DAYTON – The University of Dayton and the University of Memphis, in collaboration between ESPN Events, the American and Atlantic 10 Conferences, have announced a neutral-site showdown for the upcoming 2026-27 men's basketball campaign. The Flyers and Tigers will meet in Columbus, Ohio on Sunday, Nov. 29 at Nationwide Arena as part of the inaugural Atlantic 10/American Showcase on ESPN.
The game between UD and Memphis one of two for the day, as Saint Louis will play South Florida to start the event. Both games will be on ESPN.
Dayton and Memphis have played 20 times in program history, most recently in the 2021 National Invitational Tournament, where the Tigers topped the Flyers, 81-60.
With the addition of Memphis, Dayton now knows five of its non-conference games for the 2026-27 campaign, with the Flyers set to make return trips to Florida State and Liberty, as well as host Cincinnati and USF at the Epicenter of College Basketball, UD Arena.
More information regarding tickets to the event will be available at a later date.
Future editions of the event will rotate participating schools and host locations within the Atlantic 10 and American Conference footprints. As part of the multi-year agreement, additional participating schools and host sites will be announced later.
"The Atlantic 10 and American conferences have been ESPN's valued partners for years," said Jeff Wilson, Director, ESPN Events. "We are excited to build on those partnerships to create this signature event that will further spotlight their brands on a national stage while providing critical opportunities for teams to strengthen their resumes. We look forward to providing exceptional experiences for the participating teams and fans."
"This collaboration presents a tremendous opportunity for Atlantic 10 teams to compete against quality opponents on a neutral floor before a national audience," A10 Commissioner Dan Leibovitz said. "We appreciate our media partner, ESPN, and the American Conference for coming together to create a unique event with meaningful scheduling value. This collaboration will strengthen our league's non-conference profile and improve our NCAA Tournament positioning."
"We are excited to partner with the A10 to create a best-on-best showcase of top-level programs in our conferences and in college basketball," said American Commissioner Tim Pernetti. "This special non-conference event gives our programs meaningful high-level competitive opportunities outside the American to build strong resumes for post-season consideration and success."
