Start time for UNC-Alabama ACC-SEC Men’s Challenge revealed

If the North Carolina Tar Heels want to prove they’ll remain an ACC basketball contender this coming season, they have an extremely challenging non-conference schedule to do so.

Perhaps the most challenging opponent on UNC’s schedule is Alabama, a projected preseason number one team who ended UNC’s 2024 NCAA Tournament Run in the Sweet 16. Instead of playing in a neutral site this fall, though, the Crimson Tide come to Chapel Hill.

On Monday, September 23, we finally learned the North Carolina-Alabama rematch will have a 7:15 p.m. ET start time.

That game will also be nationally broadcast on ESPN, with each program expected to contend for a national championship this coming season.

The Tar Heels will enter 2024-2025 with a younger look, headlined by freshmen Drake Powell and Ian Jackson. UNC does return reigning ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis, but has to replace last year’s experienced starters in Armando Bacot, Cormac Ryan and Harrison Ingram.

Last year, North Carolina beat Tennessee, 100-92 in the ACC-SEC Challenge’s inaugural matchup. The Tar Heels also had a pretty challenging non-conference schedule last season, highlighted by additional games against Kentucky, Oklahoma and eventual repeat champion UConn.

UNC can truly establish itself early with a victory against one of the country’s best up-and-coming programs.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire : Start time for UNC-Alabama ACC-SEC Men’s Challenge revealed