16th Ranked North Carolina Is Playing On The Road Tuesday Night At 18th Ranked Kentucky For ACC/SEC Challenge
Pair of blue bloods are opposing each other in ACC/ SEC Challenge!
16th ranked North Carolina is playing on the road at 18th ranked Kentucky for ACC/ SEC Challenge.
16th ranked North Carolina comes into the ACC/ SEC Challenge with record of 6-1 because North Carolina’s first loss of the 2025 -2026 season was going to come at some point the question though was when.
The when came Thursday when 16th ranked sustained its first loss of the season a 74-58 to 11th ranked Michigan State in Fort Myers tip-off Beach Division on Thanksgiving.
16th ranked North Carolina’s first loss was sustained because North Carolina collected 30 rebounds while Michigan collected 37 rebounds. As a team North Carolina shot 21-55 on field goals for 55 % they were 4-23 on 3 pointers for 17 % were 12-17 on free throws for 71 %. Three players scored in double figures . Caleb Wilson who is a freshman who is a forward was 6-13 on field goals, 0-3 on 3 pointers , 6-7 on free throws to go along 7 rebounds , 1 assists, 2 turnovers , 18 points. Henri Vessar who is a senior a center was 6-9 on field goals , 1-2 on 3 pointers , 0-1 on free throws to go along with 6 rebounds , 1 steal 13 points . Luka Bogavac who is a freshman a guard was 4-12 on field goals , 1-6 on 3 pointers , 2-3 on free throws to go along with 5 assists , 11 points.
Following 16th ranked North Carolina’s 74-58 loss to Michigan State Luka Bogavac who is a freshman a guard who was 4-12 on field goals , 1-6 on 3 pointers , 2-3 on free throws to go along with 5 assists , 11 points had this to say!
“I think this is the first time that we played against a team who was really physical,”
I think two or three times we relaxed for a couple minutes. Against these kinds of teams, we can’t do this. It’s not possible. So, for me, it’s good that it happened in an early game like this.”
Following 16th ranked North Carolina’s sustaining its first loss of the season 74-58 loss to Michigan State in Fort Myers Tip-Off Beach Division Caleb Wilson who was 6-13 on field goals , 0-3 on 3 pointers to go along with 7 rebounds , 1 assists 18 points had this to say!
Like always, you learn from your opponent, win or lose, and they play physical basketball,”“They were holding, hooking, grabbing. I just learn from it and [will] be able to apply it to my own game.”
According to Shelby Swanson News & Observer article https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/unc/article313096357.html
Kentucky comes into the ACC/ SEC Challenge with record of 5-2 because they’ve won two straight games when they were ranked 19th in AP Top 25 Poll including their previous game when opposing Tennessee Tech 104 -54 on Wednesday November 26, 2025 where five players scored in double figures Malachi Moreno who is a freshman a center was 4-5 on field goals , 5-6 on free throws to go along with 11 rebounds , 3 assists, 2 blocks , 13 points. Collin Chandler who is a sophomore a guard was 6-11 on field goals , 2-6 on 3 pointers to go along with 5 rebounds , 5 assists , 1 turnover , 1 steal 14 points . Otega Oweh who is a guard a senior was 6-11 on field goals , 1-2 on 3 pointers , 3-3 on free throws to go along with 2 rebounds, 3 assists , 16 points . Denzel Aberdeen who is a guard a senior like Otega Oweh who was 6-10 on field goals , 4-6 on 3 pointers to go along with 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 16 points. Trent Noah who is a forward a sophomore was 5-6 on field goals , 4-5 on 3 pointers to go along 6 rebounds , 16 points.
Following Kentucky’s 104 -54 win over Tennessee Tech Kentucky Head Coach Mark Pope had this to say about his team!
If we could capture these guys' heart and spirit and their commitment, we would be unbeatable,"
According to Drew Holbrook article https://wildcatbluenation.com/mark-pope-unforgettables-lesson-kentucky-basketball-culture-grit
Tip off is set for 9:30pm from Rupp Arena!
The game is going to be televised on ESPN with Dave O’Brien , Jay Williams, Dick Vitale commentating!
Dave O’Brien serves as a play-by-play commentator for ESPN, calling college basketball and other marquee events across ESPN platforms. One of the most versatile and respected voices in sports broadcasting, O’Brien has been a trusted presence on national broadcasts for more than two decades.
O’Brien joined ESPN in 2002 and has called a wide range of events for the network, including college basketball, Major League Baseball, and select NCAA Championships.
