The Battle of the Blue Bloods will once again take center stage at Rupp Arena
For the first time since 2014, Kentucky will host North Carolina in Lexington as part of the 2025 SEC-ACC Challenge. Two of college basketball’s most iconic programs will renew a rivalry that has delivered classics for decades. And this year, Big Blue Nation will get to witness it under the Rupp Arena lights.
This marks one of the premier matchups of the 2025 SEC-ACC Challenge slate, which has quickly become one of college basketball’s marquee early-season events since its debut just two years ago.
UK’s track record in the SEC-ACC Challenge
The SEC-ACC Challenge debuted in 2023, replacing the former ACC-Big Ten Challenge and creating a new battleground between two of the sport’s deepest leagues.
In the inaugural 2023 edition, the conferences split the series 7-7.
Kentucky opened Challenge play with a statement 93-75 win over then-#8 Miami at Rupp Arena, one of their most complete performances of the season.
Last season, UK fell 70-66 on the road to Clemson in a tough defensive battle that turned late.
Kentucky enters this year’s Challenge with a 1-1 all-time record in the event.
The SEC as a whole went 12-2 last season, with UK’s loss at Clemson and Auburn’s loss to Duke being the only blemishes on an otherwise dominant performance for the league.
In short: Kentucky wants to keep pace with its conference brethren — and hosting North Carolina provides a golden opportunity.
2025 SEC-ACC Challenge Matchups
The full slate for this year’s SEC-ACC Challenge is loaded with intrigue:
- Florida at Duke
- North Carolina at Kentucky
- Virginia at Texas
- NC State at Auburn
- Clemson at Alabama
- Louisville at Arkansas
- Oklahoma at Wake Forest
- SMU at Vanderbilt
- Texas A&M at Pittsburgh
- Mississippi State at Georgia Tech
- Miami at Ole Miss
- LSU at Boston College
- Virginia Tech at South Carolina
- Tennessee at Syracuse
- Missouri at Notre Dame
- Georgia at Florida State
But no matchup carries more national weight or tradition than Kentucky vs. North Carolina. There is just something special when those two shades of blue meet on the court.
Kentucky vs. North Carolina: A rivalry built on excellence
When two of college basketball's true blue bloods meet, the stage is always bigger.
All-Time Series: North Carolina leads 25-18.
In Lexington: UK holds a 5-2 advantage when hosting UNC at Rupp Arena.
Recent History: Since 2000, UK leads the series 12-9, and under John Calipari, Kentucky went 8-4 against the Tar Heels.
These programs don’t just compete—they help define the sport.
5 instant classics between Kentucky and North Carolina
1️⃣ 2009 — Kentucky 68, North Carolina 66 (Rupp Arena)
Freshman John Wall electrified the crowd with 16 first-half points and a game-sealing steal-and-score that remains one of his signature moments in Lexington.
2️⃣ 2001 — Kentucky 79, North Carolina 59 (Rupp Arena)
Tayshaun Prince put on one of the great individual performances in Rupp history, dropping 31 points while starting the game with five straight threes.
3️⃣ 2011 — Kentucky 76, North Carolina 69 (Elite Eight, NCAA Tournament)
Brandon Knight hit clutch shots while Josh Harrellson’s inside presence lifted UK to the Final Four in Calipari’s second season.
4️⃣ 2017 — North Carolina 75, Kentucky 73 (Elite Eight, NCAA Tournament)
An all-time March Madness thriller. Malik Monk’s game-tying three was answered by Luke Maye’s buzzer-beater to send UNC to the Final Four.
5️⃣ 2023 — Kentucky 87, North Carolina 83 (CBS Sports Classic, Atlanta)
Antonio Reeves and Rob Dillingham delivered clutch second-half buckets to give UK a high-profile win in last season’s neutral-site battle.
Two blue bloods, two basketball empires
Kentucky Wildcats
National Championships: 8
Final Fours: 17
NBA Pipeline: A virtual professional farm system.
Now under Mark Pope, Kentucky aims to build on its legacy with a modern, up-tempo style that blends recruiting with development, shooting with defense, and tradition with innovation.
North Carolina Tar Heels
National Championships: 6
Final Fours: 21
NBA Legends: From Jordan to Worthy to Carter, UNC’s pro pedigree is legendary.
Hubert Davis continues to steer the program with balance and elite talent, blending traditional UNC principles with a faster pace.
What’s at stake this year
This one’s personal for both programs — and pivotal for both conferences.
For Kentucky, it’s a chance to reclaim early-season momentum, defend home court, and notch another signature win under Mark Pope’s emerging tenure. For North Carolina, it’s a road test against one of the sport's toughest environments as they look to add another elite win to their NCAA résumé.
For the SEC, it's another opportunity to show the league’s ascendance into the sport’s upper echelon — and for Kentucky, to remind the basketball world that Rupp Arena is still one of the sport’s most feared destinations.
Big Blue Nation has waited 11 years to host the Tar Heels again. In December, the wait will be over. And with both programs loaded, expect another chapter worthy of this rivalry’s rich history.
Oh and did we mention Caleb Wilson chose UNC over Kentucky? Probably won't be cheered during the lineup announcements.