Kentucky's matchup with North Carolina in ACC/SEC Challenge includes a late tipoff

Hubert Davis - Dr. Michael Huang, Kentucky Sports Radio

On Tuesday, we learned the tipoff times for Kentucky men’s basketball’s upcoming showdowns with Michigan State and St. John’s this season. Another start time for a high-caliber opponent was revealed Wednesday morning.

ESPN announced tipoff times for every game in the 2025-26 edition of the ACC/SEC Challenge, which is now in its third year. Kentucky drew North Carolina this time around, and you’ll need to prepare yourself throughout the day to stay up for this one. The Wildcats and Tar Heels will go head-to-head on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The game will be held in Rupp Arena and will be the final one of the challenge for that day. Make sure to get plenty of sleep the night prior. There will be some post-dinner coffees consumed across the fanbase. You just know this game will start after the scheduled time.

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ACC/SEC Challenge Game Times and Networks announced. pic.twitter.com/iuHq43lPpq
— ACC Men's Basketball (@accmbb) September 24, 2025

Check out the entire ACC/SEC Challenge schedule for the men’s side below. All team rankings are courtesy of ESPN‘s latest Way-Too-Early Men’s Basketball Top-25. UK vs. UNC will be one of just four matchups between ranked teams. A potential top 10 showdown between defending champion Florida and Duke will precede Kentucky vs. North Carolina on ESPN. That Louisville vs. Arkansas battle the following day at 7:00 p.m. ET will also be a juicy one.

Date	Time (ET)	Matchup	Platform
Tue, Dec. 2	7 p.m.	No. 23 Tennessee at Syracuse	ESPN2
	7 p.m.	Texas A&M at Pittsburgh	ESPNU
	7 p.m.	Virginia Tech at South Carolina	SEC Network
	7 p.m.	Oklahoma at Wake Forest	ACC Network
	7:30 p.m.	No. 2 Florida at No. 12 Duke	ESPN
	9 p.m.	Missouri at Notre Dame	ESPNU
	9 p.m.	Miami at Ole Miss	SEC Network
	9 p.m.	Georgia at Florida State	ACC Network
	9:30 p.m.	No. 25 North Carolina at No. 9 Kentucky	ESPN
Wed, Dec. 3	7 p.m.	No. 7 Louisville at No. 11 Arkansas	ESPN
	7 p.m.	Clemson at No. 17 Alabama	ESPNU
	7 p.m.	LSU at Boston College	ACC Network
	9 p.m.	No. 24 NC State at No. 14 Auburn	ESPN
	9 p.m.	Virginia at Texas	ESPNU
	9 p.m.	SMU at Vanderbilt	SEC Network
	9 p.m.	Mississippi State at Georgia Tech	ACC Network

Kentucky WBB battles Miami in ACC/SEC Challenge

For Kenny Brooks‘ Kentucky women’s basketball Wildcats, the opponent in this year’s challenge will be the Miami Hurricanes. UK will get the early game on the women’s side, with tipoff set for Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 5:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2. ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Women’s Basketball Top 25 does not feature Kentucky or Miami, although UK is one of the three teams mentioned on the outside looking in.

Date	Time (ET)	Matchup	Network
Wed, Dec. 3	5 p.m.	Kentucky at Miami	ESPN2
	5 p.m.	Georgia at Florida State	ESPNU
	5 p.m.	Virginia at No. 11 Vanderbilt	SEC Network
	5 p.m.	Auburn at Syracuse	ACC Network
	7 p.m.	No. 9 NC State at No. 6 Oklahoma	ESPN2
	7 p.m.	Georgia Tech at Texas A&M	SEC Network
	9 p.m.	No. 7 Tennessee at Stanford	ESPN2
Thu, Dec. 4	5 p.m.	Florida at Virginia Tech	ESPN2
	7 p.m.	No. 1 South Carolina at No. 17 Louisville	ESPN
	7 p.m.	No. 10 North Carolina at No. 4 Texas	ESPN2
	7 p.m.	Clemson at Alabama	ESPNU
	7 p.m.	Pittsburgh at Mississippi State	SEC Network
	7 p.m.	Arkansas at SMU	ACC Network
	9 p.m.	No. 5 LSU at No. 8 Duke	ESPN
	9 p.m.	No. 18 Notre Dame at No. 13 Ole Miss	ESPN2
	9 p.m.	California at Missouri	SEC Network