In addition to his work with ESPN, O’Brien is also the television voice of the Boston Red Sox on NESN, a role he has held since 2016. Over his distinguished career, he has called MLB postseason games on both television and radio, the World Series, and numerous NCAA Tournament matchups, as well as NBA, NFL, and international soccer broadcasts.
A graduate of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, O’Brien began his professional career in radio before moving into national television.
A native of Quincy, Massachusetts, O’Brien resides in the Boston area with his family.
Former standout point guard Jay Williams, roundly considered one of the most prolific college basketball players in history, is an NBA analyst on ESPN’s longstanding NBA pregame show NBA Countdown. Since August 2020, Williams has also co-hosted ESPN Radio’s weekday morning show, Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin, with Keyshawn Johnson and Zubin Mehenti – which became Keyshawn, JWill and Max with Max Kellerman in September 2021. The show – which airs from 6-10 a.m. ET – is also simulcast on ESPN2 (6-8 a.m.) and ESPNEWS (6-10 a.m.). Williams regularly contributes across the network’s studio programming including Get Up, First Take and The Jump.
Williams became an ESPN full-time game and studio analyst in 2008, after working for the network as a commentator in 2003. Williams joined at the start of the 2014-15 season as an analyst on ESPN’s College GameDay – the popular Saturday morning and evening college basketball program that originates from the Saturday Primetime game-of-the-week telecasts. He was a constant on ESPN and ESPN2’s weeknight studio coverage, called select college games throughout the year and had previously called the ESPNU ACC Sunday Night Basketball series.
Before joining ESPN, Williams was an analyst in 2007 for CBS College Sports Network, primarily working the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. He previously was a contributor to Fox Sports Radio 99.9 The Fan in North Carolina.
As a starter for three years at Duke, Williams won the Naismith College Player of the Year award, the John R. Wooden Award and the Oscar Robertson Trophy.
Williams averaged 19.3 points per game, 6.0 assists and 3.7 rebounds for the Blue Devils, while shooting .453 from the floor and .393 from 3-point range. He also led Duke to a 95-13 (.880) record and the 2001 NCAA National Championship. He averaged double figures as a freshman, which helped earn him the ACC Rookie of the Year award in 2000 and recognition as a first-team All-America player.
In his sophomore season with the Blue Devils, Williams shattered several school and NCAA records. With 841 points and a 25.7 ppg average, he topped Dick Groat’s 49-year-old record for most points in a season. Williams also set an NCAA Tournament record for 3-pointers attempted with 66. His 132 3-point field goals amounted to the sixth-highest total in NCAA history; his conference-leading 21.6 ppg designated him as the first Duke player to lead the ACC in scoring since Danny Ferry in 1989. Williams’ 6.1 assists ranked second in the league, while he also ranked second in 3-point field goal percentage (.427) and first in 3-pointers made (3.4 per game).
At the final game in his junior year, Williams’ No. 22 jersey was retired at Cameron Indoor Stadium. His jersey also has been retired at his elementary school and high school.
Williams was drafted second by Chicago in the 2002 NBA Draft, just behind No. 1 pick Yao Ming, and started 54 of 75 games for the Bulls in the 2002-03 season. During his first season in the NBA, his most memorable performance was a game against his hometown team, the New Jersey Nets, during which Williams scored a triple-double. He also played for the U.S. National team in the 2002 FIBA World Championship.
An accomplished entrepreneur and spokesperson, Williams is the CEO and National Director of Special Events for Rising Stars Youth Foundation using basketball as the vehicle to promote education and provide academic and financial assistance to students within the program. He is also the President and Chairman of his own company, Jay LLC.
He is a member of the NBA Retired Players Association, a voting member of the John Wooden Awards Committee and sits on the board of USA Basketball, and has been the spokesperson for Athletic Advantage, a sports physical therapy and performance development center in Durham, N.C.
In 2002, Williams graduated from Duke with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and business, becoming the first athlete at the university to earn a degree in just three years.
Dick Vitale, college basketball’s top analyst and ambassador, joined ESPN during the 1979-80 season—just after the network’s September 1979 launch—following a successful college and pro coaching career. In 2008, Vitale received the sport’s ultimate honor when he was selected as an inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
His thorough knowledge of the game is brought forth in an enthusiastic, passionate, sometimes controversial—but never boring—style.
Vitale called ESPN’s first-ever major NCAA basketball game—Wisconsin at DePaul on Dec. 5, 1979 (a 90-77 DePaul win). Since then, he’s called over a thousand games.
He has been profiled by a wide array of national magazines, ranging from Sports Illustrated, Sport and The Sporting News to People, Playboy and Travel & Leisure. He received eight CableACE nominations, and captured awards in 1994 and 1995.
