Second ACC-SEC Challenge schedule is out, including two rematches

The second annual ACC-SEC Challenge features marquee matchups on the men’s and women’s sides, but the biggest game will be an NCAA men’stournament rematch.

UNC hosts Alabama at the Dean Smith Center on Dec. 4, when the Tar Heels look to avenge their Sweet 16 loss to the Crimson Tide. The Heels ended the 2023-24 season, 89-87, against the Final Four team.

Carolina leads the all-time series, 8-6, and has not hosted Alabama since 1990. Alabama has won two straight games, including a 103-101 quadruple overtime contest in 2022 at the Phil Knight Invitational.

UNC defeated Tennessee last season in the inaugural event, 100-92, after out-scoring the Volunteers, 61-39, in the first half.

Fresh off its Final Four run, N.C. State hosts Texas on Dec. 4 for the first time in program history. The two teams have met four times — the Wolfpack is 2-2 against the Longhorns — but have never played on either’s home court. According to N.C. State athletics, the two squads have played in Anchorage, Alaska; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Dallas and New York. The Wolfpack won the last meeting in 2011, 77-74.

Last season, the Wolfpack lost to Ole Miss, 72-52, on the road.

Duke hosts Auburn at Cameron Indoor Stadium, also on Dec. 4. This will be the fifth all-time meeting between the two teams, with the Blue Devils holding a 4-0 series record. Their most-recent game took place on Nov. 20, 2018, when Duke defeated the Tigers, 78-72, in the Maui Invitational. It will be the first time the Blue Devils host Auburn since 1981.

This past year, Duke traveled to Arkansas, where it lost to the Razorbacks, 80-75.

ACC-SEC Challenge women’s basketball pairings

On the women’s side, Duke at South Carolina highlights the schedule, with the reigning national champion hosting its game on Tuesday, Dec. 5. The Blue Devils enter Columbia after a strong 2023-24 campaign, which ended in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.

This is the second straight season the two programs have met. South Carolina defeated Duke, 77-61, on Dec. 3, 2023. The Gamecocks lead the series, 7-2, and have won four straight.

The Devils downed Georgia, 72-65, in an overtime thriller last season.

N.C. State seeks a 2-0 record in the ACC-SEC Challenge after defeating Vanderbilt by eight last season. This time, it welcomes Ole Miss to Reynolds Coliseum on Dec. 5.

The Wolfpack and Rebels met three previous times, the most recent game occurring in 2008. N.C. State beat Ole Miss, 46-42, in a tough defensive effort and moved to 3-1 in the series.

Finally, Kentucky — led by former Virginia Tech head coach Kenny Brooks — will travel to Carmichael Arena for a date with the North Carolina women on Dec. 5.

The Tar Heels lead the all-time series, 5-1, and hold a 2-0 record in Chapel Hill. They have not hosted Kentucky at Carmichael since Nov. 28, 2001, when the Heels routed the visitors, 102-64. The Wildcats, however, won the last meeting in 2018, 85-75, and earned the Paradise Jam title.

UNC had an impressive showing in last season’s challenge, falling to the Gamecocks, 62-58, after leading at halftime.

The challenge replaces the longtime ACC-Big Ten and Big 12-SEC Challenges that ended in 2022.

Game times and TV channels have not been released, but they will be broadcast on ESPN’s family of networks, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ACC Network and SEC Network.

Other men’s basketball matchups on Dec. 3

South Carolina at Boston College, Cal at Missouri, Kentucky at Clemson, Florida State at LSU, Georgia Tech at Oklahoma, Ole Miss at Louisville, Arkansas at Miami, Notre Dame at Georgia, Syracuse at Tennessee

Other men’s basketball matchups on Dec. 4

Pitt at Mississippi State, Virginia at Florida, Vanderbilt at Virginia Tech

Other women’s basketball matchups on Dec. 4

Florida State at Tennessee, Mississippi State at Georgia Tech, Oklahoma at Louisville, Syracuse at Texas A&M, Virginia Tech at Georgia

Other women’s basketball matchups on Dec. 5

Boston College at Arkansas, Alabama at Cal, Florida at Clemson, Texas at Notre Dame, SMU at Missouri, Stanford at LSU, Auburn at Virginia