2026 Alcorn State vs Michigan State - Women's

Emerald Coast Classic 2026: Full Schedule, Teams And Games To Watch

The best way to kick off Thanksgiving is with hoops. Luckily, the Emerald Coast Classic has us covered. Here’s the full schedule and storylines to watch.

Oct 31, 2026 by Cristiana Rosa

Tenn St vs. SE LA - 2023 Emerald Coast Classic2:51:48

There’s no better way to kick off Thanksgiving week than with hoops. Luckily, the Emerald Coast Classic has us covered.

The Emerald Coast Classic women’s basketball tournament will be held Nov. 23-24, 2026, at Raider Arena on the campus of Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Fla., near Destin. The four teams competing are Michigan State, Virginia Tech, Alcorn State and UT Martin.

Here’s the full Emerald Coast Classic schedule and a look at the teams.

UPCOMING

2026 Alcorn State vs Michigan State - Women's

Mon, Nov 23 · 4:00 PM UTC

WATCH

The Schedule

Michigan State will face Alcorn State in a semifinal at 11 a.m. CT on Monday, Nov. 23. Virginia Tech will play UT Martin at 1:30 p.m. CT. The third-place game is set for Tuesday, Nov. 24, at 11 a.m. CT, followed by the championship game at 1:30 p.m. CT.

Monday, Nov. 23 - First-Round Games

11 a.m. CT: Alcorn State vs. Michigan State
1:30 p.m. CT: Virginia Tech vs. UT Martin

Tuesday, Nov. 24 - Second-Round Games

11 a.m. CT: Emerald Coast Classic Game 3 - Loser of Game 1 vs. loser of Game 2
1:30 p.m. CT: Emerald Coast Classic Game 4 - Winner of Game 1 vs. winner of Game 2

Scouting The Competition

Michigan State finished the 2025-26 season with a 23-9 overall record and an 11-7 mark in the Big Ten. The Spartans earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, their highest since the 2015-16 season. They advanced to the second round before falling to No. 4 seed Oklahoma, 77-71.

The Spartans return under head coach Robyn Fralick, who enters her fourth year at the helm. One key returner is Kennedy Blair, who was named to the 2027 Nancy Lieberman Award watch list, presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and WBCA. In 2025-26, the redshirt sophomore guard was second on the team in scoring at 14.5 points per game. She also ranked third in the Big Ten in steals (2.38 per game) and fourth in assists (5.2 per game).

Virginia Tech went 23-10 overall and 12-6 in the ACC during the 2025-26 season. The Hokies advanced to the ACC Tournament quarterfinals, where they lost to No. 16 North Carolina, 85-68. They also reached the NCAA Tournament, falling to No. 8 Oregon, 70-60, in the first round.

Head coach Megan Duffy returns for her third year with the Hokies. Carleigh Wenzel also returns after leading the team with 15.1 points per game in 2025-26, along with 3.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. She scored in double figures in 25 games, including seven 20-point performances.

UT Martin finished the 2025-26 season 13-17 overall and 9-11 in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). The Skyhawks return just two players and added 12 newcomers. Head coach Kevin McMillan enters his 18th season. Returning players Sidni Middleton and Kennedy Horton both contributed last season. Middleton, a three-time OVC Freshman of the Week, averaged 9.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Horton appeared in 29 of 30 games and averaged 10.4 minutes per game. The newcomers include transfers from Division I, Division II and junior colleges, as well as true freshmen.

Alcorn State finished 2025-26 with a 17-14 overall record and a 14-4 mark in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). After a 64-60 loss to Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the SWAC quarterfinals, the Braves hosted a first-round WNIT game for the first time in program history. They fell to South Alabama, 73-65.

Head coach Nate Kilbert enters his seventh season in 2026-27. Senior forward Lauren Nelson is the Braves’ leading returning scorer after averaging 5.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per game last season. She also recorded 15 steals and 20 assists.

Archived Footage On FloCollege

Replays from live FloCollege events will be available in the archive. For the 2026-27 season, replays are free to watch on the FloCollege website and app 24 hours after each event ends.

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