“I’m living the American dream,” Vitale once said. “I learned from my mom and dad, who didn’t have a formal education, but had doctorates of love. They told me that if you gave 110 percent all the time, a lot of beautiful things will happen. I may not always be right, but no one can ever accuse me of not having a genuine love and passion for whatever I do. And ESPN has been grateful enough to recognize this.”
And while his knowledge, preparation and enthusiasm are unparalleled, his “Vitale-isms” have unwittingly taken on a life of their own. Just a few of his many household phrases: “Awesome, Baby!,” “Get a TO, Baby!” (call a timeout), “PTP’er” (prime-time player), “M & M’er” (a mismatch), “Rolls Roycer” (a flat-out superstar), “diaper dandy” (freshman star), “All-Windex Performer” (ferocious rebounder) and “Maalox time” (the final minutes of a close game). Vitale credits Hall of Fame broadcaster Jim Simpson, who he teamed with in the early 80’s, in helping him develop his broadcast style.
But Vitale’s roots are in teaching the game he’s loved since a child. Following college, he got a job teaching at Mark Twain Elementary School (Garfield, N.J.) and coaching junior high school football and basketball. He began coaching at the high school level at Garfield High School, where he coached for one season (1963-64). He then earned four state sectional championships, two consecutive state championships, and 35 consecutive victories during his seven years at his alma mater—East Rutherford, NJ, High School (1964-70). He joined Rutgers University for two years (1970-72) as an assistant coach, helping to recruit Phil Sellers and Mike Dabney, two cornerstones on an eventual NCAA Final Four team (1976).
Vitale then coached at the University of Detroit (1973-77), compiling a winning percentage of .722 (78-30), which included a 21-game winning streak during the 1976-77 season when the team participated in the NCAA Tournament. Included in the streak was a victory in Milwaukee over Al McGuire’s eventual national champion Marquette team. In April 1977, Vitale was named Athletic Director at Detroit and later that year was named the United Fund’s Detroit Man of the Year. In May 1978, he was named head coach of the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, which he coached during the 1978-79 season prior to joining ESPN.
Vitale is also quite the philanthropist. He’s on the Board of Directors of The V Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to finding a cure for cancer and founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano (an organization which has since raised over $200 million for cancer research). He hosts the annual “Dick Vitale Gala” in Florida benefiting the V Foundation, which has raised 25.2 million to date, gathering numerous celebrities to raise money and honor individuals such as Krzyzewski, Bob Knight and Pat Summitt, Billy Donovan, Tom Izzo, Jay Wright and Nick Saban and Robin Roberts.
For many years he has awarded five scholarships annually to the Boys & Girls Club of Sarasota (Fla.). His involvement with the organization was highlighted in April 1999 with the “Dick Vitale Sports Night,” an annual banquet that has raised more than $1 million. In April 2000, in recognition of Vitale’s support for the Boys and Girls Club, it was announced that a new building would be named The Dick Vitale Physical Education and Health Training Center. A statue of him stands in front of the Training Center. Vitale was inducted into the Sarasota’s Boys and Girls Club Hall of Fame at the 2001 Dinner. In 2002, Sarasota magazine named him one of the area’s most influential citizens.
He participates on selection committees for the Naismith and Wooden Awards and is a member of The Associated Press voting panel for the Top-25. He is also a voter for the Hall of Fame’s Bob Cousy Awards.
And Vitale is a popular figure even outside of sports television. He’s made cameo appearances in several movies as himself: The Naked Gun: From The Files of Police Squad! (1988, starring Leslie Nielsen), Hoop Dreams (1994 award-winning documentary), Blue Chips (1994, Nick Nolte), The Sixth Man (1997, Marlon Wayans and Kadeem Hardison), He Got Game (1998, Denzel Washington and Ray Allen) and Love and Basketball (2000). In 1995’s Jury Duty with Pauly Shore and Tia Carrere, he played “Hal Gibson.” And in 1992, he teamed with Jim Valvano to play furniture movers (“V&V Movers”) on the hit series The Cosby Show.
He was even the subject of a David Letterman Top-10 list—“Top Ten Signs Dick Vitale Is Nuts!”— in 1996—where he even read the list on the show (a couple of gems: “I’ve referred to everything as baby, except an actual baby” and “I keep repainting the roof of my house to match Dennis Rodman’s hair”). In March 1999, HBO’s Real Sports profiled Vitale.
