NCAA Basketball: ACC/Big Ten Challenge preview and predictions

NCAA Basketball: 2018 ACC/Big Ten Challenge preview and predictions

ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 23: Michigan Wolverines head Basketball Coach Jon Beilein watches the action during the first half of the game against the Chattanooga Mocs at Crisler Center on November 23, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Chattanooga Mocs 83-55. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – NOVEMBER 06: Mike Krzyewski the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils gives instructions to his team against the Kentucky Wildcats during the State Farm Champions Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on November 6, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

The ACC/Big Ten Challenge is renewed for its 20th season as two of the country’s biggest conferences have been going at it for a week in the non-conference schedule since 1999.

The ACC/Big Ten Challenge is a showdown for the Commissioner’s Cup. The ACC leads the all-time series 12-5-2 and 120-91 in games. Most recently, the ACC set a record for the most wins in a challenge by beating the Big Ten 11-3. It was not a good year overall for the Big Ten.

The first 10 challenges were won by the ACC. In 2009, it came down to the final two games. Unranked Wisconsin knocked off No. 6 Duke to tie the series and a little while later, Ohio State beat Florida State to finally give the Big Ten the Commissioner’s Cup. They went on a three-year winning streak. In fact, the next two years after that were ties which means the Big Ten retains possession of the Cup.

The Big Ten held the Commissioner’s Cup from 2009-2015. The ACC bounced back to win in 2016 and then lay the beat down in 2017. The only wins last year for the Big Ten was Purdue over Louisville, Nebraska over Boston College and Michigan State over Notre Dame.

Duke leads everyone with 17 wins and just two losses. Their only defeats have come to the Badgers in ’09 and Ohio State in 2011. There are five other ACC teams with double-digit wins in the Challenge. The Big Ten only has one team, Purdue with 10 wins and sevens losses. The Boilermakers and Nebraska are the only Big Ten teams with a winning record. The Cornhuskers are 4-3 since joining the league.

Maryland is a unique team. The Terrapins played in 15 challenge games as a member of the ACC. They joined the Big Ten five years ago. Their record was 10-5 with the ACC and are 0-4 in the Big Ten. Looks like their former league members are really giving it to the Terps.

This year should be a major improvement. The Big Ten has improved itself tremendously and the ACC features three out of the top-10 or so teams. There were six Big Ten teams and six ACC teams in the top-25. That means almost half of the rankings were consisted of teams from these two conferences. We’re going to kick things off on November 26 and conclude it on Wednesday, November 28. Here is your guide to the 14-game challenge which kicks off on Monday.