CLEMSON – The Clemson women’s basketball team will play at Kentucky in the fourth annual 2026 SEC/ACC Challenge, as announced by ESPN and the ACC office on Friday.

The showdown is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 3 and will be held at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center in Lexington, Ky., with tip time and network to be announced at a later date.

FAMILIAR FACES, DIFFERENT PLACES

Clemson head coach Shawn Poppie and Kentucky head coach Kenny Brooks are no strangers, as Poppie was an assistant coach at Virginia Tech under Brooks from 2016-’22. Poppie and Brooks helped lead the Hokies to five 20-plus win seasons, three WNIT outings, and two NCAA Tournament appearances.

The December showdown isn’t the first time that the two have met on opposite ends of the hardwood. During Poppie’s first season at the helm of Chattanooga, the Moc’s were sent to Blacksburg to face Brooks’ Hokies in the first round of the 2022-’23 NCAA Tournament.

THE CLEMSON-KENTUCKY SERIES

Clemson leads Kentucky, 1-0, in the all-time series. In the first clash, the Tigers topped the Wildcats 70-65 on November 26, 1999. This year will be the first time in 27 years that Clemson will face Kentucky in women’s basketball.

ACC/SEC CHALLENGE HISTORY

In the three years of the ACC/SEC Challenge, Clemson remains on the hunt for its first win. The Tigers are 0-3 in the challenge thus far. The ACC trails the SEC in the challenge 30-16.

—courtesy of Clemson Athletic Communications