Vitale’s also authored several books, including the most recent — Dick Vitale’s Mount Rushmores of College Basketball-Solid Gold Prime Time Performers From My Four Decades at ESPN, and It’s Awesome, Baby!: 75 Years of Memories and a Lifetime of Opinions on the Game I Love.
Vitale graduated from Seton Hall University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. He also earned a master’s degree in education from William Paterson College and has 32 graduate credits beyond the master’s degree in administration.
A few of Vitale’s recent prestigious honors: In 2000, Vitale was recognized with the NABC Cliff Wells Appreciation Award for outstanding service to the college basketball coaching community and college basketball in general, and in 2001, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) presented him with the Jake Wade Award, for contributions to college athletics and in 2008, CoSIDA honored Vitale with the prestigious Keith Jackson Eternal Flame Award given to an individual who, or an organization which, has made a lasting contribution to intercollegiate athletics, has demonstrated a long and consistent commitment to excellence and has been a loyal supporter of CoSIDA and its mission. Additionally, as part of the Washington Speakers Bureau, he has spoken at many corporate events about his efforts as a broadcaster and philanthropist.
In 2002, the Florida Association of Community Corrections presented him with their President’s Humanitarian Award for his work with young people, while in 2003, Vitale was honored with the first-ever Ethics and Sportsmanship in Sports Media Award given by the Institute for International Sport, as well as the National Pathfinder Award, co-presented by Indiana Sports Corporation and Indiana Black Expo, to individuals who have demonstrated a dedicated commitment to improving the lives of America’s youth. In 2008, he was selected as the recipient of the 2008 Naismith Men’s Outstanding Contributor to Basketball (pays tribute to individuals who made a significant impact on college basketball). The Tampa Bay Sports Commission awarded Vitale with their Lee Roy Selmon Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011 for his incredible support in the Tampa Bay sports community. In 2012, the Tampa Bay Business Journal honored Vitale as Philanthropist of the Year during their annual Health Care Heroes event. In the same year, Vitale was also named one of 13 Magnetic Men by PARC, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide opportunities for children and adults with developmental disabilities. In addition to being inducted into their hall of fame in 2013, the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association named Vitale the Sportscaster of the Year. In 2014, he earned several awards, including the Vincent T. Lombardi Memorial Award, presented by UNICO, the Man of the Year Award from the American Cancer Society, and the Humanitarian of the Year from his alma mater Seton Hall University. The AutoZone Liberty Bowl recognized Vitale with the Distinguished Citizen Award in 2015 for his work raising money for cancer research. Vitale was also recognized by the National Association of Basketball Coaches with the Man of the Year Award. In 2023, Vitale was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award from Nancy Lieberman’s Dream Ball Gall, the same year he was presented with the Knute Rockne Inspiration Award. In 2025, Vitale was awarded the Dean Smith Award by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), which recognizes an individual in college basketball who embodies the spirit and values of the late Coach Smith, and the Winged Foot Award Legend by the New York Athletic Club, reserved for the men and women whose impact on the game of basketball has been extraordinarily profound.
In addition, he’s been selected for 14 halls of fame: National Italian Sports Hall of Fame, the Elmwood Park, N.J., Hall of Fame (his hometown), the Sarasota Boys and Girls Club Hall of Fame (inducted in inaugural class of 2001), the Five-Star Basketball Camp Hall of Fame (2003), the University of Detroit Hall of Fame, the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 1996 (he’s a resident of the state), the East Rutherford, N.J., Hall of Fame (1985), the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame (2008), the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2008), Sarasota Community Archives Hall of Fame (2009), the Little League Museum Hall of Excellence (2012), the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Awards (NSSA) Hall of Fame (2013), Wooden Cup Award (2017), the National Sportscasters Hall of Fame (2018), and the Sports Club of Tampa Bay Hall of Fame (2025).
Dick Vitale was born in Passaic, New Jersey and resided in his youth in Garfield and Elmwood Park, New Jersey. He and his wife Lorraine now reside in Lakewood Ranch, Florida (Sarasota-Bradenton area), and have two daughters, Terri and Sherri, who both attended Notre Dame on tennis scholarships, and who both graduated with MBAs from the Golden Dome.
The Vitale’s proud involvement with Notre Dame includes the endowment of the Dick Vitale Family Scholarship, presented annually to Irish undergraduates who participate in Notre Dame Sports and activities that do not provide financial aid. Recipients over the years have included the school’s Leprechaun mascot, cheerleaders, and band members.
According to https://espnpressroom.com/us/bios/dave-obrien/
https://espnpressroom.com/us/bios/williams_jay/
https://espnpressroom.com/us/bios/vitale_dick/