COLUMBUS, Ga. | Columbus State University men's basketball and head coach Robert Moore have announced the Cougars' 28-game schedule for the 2026-27 season.
The schedule features 12 home games inside the Frank G. Lumpkin Jr. Center, eight nonconference contests, and a 20-game Peach Belt Conference slate.
Columbus State enters the season following a 23-9 campaign in 2025-26. The Cougars finished 15-5 in conference play, reached the semifinals of the PBC Tournament, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Southeast Regional. CSU posted an 11-2 record at home and earned an NCAA Tournament victory over Catawba.
"We are looking forward to the season with high expectations, but we also have a lot of questions to answer," Moore said. "How do you replace an All-American in Marlon Smith and a second-team all-conference player in Jordan Mitchell? Nevertheless, our goals remain the same: win the regular-season championship, win the PBC Tournament, and take the next step in the NCAA Tournament by reaching the Elite Eight. I have really enjoyed watching the mix of returners and newcomers come together. I like that we are an older, more mature basketball team."
Smith completed his standout season as the PBC Player of the Year and a First Team All-PBC selection. He also collected First Team D2CCA All-Southeast Region, NABC All-District Southeast Team, and NABC Division II All-America honors. Mitchell earned Second Team All-PBC recognition.
The Cougars open the season at home against Auburn University at Montgomery on Monday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. CSU then begins a six-game road stretch with contests against North Greenville and Southern Wesleyan in Central, South Carolina, on Nov. 13 and 14.
Columbus State continues its nonconference schedule against Barton and Mount Olive in Mount Olive, North Carolina, on Nov. 20 and 21. The Cougars close November against Francis Marion and Chowan in Florence, South Carolina, on Nov. 28 and 29.
PBC play begins Wednesday, Dec. 2, when CSU travels to face Lander. The Cougars visit Flagler on Dec. 5 before hosting North Georgia in their conference home opener on Dec. 9. Clayton State visits Columbus on Dec. 12, followed by a 10 a.m. nonconference matchup against East Georgia on Dec. 15. CSU closes the calendar year at Augusta on Dec. 19.
The Cougars return from the holiday break with a home game against USC Aiken on Jan. 6. CSU will play eight conference contests during January, including home matchups against Georgia Southwestern, Lander, and Flagler.
February features four games at the Lumpkin Center, beginning with Augusta on Feb. 3. The Cougars will also host USC Beaufort, Georgia College, and Middle Georgia before concluding the regular season at Georgia Southwestern on Saturday, Feb. 27. Columbus State looks to continue their storied program success during the 2026-27 campaign.
