Men’s ACC/SEC Challenge guide: Arkansas’ best game, Alabama squeaks by, more

The 2025 ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge features a bevy of AP Top 25 men’s college basketball teams in action.

The first night did not disappoint, with No. 4 Duke escaping an attempted double-digit comeback by No. 15 Florida by a single point, followed by another one-possession victory for No. 16 North Carolina over No. 18 Kentucky.

No. 25 Arkansas kicked things off Wednesday night, taking down No. 6 Louisville at home, with No. 12 Alabama squeaking by Clemson, also at home.

Which conference will win the challenge?

ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf break down key games across Tuesday and Wednesday — including Syracuse’s upset of No. 13 Tennessee.

Jump to: Tuesday results

Wednesday results

Arkansas put together its best performance of the season. In the first half, the Razorbacks held the Cardinals — who entered the game as one of the top offensive teams in the country, ranking second in adjusted offensive efficiency — to 29 points, zero fast-break points and zero points off turnovers. And Trevon Brazile (17 points in the first half) was a two-way threat. Although Louisville cut an 18-point halftime deficit to 6 points, Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas did enough to pull the Razorbacks across the finish line. Now, this squad looks like a real threat to compete for the SEC’s crown.

On the other side, Louisville clearly needs more from its offense than an expectation that projected draft lottery pick Mikel Brown Jr. will find ways to score in tough stretches. When that didn’t happen in the first half, the Cardinals looked lost. When he got into a rhythm after halftime, they closed the gap. Still, their deplorable first half remains the headline. Louisville surrendered 47 points before the break and paid for that lapse the rest of the game. — Medcalf

Alabama led by as many as 19 points late in the first half before letting Clemson come all the way back to take the lead in the second. But after the Tigers took a two-point lead with 2:41 left, the Crimson Tide responded with eight straight points to close out the win.

Labaron Philon Jr. (29 points) had another huge game, again establishing his All-American credentials, but it’s Alabama’s depth that continues to impress. The Crimson Tide were without starting guard Aden Holloway due to a wrist injury, while Latrell Wrightsell and Keitenn Bristow also continue to be sidelined. Miami transfer Jalil Bethea did take the court for the first time this season, but played just six minutes.

Nate Oats had to rely on freshmen Amari Allen and London Jemison, who are really emerging as consistent threats for the Tide. Allen finished in double figures for the fourth straight game, with 20 points and 11 rebounds, and was assertive and aggressive with the ball in his hands and the game on the line. Jemison, meanwhile, was thrust into a bigger role at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, and has now scored in double digits in three consecutive games after putting up 13 points and making three 3s against Clemson.

If and when Alabama gets its full allotment of players, there won’t be many teams in the sport with more impactful depth. — Borzello

Wednesday game to watch

9:15 p.m. ET | ESPN

Both teams hit the road for marquee Feast Week tournaments, with Auburn having the better time of the two. The Tigers were destroyed by Michigan like every one of the Wolverines’ opponents en route to winning last week’s Players Era championship, but the Tigers notched double-digit wins over Oregon and St. John’s while in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, NC State suffered a surprising quarterfinal loss to Seton Hall at the Maui Invitational and gave up 102 points in a defeat to Texas.

It’s easy to make the case that Will Wade’s team needs this win more than Steven Pearl’s group. At this point in the season, both offenses are ahead of their defenses, which should make for a fun affair. The head-to-head matchup between Darrion Williams and Keyshawn Hall is as good as it gets, while the difference will be whether Tahaad Pettiford‘s early-season slump is a thing of the past. He was terrific in Las Vegas, averaging 22.3 points over three games and going 7-for-14 from 3 in his past two games. — Borzello

Tuesday results

North Carolina wasn’t the most efficient team (41% from the field), but the Tar Heels made the right plays down the stretch. Caleb Wilson (6 assists) was a playmaker when the shots weren’t falling. Henri Veesaar (17 points), Luka Bogavac (12) and Derek Dixon (9) had impactful moments. And the Tar Heels did it without Seth Trimble.

North Carolina lost games under similar circumstances last season, which makes this win significant.

On the other side, Kentucky hasn’t been in sync in its biggest moments this season. The Wildcats’ scoring drought in the second half lasted 10 minutes and 25 seconds and included 13 consecutive missed shots — the program’s longest drought in the past eight seasons, per ESPN Research. There isn’t evidence that the Wildcats can beat quality teams, which is concerning for a crew that will face Gonzaga, Indiana and St. John’s this month before opening SEC play against Alabama in January. — Medcalf

The first half looked like a continuation of the first-month narratives for both teams: Cameron Boozer playing like the front-runner for every award, Duke dominating at both ends and Florida looking for answers in the backcourt. But Todd Golden and the Gators came all the way back from a 15-point deficit to take the lead in the final minute on a Boogie Fland 3 before the Blue Devils responded with an Isaiah Evans 3 and closed it out with two huge defensive plays.

Boozer did nothing to slow his momentum, finishing with 29 points and 6 rebounds and coming up with the game-winning assist to Evans. Credit to Boozer’s frontcourt mates Patrick Ngongba II and Maliq Brown, too, who came up with key plays in the second half at both ends.

Florida had a few encouraging developments: Fland has strung together two strong performances in a row, finishing with 16 against Duke after scoring 17 against Providence on Friday. The Gators were also able to take much better care of the ball in the second half — until the last couple possessions, at least. And Thomas Haugh (24 points) looks like one of the best players in the country, a legitimate All-American candidate.

It’s worth noting that Golden opted for Urban Klavzar over Xaivian Lee for long stretches in the second half. The Gators need to get Lee going to reach their potential, but he’s struggling right now. — Borzello

After a week full of heartache after finishing 0-3 at Players Era in Las Vegas, Syracuse returned home and earned an upset over No. 13 Tennessee in the program’s second win over a ranked opponent under Adrian Autry. The same grit that kept this team alive in its overtime battle with No. 8 Houston last week — Nate Kingz had 19 points in Tuesday’s first half — fueled a win for the Orange, who have the potential to evolve into a bubble team, especially once leading scorer Donnie Freeman returns from injury.

For Tennessee, there are only questions. Projected NBA draft lottery pick Nate Ament had his second lackluster effort in three games, going 2-for-10 from the field. More than anything, the loss demonstrated the limitations of a Vols squad that needs Ament and Ja’Kobi Gillespie (0-for-3 from 3) to play well together in order to win big. Still, why couldn’t Tennessee stall a Syracuse squad that gave up 95 points to Iowa State a week ago? — Medcalf