NCAA Basketball: Preview for the 2018 ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Illinois at Notre Dame – Nov. 27

In their first meeting since 2015, the Illinois Fighting Illini and Notre Dame Fighting Irish square off in the 2018 ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Both teams have met a total of 41 times in school history with Illinois holding a 27-14 record. Although, the Fighting Irish won the last meeting 84-79 on Dec. 2, 2015.

The odds don’t favor Notre Dame in the upcoming game. They will lose three contributing starters from their 2017-18 rotation. 6-foot-3 guard T.J. Gibbs should give their offense a solid lift as should 6-foot-6 wing Rex Pflueger. Pflueger produced 8.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while serving as the Fighting Irish’s best perimeter defender. His role should grow next season as a senior.

Illinois, on the other hand, returns freshman point guard Trent Frazier as well as forward Kipper Nichols. Frazier made the Big Ten All-Freshman Team after leading all freshmen in scoring (12.5 per game), assists (3.1 per game), steals (1.7 per game). Nichols was Illinois’ third-leading scorer (10.2 per game) and third-leading rebounder (4.2 per game) last season. He should be a solid contributor in 2018-19.

This should be another one of those back and forth battles between two well-coached teams. New stars should emerge in this one as anybody could win this matchup.