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Jeff Borzello
Jeff Borzello
Basketball recruiting insider
- Jeff Borzello is a basketball recruiting insider. He has joined ESPN in 2014.
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Myron Medcalf
Myron Medcalf
ESPN Staff Writer
- Myron Medcalf covers college basketball for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 2011.
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.
ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf break down what mattered in each game, as well as Syracuse’s upset of No. 13 Tennessee, then preview No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 25 Arkansas plus two more Wednesday games below.
Jump to: Wednesday games to watch
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 is what 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 last eight seasons, per ESPN Research. There isn’t evidence that they 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
1:12
North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Kentucky Wildcats: Game Highlights
North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Kentucky Wildcats: Game Highlights
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
1:19
Tennessee Volunteers vs. Syracuse Orange: Game Highlights
Tennessee Volunteers vs. Syracuse Orange: Game Highlights
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
Wednesday games to watch
7:15 p.m. ET | ESPN
How the trio of projected first-round NBA draft picks — Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. (sixth), plus Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. (14th) and Meleek Thomas (27th) — will decide this game. They don’t have many weaknesses, but they will have to play to their strengths to help their respective teams win.
For Brown and Thomas, that means not forcing perimeter shots. Brown sometimes passes up easy drives to the rim for 3s (30.6%) while Thomas occasionally forces the same shots (34.5%) rather than rely on his explosiveness in the lane. And Acuff has been brilliant but didn’t do enough to get more shots around the rim in last week’s loss to Duke until the second half. He’ll have to get off to a faster start after missing five of his first six shots against the Blue Devils. — Medcalf
7:15 p.m. ET | ESPNU
Alabama has played one of the most difficult schedules in the country, notching wins over No. 14 Illinois and No. 23 St. John’s while suffering defeats to No. 1 Purdue and No. 11 Gonzaga. But the Crimson Tide are firing on all cylinders offensively, scoring a combined 220 points in their final two Players Era games. Clemson, meanwhile, is about to see its schedule kick up another notch with a date against BYU at Madison Square Garden next Tuesday.
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Pace will play a key part in this one, as Alabama loves to push the ball up the floor and bring some chaos to the game, while Clemson would prefer to have a half-court game without many turnovers. It’s hard to see the Tigers having the firepower to keep up with Nate Oats’ team, especially with the way Labaron Philon Jr. and Aden Holloway are playing. — Borzello
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
