Alabama Basketball Learns Opponent for 2026 ACC/SEC Challenge

The Crimson Tide will face Miami on the road on December 2.

Alabama coach Nate Oats works with his team during the second half of a SEC tournament quarterfinal game against Mississippi at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 13, 2026. | ANDREW NELLES / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Alabama basketball will face Miami in the 2026 ACC/SEC Challenge, per CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein.

The Crimson Tide will be the road team and travel to Coral Gables on Wednesday, Dec. 2. This is one of five ACC/SEC matchups occurring that day, with the other 11 coming on Dec. 1. The tipoff times will be released at a late date.

The Crimson Tide is 2-1 in this interconference event with a home loss to Clemson in 2023, a road win over North Carolina in 2024 and a home victory in a rematch with Clemson this past season.

Alabama leads 3-1 in the all-time series against Miami, with the first matchup occurring on Dec. 13, 1968, and the last taking place Nov. 28, 2021, in Orlando, Florida. The Crimson Tide won that game 96-64, as Keon Ellis led the way with 22 points and Jaden Shackelford (15 points), Juwan Gary (13) and JD Davison (13) also finished in double figures.

Miami finished last season with a 26-9 record, including a 13-5 clip against the ACC, in its first year under head coach Jai Lucas. The Hurricanes were the 7-seed in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament and beat 10-seed Missouri in the first round before falling to 2-seed Purdue in the Round of 32.

The Crimson Tide met its expectations last season. It started the season ranked No. 15 in the AP Top 25 and entered March Madness at the same spot.

After reaching the Sweet 16 for the fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament, Alabama lost four players to the transfer portal: forwards Taylor Bol Bowen and Aiden Sherrell, plus guards Jalil Bethea and Davion Hannah. Additionally, guard Labaron Philon Jr. is remaining in the 2026 NBA Draft, while Latrell Wrightsell Jr., Houston Mallette and Noah Williamson exhausted their collegiate eligibility.

That said, Amari Allen withdrew his name from the NBA Draft on May 27's deadline, as he's expected to lead the 2026-27 team. The Crimson Tide gained four players from the transfer portal could have five returners from this past season. This is on top of the three freshmen coming to Tuscaloosa this summer. Each of the newcomers signed with Alabama on Thursday.

ACC/SEC Challenge (Dec. 1)

• Arkansas at North Carolina
• Auburn at Clemson
• Duke at Florida
• Boston College at Georgia
• Wake Forest at LSU
• Pitt at Missouri
• Syracuse at Oklahoma
• Ole Miss at Virginia Tech
• South Carolina at NC State
• Florida State at Tennessee
• Texas at Louisville

ACC/SEC Challenge (Dec. 2)

• Alabama at Miami
• Kentucky at Virginia
• Georgia Tech at Mississippi State
• Stanford at Texas A&M
• Vanderbilt at Notre Dame

Alabama's 2026-27 Schedule as of June 4

• Nov. 13: vs. Seton Hall
• Nov. 24: vs. Baylor at Players Era Championships in Las Vegas
• Nov. 26: vs. winner of Gonzaga/Kansas State at Players Era
• Nov. 27: vs. winner of Michigan/Creighton/Miami/TCU at Players Era (if Alabama wins prior matchups)
• Nov. 28: Players Era Championship vs. winner of Tennessee/Maryland/Iowa State/San Diego State/St. John's/Oregon/Louisville/Texas Tech (if Alabama contends)
• Dec. 2: at Miami in ACC/SEC Challenge
• Dec. 12: vs. St. John’s in Birmingham

Alabama will also face Houston in the Jimmy V Classic, but that date is unknown at this time. The same is said for the Tide's second part of a home-and-home series at South Florida.

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