Preview: Alabama Basketball Against Clemson in ACC/SEC Challenge

No. 12 Alabama will play its eighth game of the regular season against Clemson at home on Wednesday evening.

This will be a rematch of not only the 2023 ACC/SEC Challenge, but also the 2024 Elite Eight matchup that sent the Crimson Tide to its first Final Four in program history. The Crimson Tide is 1-1 in the ACC/SEC Challenge with a home loss to Clemson in 2023 and a road win over North Carolina in 2024.

Alabama had a plethora of impressive wins against non-conference opponents last season, but an argument can be made that the 94-78 beatdown over the Tar Heels was the most admirable as the Tide played a practically perfect game on both sides of the court from start to finish.

The SEC logged a 14-2 record in last year's ACC/SEC Challenge. FOURTEEN WINS and TWO LOSSES against perhaps the best college basketball conference of this generation one year after going 7-7 in the 2023 event.

Alabama aims to be on the winning side of this interconference event after sliding down from No. 8 to No. 12 in the latest AP Top 25.

How to Watch: Alabama in ACC/SEC Challenge

Who: No. 12 Alabama (5-2, 0-0 SEC) vs. Clemson (7-1, 0-0 ACC)

What: Alabama's eighth game of the regular season (third at home)

When: Wednesday, Dec. 3, 6:15 p.m. CT

Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

TV: ESPNU

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (Play-By-Play: Chris Stewart, Color: Bryan Passink). The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.

SiriusXM: Channel 191 (Alabama), Channel 380 (Clemson)

Series: Clemson leads 8-5 with the first matchup occurring on Feb. 28, 1930.

Last Meeting: Alabama outlasted Clemson 89-82 in the 2024 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, which sent the Crimson Tide to its first Final Four in program history. Mark Sears scored 23 points on 7 of 14 from deep while Jarin Stevenson added 19 points off the bench. Alabama also hosted the Tigers in the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge in 2023, but Clemson won the battle 85-78.

Last time out, Alabama: Alabama competed in the second annual Players Era Festival in Las Vegas last week. Alabama opened the NIL event with a loss to then-No. 12 Gonzaga 95-85 on Nov. 24. However, UA tied its most points in a game under head coach Nate Oats following a 115-76 blowout win over UNLV last Tuesday, and Alabama tied its most assists under Oats (29) after obliterating Maryland 105-72 last Wednesday. Amari Allen won his second SEC Freshman of the Week honor, as he averaged 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.0 blocks in Las Vegas.

Last time out, Clemson: The Tigers dismantled Alabama A&M 92-56 on Nov. 28. Jestin Porter led the way with 14 points, but Carter Welling and RJ Godfrey combined for 22 points and 15 rebounds. Clemson led by 30 at the end of the first half and took its foot off the pedal a bit in the second, as the Tigers narrowly led 40-34 in the latter 20 minutes of the game.

Alabama Stat Leaders

• Points: Labaron Philon Jr. (20.6 on 56.4 FG%)
• Rebounds: Amari Allen (6.9, including 1.1 offensive)
• Assists: Labaron Philon Jr. (5.7 with 3.3 turnovers)

Clemson Stat Leaders

• Points: Carter Welling (11.6 on 64.0 FG%)
• Rebounds: RJ Godfrey (6.8, including 2.6 offensive)
• Assists: Zac Foster (2.9 with 1.3 turnovers)

ACC/SEC Challenge Schedule

All Times CT

Dec. 2

• No. 13 Tennessee at Syracuse, 6 p.m., ESPN2
• Texas A&M at Pittsburgh, 6 p.m., ESPNU
• Virginia Tech at South Carolina, 6 p.m., SEC Network
• Oklahoma at Wake Forest, 6 p.m. ACC Network
• No. 15 Florida at No. 4 Duke, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
• Missouri at Notre Dame, 8 p.m., ESPNU
• Miami at Ole Miss, 8 p.m., SEC Network
• Georgia at Florida State, 8 p.m., ACC Network
• No. 16 North Carolina at No. 18 Kentucky, 8:30 p.m., ESPN

Dec. 3

• No. 6 Louisville at No. 25 Arkansas, 6:15 p.m., ESPN
• Clemson at No. 12 Alabama, 6:15 p.m., ESPNU
• LSU at Boston College, 6:15 p.m., ACC Network
• NC State at No. 20 Auburn, 8:15 p.m., ESPN
• Virginia at Texas, 8:15 p.m. ESPNU
• SMU at No. 17 Vanderbilt, 8:15 p.m., SEC Network
• Mississippi State at Georgia Tech, 8:15 p.m., ACC Network