LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The matchups for the third annual ACC/SEC men’s and women’s basketball challenges were announced Thursday. Kentucky’s top teams have games fans will love.

What You Need To Know

  • ESPN announced matchups for the ACC/SEC Challenge

  • Louisville men play Arkansas on Dec. 3. Louisville women face South Carolina on Dec. 4

  • Kentucky men host North Carolina on Dec. 2. Kentucky women travel to Miami for a game on Dec. 3

  • This is the third year for the challenge

University of Louisville and Pat Kelsey have a game with former Kentucky coach John Calipari and his Arkansas Razorbacks on Wednesday, Dec. 3. The games will be shown on the ESPN family of networks, but times and specific channels haven’t been announced.

UofL and the Razorbacks are tied 4-4 in their all-time series with six of the eight games being played on neutral courts. The Cards are traveling to Fayetteville. UofL has only played the Hogs once on their home court and that was in 1996. UofL beat Arkansas in overtime 91-88.

The Cards are 93-86 against current SEC teams. Arkansas is the third SEC team UofL will face in non-conference play. They will also play UK and Tennessee this season.

Mark Pope and the Wildcats will host North Carolina at Rupp Arena on Dec. 2

North Carolina leads the all-time series with UK 25-18, although the Cats have won the last three meetings. Kentucky is 8-6 against the Tar Heels when the game is in Lexington. The two last played in the CBS Sports Classic in the 2023-2024 season and UK won 87-83.

Women's Basketball 

Jeff Walz and the Louisville women will host national runner-up South Carolina on Dec. 4.

This will be the 23rd all-time meeting between UofL and the Gamecocks and the first since the two met in the national semifinals of the 2022 FInal Four in Minneapolis.

Like the men’s basketball team, UofL is playing three SEC teams this season. The Cards will host UK in the annual Battle of the Bluegrass and will face Tennessee in the Women’s Champions Classic in Brooklyn in December.

Kenny Brooks and the Kentucky women will travel to Miami to face the Hurricanes on Wednesday, Dec. 3. The Cats have played Miami only eight times, the last being in Dec. 2017 in Miami. UK lost 54-65.

UK has two other non-conference games on its schedule for 2025-206 season. They will play Morehead State on Nov. 3 and Buffalo on Nov. 9

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