FRISCO, Texas – The road to March runs through Southland Conference basketball.
After three seasons of national breakthroughs, championship performances and rising expectations, the Southland Conference introduces “Southland Basketball: March Starts Here," a live men’s and women’s basketball special with The Field of 68 Media Network on Tuesday, Dec. 15, and Wednesday, Dec. 16.
Featuring head coaches and selected student-athletes from all 12 member institutions’ men’s and women’s programs, the two-day special will spotlight the personalities, playing styles, and emerging contenders shaping the Southland’s 22-game conference race. The Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman, Talia Goodman, and Rob Dauster will lead the conversations, bringing a national college basketball perspective and their signature candid approach to the Southland stage.
The December timing reflects an intentional response to today’s college basketball landscape. Southland coaches are embracing the opportunities created by roster movement while recognizing that understanding a team takes actual game experience. Those opening weeks lay the foundation for more meaningful conversations about team identity, chemistry, and championship potential.
March Starts Here will connect those early-season lessons with the rivalries, road tests, and championship stakes ahead. New head coaches will introduce their basketball philosophies and the styles they are establishing. Returning coaches will discuss how their programs are evolving and student-athletes will share what makes their teams worth watching.
"College basketball is changing, and we’re embracing it. Our coaches are bringing new styles, building new rosters, and getting some games under their belt so they can tell you what they actually have,” said Southland Commissioner Chris Grant.
"Meanwhile, our fan bases are growing, our student sections are getting louder and more hostile, in the best way, and tournament games are selling out. You can feel the excitement for Southland hoops in our communities. We are now collectively embracing who we are and expecting to compete with the best in Division I. We’re putting the best of our Southland footprint on display: the unique brand of basketball, the coaching personalities, and the phenomenal student-athletes. March starts here, and it’s earned every day.”
The special follows three seasons of results that have raised the Southland’s profile across Division I, including a 2025-26 campaign that saw six teams across the Conference’s men’s and women’s programs participate in the postseason.
McNeese finished inside the top 60 of the men’s NCAA NET rankings in each of the last three seasons. The Cowboys have paired that consistency with three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, most notably their 2025 appearance that resulted in the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament win. In 2026, McNeese and SFA each recorded 28 victories and finished inside the NET’s top 90, reinforcing the competition at the top of the Southland race.
Women’s basketball has delivered its own championship achievements, including consecutive tournament titles and NCAA Tournament berths for SFA each of the last two seasons. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 2024, while McNeese and UTRGV established program records for victories in 2026.
Those accomplishments raise the stakes for a new season, where every program has a chance to write the next chapter. "March Starts Here" will give fans a closer look at the teams pursuing that opportunity and the conference matchups that will shape the championship push all the way to the Southland Basketball Championships that return to Lake Charles, La., March 7-11.
The renewed collaboration with The Field of 68 builds on last year’s Southland programming, which generated more than 102,000 views across its streams and more than 237,000 impressions, the most among any non-autonomy conference collaborations in 2025.
Men’s and women’s sessions will stream live on The Field of 68’s YouTube channel and X account. Session schedules and participating student-athletes will be announced at a later date.