The Heart of America Athletic Conference has announced it has developed a revised basketball league schedule for the 2020-21 season. The 14-institution conference is currently divided into two divisions with Central Methodist University, Baker, Benedictine, Evangel, MidAmerica Nazerene, Missouri Valley, and Park forming the South division.

The original conference schedule involved three cross-division games and four division games on game nights for most of the schedule, culminating on February 20 at the end of the regular season.

The new schedule will use a “front-loaded division focus” which will utilize six division contests and one cross-division game for most dates of play through January. This will allow for built-in dates to be used as make-ups for any games postponed during the regular season thus  giving teams flexibility to work through COVID-19 cancellations. “We are continuing to adjust our sails as we navigate the COVID-19 landscape,” said Commissioner Lori Thomas. “We have learned so much from the obstacles and challenges of our fall sports schedules and this overhaul allows us to put what we've learned into action as we move into the conference schedule.”

Division play opened on November 18. The postseason tournament is set to open in late February with the top four teams from each division advancing to the tourney playing in three single elimination rounds.

Currently, no schools in the conference allow visiting fans but access for live stats, video and spectator policies may be found by visiting http://www.heartofamericaconference.com/heart-matrix?skipMobile=1. 

Central Methodist is allowing 50% capacity at home games with CMU fans being screened upon entry.

After one conference game played,  the CMU men are tied for first in the division with a 1-0 conference record, while the women are also 1-0.