New Balance University Basketball League: Quarter Finals Wrap-Up 

The 2026 New Balance University Basketball League (UBL) quarterfinals delivered late-game drama, closely contested matchups and standout performances, with six universities securing their places in the semi-finals in the men’s and women’s competitions. 

Across five states, eight quarter-final games saw teams battle for a place in the semi-finals and keep their hopes of claiming the 2026 UBL title alive. 

Women’s UBL Quarterfinals Results 

The women’s UBL Quarterfinals kicked off at La Trobe Sports Stadium, where La Trobe University faced Monash University. The contest went down to the final buzzer, with the teams locked at 69-all in the final minutes of the fourth quarter before La Trobe edged ahead. The home side held on in a show of determination to secure a 75-72 victory and advance to the semi-finals. Reaching the quarterfinals in their first UBL season, Monash pushed La Trobe to the final buzzer in a closely contested match, establishing themselves as a team to watch. 

At the Nona Lee Sports Centre, The University of Melbourne faced the University of Newcastle. Melbourne controlled the match to claim an 89-59 victory, booking their place in the next stage. 

The action continued at Pridham Hall, where the AU Waatu (Adelaide University) took on The University of Sydney (USYD). Adelaide secured a 74-64 win to progress to the semi-finals and continue their dominant run this season.

The women’s quarterfinals concluded at UniSC Arena, where the UniSC Mari (University of the Sunshine Coast) faced defending champions University of Tasmania (UTAS) in a rematch of the 2025 Grand Final. UTAS advanced with an 69-82 victory, led by a huge performance from Sharna Thompson (Bachelor of Education), who scored 40 points as the Tasmanian side continued their pursuit of defending their title.

Men’s UBL Quarterfinal Results 

The men’s quarterfinals began at NUsport at The Forum, where the University of Newcastle took on the AU Waatu. Newcastle held on for a 78-74 win in a tight contest to reach the semi-finals for the second consecutive season, in just their second year in the UBL. 

At Moonah Sports Centre, UTAS faced the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). The men’s side secured an 83-70 victory to join the women’s team in the semi-finals, keeping both sides’ hopes of defending their respective UBL titles alive. 

At the Nona Lee Sports Centre, The University of Melbourne faced the UniSC Mari in a tense fourth-quarter contest. UniSC held a 79-78 lead with 30 seconds remaining before Melbourne’s Joshua McNally (Master of Teaching) hit a crucial three-pointer to put the home side in front. Melbourne then closed out the game to secure an 85-81 victory, booking their place in the semi-finals alongside their women’s team. 

The men’s quarterfinals concluded at the Sports and Aquatic Centre USYD, where USYD took on the Curtin Carnabys (Curtin University). Sydney secured an 85-76 victory to keep their championship campaign alive and advance to the final four. 

Semi-Finals Confirmed 

With the quarterfinals complete, the remaining teams will now turn their attention to the semi-finals as the 2026 UBL moves closer to crowning its champions. 

The women’s semi-finals will take place on Wednesday14 October, at Pridham Hall. The University of Melbourne will face UTAS, before the AU Waatu take on La Trobe University. 

The men’s semi-finals will follow on Monday 19 October, at the Nona Lee Sports Centre. The University of Newcastle will meet UTAS, followed by The University of Melbourne taking on USYD. 

With a place in the Grand Final on the line, the semi-finals will provide another important test for the remaining teams as they look to take one step closer to the 2026 UBL Grand Final. 

Catch all the action live and free on  UniSportTV.  

Follow the UBL on Instagram to stay up to date on all the action, and subscribe to our YouTube channel to catch every highlight.

(C) All photographs courtesy of Adelaide University, La Trobe University, University of Newcastle, and The University of Sydney and may not be used without the express permission of either university, UniSport Australia or the photographer credited.