Both North Carolina basketball programs are set for a major national television spotlight this December after ESPN announced the schedules and broadcast details for the fourth annual SEC/ACC Challenge.
The Tar Heels’ men’s team will take center stage on the opening night of the event, while the UNC women’s team will follow with a highly anticipated matchup of its own the next evening.
The SEC/ACC Challenge has quickly become one of the most prominent early-season events on the college basketball calendar, bringing together some of the nation’s strongest programs from two powerhouse conferences. This year’s schedule promises another round of high-profile games, with 23 combined appearances from teams included in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings.
The men’s portion of the challenge will be played across Dec. 1 and Dec. 2, while the women’s games will take place Dec. 2 and Dec. 3. ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network and ACC Network will share coverage throughout the event.
For North Carolina, the national attention adds another layer of excitement to what should already be an important stretch early in the season.
The Tar Heels’ men’s program will headline the first night of the challenge, giving the team an opportunity to perform on a major ESPN platform against SEC opposition. The matchup will provide another early test for a UNC program entering a new chapter under head coach Michael Malone.
Malone’s arrival has generated considerable interest around Chapel Hill, and every nationally televised game will offer another chance for the Tar Heels to establish themselves under their new coach.
The women’s team, meanwhile, will receive its own national spotlight on Wednesday, Dec. 2.
Coach Courtney Banghart’s Tar Heels, ranked No. 9 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25, will host No. 10 LSU at 7:15 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The game is one of four ranked matchups scheduled for the women’s side of the SEC/ACC Challenge and immediately sets up another Top-10 battle.
Following UNC and LSU, No. 7 Louisville will travel to Austin to face No. 8 Texas at 9:15 p.m. ET, also on ESPN2.
The matchup with LSU will give North Carolina another opportunity to make an early statement against one of the nation’s highly regarded programs. With both teams entering the season ranked inside ESPN’s preseason Top 10, the contest should attract significant national attention.
UNC has experienced mixed results in its three previous SEC/ACC Challenge appearances. The Tar Heels are 1–2 in the event, with their lone victory coming two seasons ago when they defeated Kentucky 72–53.
North Carolina opened its Challenge history with a 65–58 loss to South Carolina in 2023 before falling to Texas 79–64 on the road last season. The return to Chapel Hill against LSU gives Banghart’s team an opportunity to improve that record while testing itself against another nationally ranked opponent.
The overall Challenge schedule is packed with high-level matchups.
Tuesday’s men’s slate features South Carolina visiting N.C. State at 7 p.m. ET on ACC Network. Later that night, No. 4 Texas will travel to face No. 12 Louisville at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 in another matchup involving teams ranked inside the national Top 15.
Wednesday’s men’s schedule will feature another pair of ranked contests. No. 19 Kentucky will visit No. 13 Virginia at 7:15 p.m. ET on ESPN, followed by No. 14 Alabama traveling to face No. 17 Miami at 9:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The women’s portion of the event will conclude Thursday with a marquee ESPN doubleheader.
No. 1 South Carolina will visit No. 3 Duke at 7 p.m. ET, creating one of the most anticipated matchups of the entire Challenge. The night will conclude with No. 16 Notre Dame visiting No. 11 Vanderbilt at 9 p.m. ET.
Across both conferences, the event features 12 men’s teams and 11 women’s teams represented in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25.
For UNC, the significance extends beyond simply adding another game to the schedule. National television exposure provides both programs with an opportunity to showcase their progress against elite competition while giving fans an early look at how the teams measure up against some of the best programs in the country.
The women’s matchup against LSU, in particular, should provide Banghart and her players with a significant early-season challenge. Meanwhile, the men’s team will have the added spotlight of opening the event for the Tar Heel faithful.
December will therefore begin with both North Carolina programs under the national microscope, setting the stage for an exciting stretch of college basketball in Chapel Hill.
