Ahead of the upcoming college basketball season, the schedules for the second annual SEC/ACC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Challenges were unveiled on Monday afternoon.
The SEC/ACC Men’s Challenge will take place over consecutive days, Tuesday, Dec. 3 and Wednesday, Dec. 4, while the Women’s Challenge is slated for Wednesday, Dec. 4 and Thursday, Dec. 5. Both challenges will feature games across ESPN platforms, including: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network and ACC Network.
ESPN recently released its Way-Too-Early Top 25, and ahead of perhaps the most exciting season in Alabama men’s basketball history, the Crimson Tide was placed at No. 2.
It was previously announced in June that the Crimson Tide would face ESPN’s currently-No. 10 North Carolina in the SEC/ACC Challenge. As of Monday, the date for this matchup is now confirmed for Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 6:15 p.m. CT on ESPN.
The game will be a rematch of last season’s Sweet Sixteen, where 4-seed Alabama defeated 1-seed North Carolina 89-87 to advance to its second Elite Eight in school history. It will also be the third consecutive season the Crimson Tide and Tar Heels will play, with Alabama having won both previous meetings.
Alabama women’s basketball also received high praise from ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 as the Tide were placed at No. 21. This team will play in the final game of the event against Cal at 8 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
Alabama women’s basketball has only come head-to-head with Cal once in each school’s history as the Tide prevailed 76-63 in Chicago, Ill. on Nov. 24, 2000.
Matchups and networks are set for the 2nd annual SEC/ACC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Challenge
🏀 December 3-5
🏀 Men’s Challenge features 11 Way-Too-Early Top-25 teams
🏀 Women’s Challenge features 13 Way-Too-Early Top-25 Teams#NCAAMBB | #NCAAWBBMore:… pic.twitter.com/yT39XHWKiq
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) September 23, 2024
