan Division. College of Charleston, Eastern Michigan, Kennesaw State and UTEP are set for the Riviera division.

On the women's side, the event runs Nov. 26-28. Colorado, Georgia, Oregon and Maryland Eastern Shore make up the Mayan Tournament field that operates as a four-team, three-game round robin. Cincinnati, Kansas, Miami (OH), Missouri State, Minnesota and Washington State are locked into the six-team Riviera Tournament, which plays two games in Mexico.
 
Fan packages are available for those looking to make a week of it — warm weather, world-class resort amenities and high-level college basketball all in one place: Fan Packages – Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya

MEN'S SCHEDULE

U.S. GAMES
Tuesday, Nov. 17
Detroit Mercy @ Eastern Michigan
 
Friday, Nov. 20
Southeastern Louisiana @ Kennesaw State
 
Saturday, Dec. 5
North Dakota @ UTEP
 
Friday, Dec. 18
Northern Colorado @ College of Charleston

MEXICO GAMES
Tuesday, Nov. 24
Southeastern Louisiana vs. Northern Colorado, 12:30 p.m. ET
North Dakota vs. Detroit Mercy, 3 p.m. ET
Eastern Michigan vs. Kennesaw State, 6 p.m. ET
UTEP vs. College of Charleston, 8:30 p.m. ET

Wednesday, Nov. 25
Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 12:30 p.m. ET
Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 3 p.m. ET
Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 6 p.m. ET
Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 8:30 p.m. ET

WOMEN'S SCHEDULE

Thursday, Nov. 26
Mayan Tournament
Oregon vs. University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 11 a.m. ET
Georgia vs. Colorado, 1:30 p.m. ET

Riviera Tournament
Kansas vs. Washington State, 4 p.m. ET
Minnesota vs. Missouri State, 6:30 p.m. ET
Cincinnati vs. Miami OH, 9 p.m. ET

Friday, Nov. 27
Mayan Tournament
Colorado vs. Oregon, 11 a.m. ET
University of Maryland Eastern Shore vs. Georgia, 1:30 p.m. ET

Riviera Tournament
Washington State vs. Missouri State, 4 p.m. ET
Miami OH vs. Kansas, 6:30 p.m. ET
Cincinnati vs. Minnesota, 9 p.m. ET

Saturday, Nov. 28
Mayan Tournament
Colorado vs. University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 11 a.m. ET
Georgia vs. Oregon, 1:30 p.m. ET
 
About Triple Crown Sports
Based in Fort Collins, CO., Triple Crown Sports has been producing youth, high school and college events for more than 40 years. TCS runs the postseason WNIT basketball event and produces the men's and women's DI Cancun Challenge tournaments in November. Triple Crown's PV College Challenge features more than 10 of the top DI college softball teams in the country each year in Puerto Vallarta, MX. Anchored by the 1,200-team Colorado 4th of July event, TC fastpitch tournaments draw the nation's finest club programs, and hundreds of college coaches attend TCS events for recruiting purposes. TCS produces two of the largest youth baseball events in the world with the 800-team Omaha SlumpBuster during the College World Series and the 800-team Arizona Spring Championships during MLB Spring Training. The Triple Crown Volleyball NIT has become the top-recruited club volleyball event in the country each February when 680 teams compete in Kansas City, MO.

 
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