Louisville MBB Excluded From Inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge, WBB to Face Ole Miss

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The ACC/Big Ten Challenge has gone the way of the dodo bird, and the Louisville men's basketball program will not be participating in the first year of its replacement event.

The Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN announced the pairings for the 2023 ACC/SEC Challenge, and the Cardinals were not included in any of the matchups. A reason was not specified for their exclusion, but with the SEC featuring 14 teams and the featuring ACC 15 team, one ACC team had to be the odd man out. With Louisville coming off of their worst year in modern history, they were an easy pick to be left out.

As for the Louisville women's basketball program, they were included, and will be traveling down south for a matchup at Ole Miss. Tip-off from the SJB Pavilion is set for Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 9:15 p.m. EST.

This showdown will be a rematch from last season's NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals and Rebels squared off in the Sweet Sixteen, with UofL coming out on top with a 72-62 win from Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash.

The ACC/SEC Challenge was formed as a replacement for both the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and the SEC/Big Ten Challenge, both of which played their final games last season.

Louisville men's hoops will be looking for a massive rebound in their second year under head coach Kenny Payne. During his first season at the helm, the Cardinals went just 4-28 overall and 2-18 in ACC play, setting a new program record for most losses in a single season.

Louisville women's hoops went 26-12 overall for the 2022-23 season, experiencing their first double-digit loss season since their 2011-12 campaign. Despite head coach Jeff Walz and Co. having a "down year" by their typically lofty standards, the Cardinals saved their best basketball for the postseason. They made the ACC Championship game as a No. 4 seed, then clinched their fifth-straight appearance in the Elite Eight before falling to national runner-up Iowa in the NCAA Tournament.

(Photo of Louie: Kirby Lee - USA TODAY Sports)

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