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Two of the most intriguing conferences this season will face each other this week in the ACC/SEC women's basketball challenge. The event consists of 16 games over the span of two days and includes 11 teams who are currently ranked in the AP Top 25. 

The storylines feature a little bit of everything, from teams such as LSU getting ready to face their biggest test of the season, to programs like South Carolina looking to bounce back after a close loss to SEC foe Texas last week.

It is only the beginning of December, but the results this week have the potential to impact resumes for March. Here is the schedule and how to watch the ACC/SEC challenge, along with a closer look at five must-watch matchups.

Schedule

All times are Eastern Time

Wednesday, Dec. 3

  • No. 17 Kentucky at Miami at 5 p.m. on ESPN2
  • Georgia at Florida State at 5 p.m. on ESPNU
  • Virginia at No. 15 Vanderbilt at 5 p.m. on SEC Network
  • Auburn at Syracuse at 5 p.m. on ACC Network
  • NC State at No. 9 Oklahoma at 7:15 p.m. on ESPN2
  • Georgia Tech at Texas A&M at 7:15 p.m. on SEC Network
  • No. 17 Tennessee at Stanford 9:15 p.m. on ESPN2

Thursday, Dec. 4

  • Florida at Virginia Tech at 5 p.m. on ESPN2
  • No. 3 South Carolina at No. 22 Louisville at 7 p.m. on ESPN
  • No. 11 Carolina at No. 2 Texas at 7 p.m. on ESPN2
  • Clemson at Alabama at 7 p.m. on ESPNU
  • Pittsburgh at Mississippi State at 7 p.m. on SEC Network
  • Arkansas at SMU at 7 p.m. on ACC Network
  • No. 5 LSU at Duke at 9 p.m. on ESPN
  • No. 18 Notre Dame at No. 13 Ole Miss 9 p.m. on ESPN2
  • California at Missouri at 9 p.m. on  SEC Network

LSU at Duke

Duke will be LSU's biggest test so far, but it is unfortunate these teams are meeting while the Blue Devils are at a low point. Kara Lawson's squad has lost four of its last five contests, although three of those were against currently ranked teams. They've struggled to find consistency on offense, so it doesn't help that five-star freshman point guard Emilee Skinner has only played two games due to a lower-body injury.

The Blue Devils had some good moments against South Carolina in the Players Era tournament, but ultimately the Gamecocks' size and physicality was too much for them to overcome. The Tigers have had no issue on offense, scoring 100+ points in each of their first eight contests with seven players averaging double-figures. A win would help Duke work its way back into the Top 25, but this is also a good opportunity to see how the Tigers perform against a tougher defense from their previous opponents.

South Carolina at Louisville

South Carolina is coming off a 66-64 loss to Texas in the Players Era championship game, but Dawn Staley said she was not disappointed in the result because this was going to be a good learning experience for her team. She definitely knows how to get the Gamecocks to bounce back because her teams have not lost back to back games since the 2020-21 season. South Carolina will be a tough opponent for Louisville but both teams are still figuring things out. Although the Gamecocks a tough defensively, they sometimes struggle with consistency on offense, particularly when it comes to 3-point shooting. 

Louisville tipped off the season with a tough test against No. 1 UConn. The Cardinals did not get the win, but they did make a decent comeback attempt. Their second loss this season was to a ranked Kentucky team. South Carolina won't be easy, but perhaps the Cardinals' recent 100-37 blowout against Bellarmine can give them some confidence.

North Carolina at Texas

After wins over UCLA and South Carolina, the Longhorns are the hottest team in women's basketball -- even though they have been shorthanded with the recent injuries of Aaliyah Crump and Bryanna Preston. The team was able to adjust quickly thanks to the leadership of Madison Booker and Rori Harmon, who hit the clutch shot that won her team the Players Era championship trophy. 

Not only might Texas have the best defense in the nation, but this season the team has also shown great improvement when it comes to offense. Texas will try to keep the momentum going while North Carolina is chasing its first win against a ranked opponent this season. The Tar Heels' biggest test so far was UCLA, which resulted in a 78-60 loss. They have six players averaging over nine points per game, and that depth will be needed to compete against Texas' defense.

NC State at Oklahoma

The Wolfpack don't have a single senior on the roster and this young team has certainly been tested early in the season with three ranked opponents. They pulled off a win against Tennessee but fell against USC and TCU. They also lost to an unranked Rhode Island team on Nov. 23, which was likely taken into consideration when they slipped out of the AP Top 25 rankings this week.

Despite not having a ranking next to their name, this is still a team with dangerous pieces, including junior forward Khamil Pierre who is one of the top rebounders in the nation. Meanwhile, Oklahoma has a good combination of young and veteran talent as star Raegan Beers was joined by 247Sports No. 1 freshman Aliyah Chavez. The Sooners are averaging 92.1 points per game, but their 73-59 loss to UCLA in their second game of the season showed they are still a vulnerable team. The Bruins were able to limit Chavez to just 4-16 shooting, and Beers to only 7 points.

Notre Dame at Ole Miss

Ole Miss enters this matchup undefeated, but Notre Dame will be its most difficult opponent yet. The Rebels' offense is led by Cotie McMahon and Christeen Iwuala with over 17 points per game each. However, they have more depth than that, with six players averaging at least seven points per game and four players averaging over 5 rebounds per contest. The biggest question for the Rebels is how well they can perform against ranked competition. Meanwhile, Notre Dame is still figuring out its depth. 

The Fighting Irish are in rebuilding mode and naturally going through ups and downs. They suffered a 39-point loss to Michigan on Nov. 15 but a week later pulled off a win against USC. Hannah Hidalgo is averaging 27 points per game while also leading the team in assists and steals. She does a lot of heavy lifting but often gets help from the other only two returners from last season Cassandre Prosper and KK Bransford. There are also players like Vanessa de Jesus who have shown a lot of potential to be key pieces, but are still working on consistency.