It’s hard to definitively say what happens in December of the college basketball season defines a season, but that’s what happened with the ACC and SEC in 2024-25.
In the second edition of the ACC/SEC challenge, the SEC dominated 14-2. It set the stage for a historic run for the SEC, while the ACC had another down year.
After the lopsided contest last season, it heightened what was at stake in this year’s cross-conference battle Dec. 2-3. The SEC could assert itself as the premier league in the sport, and ACC needed to reclaim some confidence.
The end result? Another SEC win.
It’s not what the ACC hoped for, still without an outright challenge victory in three seasons. Yet it’s not the worst thing in the world.
In fact, the Atlantic Coast may be the true winner.
The overall figure favors the SEC 9-7, but it didn’t leave this challenge looking anywhere near like the dominant conference it was a season ago. To be fair, it was going to be nearly impossible to replicate it.
This was a chance for the SEC to showcase it still has multiple Final Four contenders. After 16 games in two days, it’s hard to figure out exactly what the conference is, as the teams expected to be in the conversation didn’t look great.
On the other hand, the ACC contenders flexed their muscles, and some wanting to take that next step showed they can lift a little more than last season.
It starts with the two blue-bloods of the ACC — Duke and North Carolina. The Blue Devils hosted defending champion Florida in Cameron Indoor Stadium, and mostly handled the Gators until a late surge gave them a brief lead. Then Isaiah Evans hit the go-ahead 3-pointer to power Duke.
With another outstanding performance from Cameron Boozer, Duke looks like it can return to the Final Four. Florida still can’t get a quality win, and defending that title looks like it will be a challenge.
Speaking of not beating good teams, Kentucky is in the same boat. It had the home-court advantage against North Carolina, but the Wildcats couldn’t buy a bucket in the second half and the Tar Heels took advantage, stealing a win inside Rupp Arena.
Then there was Tennessee. The Volunteers just beat Houston a week ago, and visited a Syracuse team that went 0-3 in the Players Era Festival and was still without its premier scorer in Donnie Freeman.
Tennessee looked lethargic. It’s star backcourt of Nate Ament and Ja’Kobi Gillespie really struggled and the Orange pulled off the stunner, ending its three-game skid by handing the Volunteers their second straight loss.
Three contenders all with bad nights, not to forget Notre Dame’s win over previously undefeated Missouri. It was a dreadful first day for the SEC, and it largely didn’t matter what happened on day two.
It wasn’t all bad with the SEC, notably with Trevon Brazile powering Arkansas convincingly past Louisville to hand the Cardinals their first loss of the season for the conference’s signature win. Vanderbilt beat Southern Methodist in a battle of unbeatens. Alabama also avoided a Clemson comeback and Auburn’s hot second half stretch pulled it away from NC State.
But the Crimson Tide and Tigers had to win their games, and the Commodores haven’t been tested just yet. A loss would’ve been catastrophic.
The SEC wanted to get some answers, and only left with more questions. Yes, it’s still just a month into the season, but there isn’t anyone in the SEC that screams it can confidently make a deep NCAA tournament run.
Sure it’s the common Duke and North Carolina that have those characteristics in the ACC, and Louisville can be thrown in there even though its outlook took a dip with the loss. You feel a whole lot better of what these contenders are capable of. It says plenty when Duke isn’t the only team carrying the conference, speaking to how the ACC feels much stronger than it did a year ago.
In the three games with both teams ranked, the ACC won two, and with Syracuse’s victory, that’s three wins against ranked squads.
The only other argument the SEC can claim is it beat ACC teams that have a good shot of making the NCAA Tournament. But we all know winning in the main event is better than victory in the mid-card.
In the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the SEC sent a record 14 teams to the big dance. It’s unrealistic to expect the league to be able to do it again, but there’s a great chance it still gets at least 10 schools in. It probably will end up with the most appearances out of every conference.
But to think it can again get two — or even one — spot in the Final Four seems shaky.
Not all wins carry the same weight. The SEC may have won the battle, but the ACC can win the war.
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