The women’s ACC/SEC Challenge tips off on Wednesday, bringing two days of cross-conference matchups — and plenty of intrigue. Below is a complete breakdown of the best showdowns, the biggest mismatches, and what to expect as the event unfolds.
This year’s women’s edition has the potential to be just as one-sided as last year’s men’s challenge, when the SEC dominated with a 14–2 record. The only SEC losses then came from Kentucky (at Clemson) and Auburn (at Duke), fueling a season-long argument that the SEC had surged ahead of the ACC in overall strength. That disparity showed up again in March, when the SEC sent a record 14 teams to the NCAA Tournament, while the ACC earned only four bids — including a much-debated at-large selection for North Carolina.
Fast-forward to this season, and the momentum hasn’t shifted. The ACC opened the year with five ranked teams, including Duke and NC State in the top 10, but both have since fallen completely out of the polls with no ACC program rising to fill the void.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s matchup predictor heavily favors the SEC. The conference is projected to win 13 of the 16 games. The only ACC squads expected to come out on top are Syracuse (over Auburn), Virginia Tech (over Florida), and SMU (over Arkansas) — despite SMU ranking nearly 100 spots lower than the Hogs in the NET.
Oddly, the ACC’s lone undefeated team, Wake Forest, isn’t participating this year, costing both the league and the Demon Deacons a chance for a marquee victory.
Last year, the SEC won the event 10–6 after the conferences split 7–7 in 2023.
Wednesday’s Schedule
- Virginia (6–2) at #15 Vanderbilt (8–0) – 5:00 ET, SEC Network — Vandy 79.6%
- #17 Kentucky (8–1) at Miami (5–2) – 5:00 ET, ESPN2 — UK 91.4%
- Auburn (8–1) at Syracuse (6–1) – 5:00 ET, ACC Network — SU 72.9%
- Georgia (9–0) at Florida State (4–5) – 5:00 ET, ESPNU — UGa 56.9%
- NC State (5–3) at #9 Oklahoma (7–1) – 7:15 ET, ESPN2 — OU 76.4%
- Georgia Tech (3–5) at Texas A&M (5–1) – 7:15 ET, SEC Network — TAMU 81.8%
- #19 Tennessee (5–2) at Stanford (8–1) – 9:15 ET, ESPN2 — Tenn 56.9%
Thursday’s Schedule
- Florida (8–1) at Virginia Tech (6–2) – 5:00 ET, ESPN2 — VT 56.5%
- #3 South Carolina (7–1) at #22 Louisville (7–2) – 7:00 ET, ESPN — USC 81.8%
- #11 North Carolina (8–1) at #2 Texas (8–0) – 7:00 ET, ESPN2 — Tex 87.0%
- Pitt (6–4) at Mississippi State (7–1) – 7:00 ET, SEC Network — MSU 97.2%
- Arkansas (7–2) at SMU (3–5) – 7:00 ET, ACC Network — SMU 60.7%
- Clemson (5–3) at Alabama (8–0) – 7:00 ET, ESPNU — Bama 84.0%
- #5 LSU (8–0) at Duke (3–5) – 9:00 ET, ESPN — LSU 86.0%
- #18 Notre Dame (5–1) at #13 Ole Miss (7–0) – 9:00 ET, ESPN2 — OM 56.6%
- Cal (6–2) at Missouri (7–2) – 9:00 ET, SEC Network — Mizzou 61.3%
Other Notable Games
- William & Mary (2–4) at Wake Forest (9–0) – 11:30 ET Wednesday — WF 91.6%
- Quinnipiac (3–3) at Boston College (4–6) – 1:00 ET Wednesday — BC 56.7%
Must-Watch Matchups
North Carolina at Texas
UNC already fell short against UCLA earlier this year and now gets another crack at a top-three opponent. Texas enters the game looking to back up its lofty ranking after winning the Players Era Championship.
South Carolina at Louisville
All eyes are on how the Gamecocks respond after their first loss of the season. Louisville, meanwhile, is hoping the third time’s the charm after falling to both of its first two ranked opponents.
Notre Dame at Ole Miss
Hannah Hidalgo is “must-see TV,” and Notre Dame will need another spectacular performance from her to escape against Ole Miss’ fierce defense.
Games Worth Your Time
LSU at Duke
When the schedule was first released, this looked like the headline matchup. Instead, the drama revolves around whether Duke can keep LSU under 100 points — and whether the Blue Devils can stop their freefall.
NC State at Oklahoma
The Wolfpack is still searching for rhythm, but Wes Moore historically develops his teams as the season progresses. Oklahoma can’t afford a slow night.
Intriguing Toss-Ups
Georgia at Florida State
Both sit squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble. One will walk away with a résumé-boosting win.
Tennessee at Stanford
Voters favor Tennessee; the NET backs Stanford. Now the court delivers the verdict.
For the True Diehards
Arkansas at SMU
Two of the lowest-ranked teams in the ACC/SEC Challenge meet in a matchup only the most devoted fans (or analytics junkies) will tune in to watch.
