Darnell Sallins
December 5, 2024, 12:15AM
The second annual men's SEC-ACC Challenge was one sided. The 16-game challenge ended in the first nine games of ten games on Day One. The Southeastern Conference sent a message out and clear for the basketball world to know with their dominating in this challenge.
It started with John Calipari and the Arkansas Razorbacks going to Coral Gables and beating Jim Larranaga and the Miami Hurricanes by three points. Boogie Fland led Arkansas with 18 points and six assists. Next was Georgia blowing out Notre Dame by 21 in Athens. The Bulldogs held the Irish to 48 points and 36.5% shooting from the field, 21.1% from three.
Missouri would beat California by three points behind Anthony Robinson II's 29 points to overcome a 16-point halftime deficit. Southeastern Conference 3-Atlantic Coast Conference 0.
Then a string of blowouts would ensure and blow this challenge wide open for the SEC. South Carolina would beat Boston College by 22 points. No. 3 Tennessee blew out Syracuse by 26 points. No. 21 Oklahoma beat Georgia Tech by 16 points. No. 22 Texas A&M would hold Wake Forest to only 44 and won by 13 points. No. 23 Ole Miss went to Louisville and blew out the Cardinals by 23 points. Finally, LSU would beat Florida State by 10 points capping off nine straight wins for the SEC and thus winning the SEC-ACC Challenge on Day One.
However, it wouldn't be a clean sweep for the SEC. Clemson would put the ACC on board at night's end by upsetting No.4 Kentucky 70-66 in Clemson.
Day One would conclude SEC 9-ACC 1.
Day One Tuesday, December 3, 2024:
Arkansas 76-Miami 73
Notre Dame 48-Georgia 69
California 93-Missouri 98
South Carolina 73-Boston College 51
Syracuse 70- 3. Tennessee 96
Georgia Tech 61-21. Oklahoma 76
Wake Forest 44-22. Texas A&M 57
23. Ole Miss 86-Louisville 63
Florida State 75-LSU 85
4. Kentucky 66-Clemson 70
Day Two had only six games. Even the challenge was already decided on Tuesday, Wednesday had a nice lineup headlined by Alabama-North Carolina and Auburn-Duke. Nevertheless, Day Two picked up right the SEC left off, dominated.
To begin, No.13 Florida moved to 9-0 on the season, with a dominated second half over the Virginia Cavaliers 87-69 in Gainesville. Walter Clayton Jr. had 27 points to lead the Gators. The first of two ranked vs. ranked matchups was in Chapel Hill as No. 20 North Carolina hosted No. 10 Alabama. In the end, the Tide rolled the Tar Heels by 15 points. A 2-0 starts for the SEC and a 11-1 domination on the ACC, but it wasn't done there.
The SEC took the next three games from the ACC. Mississippi State sent the biggest message of the challenge with a 33-point victory over No. 18 Pittsburgh in Starkville. Texas went to Raleigh, North Carolina and downed the North Carolina State Wolfpack 63-59. Then, Vanderbilt took a trip to Blacksburg, Virginia and beat the Virginia Tech Hokies by 16 points. SEC 14, ACC 1.
Then, the final game of the challenge was in Cameron Indoor as Duke hosted Auburn in a Top 10 showdown. The No. 9 Duke Blue Devils fell down early by as many as 11 points but behind freshman phenom Cooper Flagg's 22 points and 11 rebounds, Duke down No. 2 Auburn Tigers 84-78.
Day Two Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Virginia 69-13. Florida 87
10. Alabama 94-20. North Carolina 79
18. Pittsburgh 57-Mississippi State 90
Texas 63-North Carolina State 59
Vanderbilt 80-Virginia Tech 64
2. Auburn 78-9. Duke 84
The second annual SEC-ACC Challenge ended in a one-sided affair. The SEC winning 14 games to the ACC 2 games. Straight domination from start to finish. However, the ACC can hang their hat on the fact they were able to upset two Top 5 SEC teams this year in No. 2 Auburn and No. 4 Kentucky.
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