Syracuse Basketball has been invited to the 2024 SEC\/ACC Challenge. The Men\u2019s program will take on Tennessee, while the Women\u2019s program will travel to face Texas A&M. In last year\u2019s ACC\/SEC Challenge, the Orange Men\u2019s team defeated LSU. Cuse\u2019s Women\u2019s team went up against Alabama for their ACC\/SEC matchup and won 79-73.<\/p>\n
The 2023 Men\u2019s SEC\/ACC Challenge lived up to the hype<\/a>, as teams in both conferences were able to come away with victories and provide some exciting basketball for fans. Syracuse Men\u2019s Basketball did particularly well, crushing their opponent LSU 80-57 in the JMA Wireless Dome. They won\u2019t have the luxury of playing at home in this year\u2019s challenge. Instead, they\u2019ll be heading to Knoxville to see Rick Barnes<\/a> and the Tennessee Volunteers.<\/p>\n The first encounter between Syracuse and Tennessee took place in the 1972 Volunteer Classic, where Tennessee won 87-83. The Orange also lost their most recent matchup with the Vols. In last season\u2019s Maui Invitational Syracuse fell to Tennessee 73-56, it was a brutal early season matchup for an inexperienced Orange squad. Now, with a revamped roster and Tennessee losing Dalton Knecht<\/a>, things look different. \u00a0Syracuse Head Coach Adrian Autry<\/a> should be more prepared this time around and can throw some different schemes at the Volunteers.<\/p>\n After winning at home in last year\u2019s ACC\/SEC challenge, Syracuse Women\u2019s Basketball will travel to College Park, TX to take on Texas A&M. The two teams first met<\/a> in the US Virgin Islands for the 2013 Paradise Jam. Orange Fan Favorite and current WNBA player Brittney Sykes<\/a> was on fire heading into that contest, averaging 20.6 points per game, second in the ACC that season. The team used Syke\u2019s momentum to defeat the Aggies in convincing fashion, 78-63. However, Texas A&M got their revenge<\/a> at the 2016 Florida Sunshine Classic Finale, handing the higher-ranked Orange a loss, 105-84. In their most recent matchup, Syracuse was again victorious, when they traveled to NYC for the 2018 \u201cCuse in the City\u201d showcase. Former Pro and Syracuse Women\u2019s Basketball career assists leader, Tiana Mangakahia<\/a>, led the way<\/a> for the Orange, scoring a game-high at the time 26 points.<\/p>\n It should be noted that the Syracuse Women\u2019s program has changed drastically since then. Felisha Legette-Jack<\/a> cleaned up the mess left by former Cuse HC Quentin Hillsman<\/a>. After a 2nd round appearance in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, Coach Jack and crew are ready to get back at it.<\/p>\n Texas A&M has a relatively new coach as well, Joni Taylor<\/a>. After several seasons coaching Georgia, she took the reins at A&M once longtime Head Coach Gary Blair<\/a> retired. She had a rough 1st season going 9-20 in 2022-23. Then, she and the team bounced back going 19-13 in 2023-24 amid an extremely competitive South Eastern Conference. The team earned an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and while they lost in the 1st round, simply making it that far is an achievement within itself.<\/p>\nSyracuse Women\u2019s Basketball to face Texas A&M<\/h3>\n
A New Look Texas A&M<\/h3>\n