NCAA Basketball: Preview for the 2018 ACC/Big Ten Challenge
The 20th annual NCAA basketball matchups between the ACC and the Big Ten have been announced. Here is a preview of the 2018 matchups for the event.
The schedule for the 2018 ACC/Big Ten Challenge was released on the afternoon of June 1. Two potential top-25 matchups and then some highlight the 20th annual challenge, which will be played from Nov. 26-28 during this upcoming season. The Indiana Hoosiers and Duke Blue Devils will meet in a rematch of last year’s challenge as will a few other teams. The Hoosiers are a team to keep an eye on in the early going after earning the commitment of coveted in-state prospect, Romeo Langford.
Georgia Tech-Northwestern and North Carolina-Michigan also faced off in the 2017 ACC/Big Ten Challenge and will do so again this year. Three teams will meet for the first time in challenge history as well:
- Minnesota Golden Gophers at Boston College Golden Eagles – Monday, Nov. 26
- Pittsburgh Panthers at Iowa Hawkeyes – Tuesday, Nov. 27
- Syracuse Orange at Ohio State Buckeyes – Wednesday, Nov. 28
For reference of which teams will be the best next season, seven ACC and three Big Ten teams are ranked in our Busting Brackets’ Way-Too-Early Top 25 preseason poll:
- No. 2 Duke (ACC)
- No. 7 Virginia (ACC)
- No. 8 North Carolina (ACC)
- No. 11 Michigan State (Big Ten)
- No. 13 Florida State (ACC)
- No. 15 Virginia Tech (ACC)
- No. 19 Clemson (ACC)
- No. 21 Michigan (Big Ten)
- No. 23 Syracuse (ACC)
- No. 25 Nebraska (Big Ten)
13 teams from both conferences competed in the 2018 NCAA Tournament; nine ACC and four Big Ten teams. After making the Final Four last year, the Michigan Wolverines probably have the biggest target on their back.
The ACC has won the last two challenges, including last year’s challenge with an 11-3 record. They have won 12 overall Commissioner’s Cups and the Big Ten has won five. There have also been two ties in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (2012 and 2013). Here’s a look at the 2018 matchups.