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Mizzou to play in SEC/ACC challenge in December

Mizzou Mizzou Basketball

Missouri’s men’s and women’s basketball teams will participate in the SEC/ACC Challenge for the second consecutive year, hosting non-conference matchups at Mizzou Arena.

ESPN announced on Monday that the men’s game against California on December 3rd will tip off at 6 p.m., while the women’s game against SMU on December 5th will start at 8 p.m.  Both game will air on the SEC Network.

The men’s matchup marks the first time Tigers coach Dennis Gates will face his alma mater.  Gates played 114 games for Cal from 1998-2002.

Missouri leads the all-time series against the Golden Bears 5-2, winning the last two meetings in 2011 and 2008.

On the women’s side, Missouri seeks its first win against SMU, trailing 0-2 in their all-time series against the Dallas school.

The SEC and ACC split last year’s inaugural challenge, with both conferences going 7-7 in men’s and women’s matchups.  Missouri’s men’s team won 71-64 at Pittsburgh, while the women’s team lost 87-81 at Virginia.

The men’s team opens its season at Memphis on November 4th, while the women’s team starts at Vermont on the same night.