SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The Summit League and Big Sky Conference jointly announced the matchups for the inaugural Big Sky-Summit Challenge on Friday. The North Dakota men will host Northern Colorado on Jan. 3 before heading to Northern Arizona on Jan. 6 while the UND women will start at Idaho State on Jan. 3 before closing with a home battle against Eastern Washington on Jan. 6.
This incoming campaign, the challenge will take place on January 3 and 6, 2024. For the Summit League, this means teams will now play originally scheduled League games for that week prior to Christmas on a variety of different dates to accommodate already scheduled non-conference contests.
Based on the matchups, this upcoming season's iteration of the schedule will feature four sets of double-headers, two hosted by each league.
Each gender will play 10 games per day, meaning a total of 40 games available for fans to track throughout the series. There will be an even split of home and away contests across the two leagues on each of those days.
The matchups for the series are determined annually using data from past seasons, including NET rankings and regular-season conference finishes, along with consideration for the prior season matchups.
Due to the short turnaround of scheduling the Challenge games in 2023-34, the leagues also took into account previously scheduled non-conference contests as a factor in determining the matchups, which will be minimized in the future.
2023-24 Big Sky – Summit Challenge Matchups
Denver Men
Home: Idaho State (Jan. 3; DH)
Away: Northern Colorado (Jan. 6; DH)
Denver Women
Home: Idaho (Jan. 3; DH)
Away: Northern Colorado (Jan. 6; DH)
Kansas City Men
Away: Sacramento State (Jan. 3)
Home: Portland State (Jan. 6)
Kansas City Women
Home: Portland State (Jan. 3)
Away: Weber State (Jan. 6)
North Dakota Men
Home: Northern Colorado (Jan. 3)
Away: Northern Arizona (Jan. 6)
North Dakota Women
Away: Idaho State (Jan. 3)
Home: Eastern Washington (Jan. 6)
North Dakota State Men
Home: Montana (Jan. 3)
Away: Eastern Washington (Jan. 6)
North Dakota State Women
Away: Montana State (Jan. 3; DH)
Home: Northern Arizona (Jan. 6)
Omaha Men
Home: Northern Arizona (Jan. 3)
Away: Idaho State (Jan. 6)
Omaha Women
Away: Eastern Washington (Jan. 3)
Home: Montana (Jan. 6)
Oral Roberts Men
Away: Montana State (Jan. 3; DH)
Home: Weber State (Jan. 6)
Oral Roberts Women
Home: Northern Colorado (Jan. 3)
Away: Sacramento State (Jan. 6)
St. Thomas Men
Away: Idaho (Jan. 3)
Home: Sacramento State (Jan. 6)
St. Thomas Women
Home: Sacramento State (Jan. 3)
Away: Portland State (Jan. 6)
South Dakota Men
Home: Eastern Washington (Jan. 3)
Away: Montana (Jan. 6)
South Dakota Women
Away: Montana (Jan. 3)
Home: Idaho State (Jan. 6)
South Dakota State Men
Away: Weber State (Jan. 3)
Home: Montana State (Jan. 6; DH)
South Dakota State Women
Away: Northern Arizona (Jan. 3)
Home: Montana State (Jan. 6; DH)
Western Illinois Men
Away: Portland State (Jan. 3)
Home: Idaho (Jan. 6)
Western Illinois Women
Home: Weber State (Jan. 3)
Away: Idaho (Jan. 6)