NCAA Basketball: Full rundown of Big Ten/ACC Challenge games

Since 1999, the Big Ten/ACC Challenge has been a staple of non-conference play in NCAA basketball. What are the matchups going to be this season?

The first ten years of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge was dominated by the ACC, who won every single season, but the Big Ten has taken control recently. The Big Ten won their first challenge in 2009 and are 5-1-2 since then. The overall series lead is still held by the ACC by a wide margin at 11 wins to five by the Big Ten.

The winner of each challenge receives the Commissioner’s Cup and is dictated based on the play of 14 matchups between the two conferences. Last season, the ACC dominated with a 9-5 victory. Entering this upcoming season, the Big Ten will be looking to get back on top and prove that they can be the best conference in all of college basketball.

For much of last season, the ACC was regarded as the best conference in basketball, which was concluded with their own North Carolina Tar Heels being crowned the National Champions. Since the inauguration of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge in 1999, the conferences own a combined eight National Championships.

The ACC can account for seven of those (North Carolina and Duke each have three and Maryland won before moving to the Big Ten) while Michigan State’s victory in 2000 holds down the fort for the Big Ten. Could this possibly be the year that the Big Ten returns to form with a championship?

Building a resume starts in nonconference play and for lots of teams, the Big Ten/ACC Challenge provides a great boost to a strength of schedule with a difficult game against one of the top conferences in the country.

Now, without further ado, let’s get into the 2017 Big Ten/ACC Challenge games: