OKLAHOMA CITY - The Sooner Athletic Conferebnce is pleased to announce that the 2026 SAC Men's and Women's Basketball Championships, presented by Athletic Solutions, will take place at Abe Lemons Arena on the campus of Oklahoma City University. The championships are scheduled for February 25–27, 2026, with the conference championship games to be held on Saturday, February 28.

"This new format creates a true championship atmosphere for everyone involved," said SAC Commissioner John Martin. "Having all eight men's and women's teams competing at the Abe Lemons Arena allows us to celebrate SAC basketball in one place, over one weekend, and we're excited to partner with Oklahoma City University to host what we believe will be a great event for our student-athletes and fans."

Abe Lemons Arena is named in honor of the legendary basketball coach Abe Lemons, who amassed 599 victories over 35 years as a head coach from 1955 to 1990. He holds the all-time coaching wins record at Oklahoma City University with 427 and also coached at Texas and Texas-Pan American. Known for his sharp wit, Lemons was credited by USA Today with the "coaching quote of the century": "Doctors bury their mistakes, mine are still on scholarship."

The arena has a seating capacity of 3,360 for basketball events and can accommodate more than 4,000 for graduation ceremonies and other activities. It attracts approximately 250,000 visitors annually for various events.

Oklahoma City University and Abe Lemons Arena have a strong history of hosting prominent championships and tournaments, including the NAIA Wrestling Championships, NAIA Cheerleading and Pom/Dance Championship Invitational, STUNT Championships, Women's College Wrestling National Championships, USA Junior National Wrestling Duals, USA Wrestling University Nationals, the Mid-America Youth girls basketball national tournament, and prior Sooner Athletic Conference basketball and volleyball tournaments. Notably, the arena hosted the 2015 SAC men's and women's basketball tournaments, along with numerous SAC wrestling championships.

This event represents a format change from the previous seven years, as all eight qualifying men's and women's teams will now compete at the same venue.

The men's tournament will commence on Wednesday, February 25, with semifinals on Friday, February 27. The women's quarterfinals are scheduled for Thursday, February 26, followed by semifinals on Friday, February 27. The championship games will conclude on Saturday, February 28, with the men's final tipping off at 3:00 p.m. and the women's final at 6:00 p.m.

"Partnering with the SAC means partnering with excellence," said Tom Feiden, President & CEO of Athletic Solutions. "Our mission is simple: empower athletes, inspire fans with great product, and elevate the spirit of college athletics. We're proud to partner with the SAC."

Media – For more information and interview requests, please contact Jim Powers, SAC Assistant Commissioner, at 314-488-8386 or via email at sacsportsinfo@gmail.com

Additional details, including game times for the quarterfinals and semifinals as well as ticket pricing, will be announced in the coming week.