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.
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 |
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