ESPN announced today that the ACC/SEC wil begin a Challenge in 2023-2024.

The Challenge will be Both Men's and Women's basketball.

As a Kentucky fan, I like this. This should open the door for more home and away games against teams like Duke and North Carolina. The next wave of ACC opponents (Syracuse, Virginia, Florida State) would also make for good matchups that fans would enjoy.

I liked the Big 12 event as well but it seemed like it was only designed to pit Kentucky and Kansas against each other.

2 minutes ago, gchs_uk9 said:

As a Kentucky fan, I like this. This should open the door for more home and away games against teams like Duke and North Carolina. The next wave of ACC opponents (Syracuse, Virginia, Florida State) would also make for good matchups that fans would enjoy.

I liked the Big 12 event as well but it seemed like it was only designed to pit Kentucky and Kansas against each other.

I agree now it will be Kentucky Vs. North Carolina or Duke a lot more most likely but I do hope they mix it up as well.

Cats at Cameron, Dukies in Rupp...sign me up!

If they keep the State Farm classic and CBS Sports classic where the Cats could play North Carolina or Duke that year I would look for them to play either Syracuse or Virginia if that was the case I think.

I definitely would like this better than North Florida or South Carolina State.  

2 hours ago, Jumper_Dad said:

Cats at Cameron, Dukies in Rupp...sign me up!

My first reaction as well.  I don't mind neutral game sites, but the idea of the Cats going to Cameron Indoor Stadium and Duke visiting Rupp carries a heavier weight with me.  Same with the Cats visiting Allen Fieldhouse as in the Big 12/SEC challenge.  I'm looking forward to the challenge!

On 11/28/2022 at 1:47 PM, 16thBBall Fan said:

If they keep the State Farm classic and CBS Sports classic where the Cats could play North Carolina or Duke that year I would look for them to play either Syracuse or Virginia if that was the case I think.

I definitely would like this better than North Florida or South Carolina State.  

They are still going to play a team like North Florida or South Carolina state. Just like every team has games like that. This challenge is simply replacing the SEC/Big12 challenge. So it’s not taking away one of those lower games. 

24 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

They are still going to play a team like North Florida or South Carolina state. Just like every team has games like that. This challenge is simply replacing the SEC/Big12 challenge. So it’s not taking away one of those lower games. 

My point was actually they need to go back and start playing in one of the big holiday tournaments besides these challenges like other blue bloods do. Example North Carolina and Duke play in these challenges but still play in either the Maui, Atlantis, or this year's Phil Knight. I know they need to play the South Carolina States and North Florida's of the world but Duke only this year played 4 of those type schools and Carolina plays 5 but the Cats are playing 7.

2 hours ago, 16thBBall Fan said:

My point was actually they need to go back and start playing in one of the big holiday tournaments besides these challenges...

That's a Calipari thing, I believe. He's been adamant against it because "you don't play three days a row in the NCAA tournament." I disagree with him, in part because I think it challenges your team early when conditioning might not be great, but also because these are exciting events for fans to attend, which should still be an important factor in college athletics.

2 hours ago, futurecoach said:

They are still going to play a team like North Florida or South Carolina state. Just like every team has games like that. This challenge is simply replacing the SEC/Big12 challenge. So it’s not taking away one of those lower games. 

I do hope it mixes up a bit, though. It seems like the SEC/Big 12 event has been designed solely for Kentucky and Kansas to play each other. At least with the ACC you should see either Duke or North Carolina, or maybe someone like Virginia or Syracuse or Florida State (or someone else good in the league that year).

24 minutes ago, gchs_uk9 said:

That's a Calipari thing, I believe.

I agree I think in the past he did not want to play other big-time or power 5 teams early because he was having pretty much a whole new team each year and figured the results may not turn out so well. However, a lot of other schools do the one and done now so I think it would help the team to play some other power 5 teams early on imo. I did like how the Phil Knight tournament was where you played you had a day off between one of your games.