South Carolina Blew Out Duke 83-66 Last Season, And Nobody Is Ready For What's Next

Alright, Emerald City, gather 'round! Fireworks are coming to the hardwood, and yeah, college basketball, but trust me, this is huge. The ACC-SEC Women's Basketball Challenge is back for its fourth year, and the headliners are straight-up fire. North Carolina hosts LSU, South Carolina heads to Duke. December 2nd and 3rd, mark your calendars, these matchups are going to be epic!

Grudges, First-Timers, and Elite Eight Rematches!

You want history? LSU and UNC are squaring off for the third time, and get this: the Tigers have a 2-0 edge, but they've *never* played the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill. NEVER! Their last two games were a neutral site win in Myrtle Beach in 2016 and an Elite Eight beatdown in New Orleans in 2008. For coaches Courtney Banghart and Kim Mulkey? First ever head-to-head. Both led their teams to the Sweet 16 last season, Mulkey's Tigers losing on a buzzer beater to Duke and Banghart's Tar Heels outmatched by UConn. Serious stakes! But then Duke and South Carolina, man, that's where the bad blood is brewing. Since Kara Lawson took over in 2020, they've played five times, and South Carolina has won every single one. Remember that gut-wrenching 2025 Elite Eight game in Birmingham? Duke lost by just four points! Last season, Dawn Staley's Gamecocks absolutely *blew them out* in Las Vegas, 83-66. Both squads were regular season champs last year. This ain't just a game, it's a grudge match, plain and simple!

Star Power and the SEC's Dominance

And it's not just those two. Louisville travels to Texas, with Texas winning both their 2022-23 matchups. Vanderbilt hosts Notre Dame in a Sweet 16 rematch, and get ready for serious star power: All-Americans Hannah Hidalgo and Mikayla Blakes. Blakes, the SEC Player of the Year, led the nation in scoring last season with a ridiculous 27 points per game as a sophomore! Hidalgo was third nationally in scoring and first in steals, snagging her second ACC Player of the Year honor. These two going head-to-head? Must-see TV! Overall, the SEC has been dominating this challenge. They split the first season, but since then, the SEC has won every single year, taking 13 of 16 games last season! That's a serious power imbalance, and the ACC has to be feeling the heat. Pitt and Boston College, after coaching changes and finishing bottom of the standings, aren't even participating. Pressure is ON for the remaining ACC squads. So, when the challenge kicks off on December 2nd and 3rd, all eyes will be on these matchups. With history, grudges, and two of the nation's top scorers ready to light it up, this challenge isn't just a few games, it's a statement. Can the ACC finally break the SEC's streak, or will the SEC just keep rolling? We'll be watching every single possession, counting down the days, because this is some must-see basketball, Seattle!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.