UNC Basketball: Tar Heel women will meet Texas in ACC-SEC Challenge.
UNC Women’s Basketball to Battle Final Four Texas in ACC–SEC Challenge.
The third annual ACC–SEC Women’s Basketball Challenge just got a marquee matchup: on Thursday, December 4, 2025, the North Carolina Tar Heels will head to Austin to face the Texas Longhorns at the Moody Center .
This marks only the second-ever meeting between these programs—and the first in 45 years. Their only previous clash came on January 11, 1981, when UNC edged Texas 75–73 in Chapel Hill .
UNC enters the 2025–26 session riding high off a 29–8 2024–25 season. The Tar Heels advanced to the Sweet Sixteen under sixth-year head coach Courtney Banghart, led by standout fifth-year captain Alyssa Ustby, who finished as UNC’s all-time leading rebounder . UNC also collected the Battle 4 Atlantis championship and posted a notable win in last year’s challenge with a 72–53 victory over Kentucky .
Texas, meanwhile, is coming off a historic 35–4 season that culminated in its first-ever Final Four appearance. Led by SEC PoY Madison Booker, Texas claimed the SEC regular-season title and boasted a ferocious lineup under Vic Schaefer . Booker was also named a Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year .
The Tar Heels’ trip to Texas is not just a test of skill—it’s a national showcase. Out of the 16 featured games in this Challenge, only five matchups boast teams that won NCAA Tournament games last year—UNC vs. Texas being one of them .
With pride, conference bragging rights, and quality RPI points on the line, both programs will be eyeing a statement win. For UNC, it’s a chance to prove its rise on the national stage. For Texas, it’s another elite test ahead of defending their SEC crown
