There’s a first time for everything and the time is now for the inaugural women’s basketball event between the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The competition will pit the conferences against each other and create interesting matchups.
Happy ACC x SEC Week to all who celebrate ❤️❤️❤️
— Arielle (Ari) Chambers (@ariivory) November 28, 2023
Here is a preview of all the action happening on Wednesday:
No. 18 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-1) at No. 20 Tennessee Volunteers (4-2)
It’s a top-20 showdown, with Notre Dame going on the road to play Tennessee in the competition’s opening game.
Notre Dame has performed well during the start of the season, with their only defeat coming at the hands of South Carolina, which looks like one of the best teams in the country. During their five-game winning streak, the Fighting Irish have heavily relied on their freshman phenom, Hannah Hidalgo. She leads the team in points, assists and steals.
The Lady Vols will be focused on containing her as much as possible, but they have a trio of perimeter players that will cause their opponents problems as well. Sara Puckett, Jewel Spear and Jasmine Powell all average double-digit points and will be looking to pull off the upset versus Notre Dame.
Florida Gators (5-1) vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (5-1)
This is what the ACC/SEC Challenege is all about, giving us matchups we’ve rarely ever seen. Florida has faced Georgia Tech only once, so this game will be one to watch. Both teams are unranked and looking to make a name for themselves, as both have begun the season with 5-1 records. Look out for Florida’s Aliyah Matharu, who has scored 15 or more points in her last five games. She also had the game-winner versus Columbia.
Vanderbilt Commodores (7-0) vs. No. 5 NC State Wolfpack (7-0)
It’s the battle of unbeatens with Vanderbilt and NC State both having won their first seven matchups heading into Wednesday’s game. The Wolfpack, with big wins against UConn and Colorado, will be favored due to their stacked lineup featuring four players scoring in double figures.
For Vanderbilt, this is the biggest test of the season so far. The path to victory will fall on their guard/forward combo of Sacha Washington and Jordyn Cambridge. They’ll have a shot if they can flirt with 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds each.
Miami Hurricanes (5-0) vs. No. 21 Mississippi State Bulldogs (8-0)
At home and ranked No. 21, Mississippi State will be favored over Miami. The Bulldogs have won all their games comfortably. With senior guard Jerkalia Jordan producing 18.3 points a night, they’ll likely be looking at win nine on Wednesday. For the Hurricanes to surprise, they’ll have to rely on their guards Jasmyne Roberts and Shayeann Day-Wilson to offset Jordan and pull off the upset.
No. 22 Louisville Cardinals (6-1) vs. No. 19 Ole Miss Rebels (6-1)
Wednesday’s action will end with a bang, with No. 22 Louisville playing against No. 19 Ole Miss. Both teams are 6-1 and have balanced attacks of bigs and guards that complement one another. This is truly a pick’em game and should be a competitive and entertaining matchup. I’d give the slight edge to Ole Miss solely because they are at home.
Be on the lookout for Ole Miss’ Madison Scott and Louisville’s Olivia Cochran as the key players in this game.
Game information
No. 18 Notre Dame (5-1) vs. No. 20 Tennessee Lady Vols (4-2)
When: Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 5 p.m. ET
Where: Thompson-Boiling Arena in Knoxville, TN
How to watch: ESPN2
Florida Gators (5-1) vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (5-1)
When: Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 5 p.m. ET
Where: McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta, GA
How to watch: ACC Network
Vanderbilt Commodores (7-0) vs. No. 5 NC Wolfpack (7-0)
When: Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 7:15 p.m. ET
Where: Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, NC
How to watch: ACC Network
Miami Hurricanes (5-0) vs. No. 21 Mississippi State Bulldogs (8-0)
When: Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 7:15 p.m. ET
Where: Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, MS
How to watch: SEC Network
No. 22 Louisville Cardinals (6-1) vs. Ole Miss Rebels (6-1)
When: Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 9:15 p.m. ET
Where: The Sandy and John Black Pavilion in Oxford, MS
How to watch: ESPNU