NCAA Basketball: Ranking the 2020 Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchups
12. Penn State and Virginia Tech
After a complete rebuilding year, Virginia Tech hopes that transfers Keve Aluma and Justyn Mutts can provide them the size and balance in the frontcourt that they were missing. The good news for them is that Penn State just lost its starting frontcourt (Mike Watkins and Lamar Stevens) to graduation and will be a bit smaller themselves.
If the game does get decided in the backcourt, then the Hokies have the advantage. Between Kansas State grad transfer Cartier Diarra, Jalen Cone, and Nahiem Alleyne, there’s plenty of scoring firepower. The Nittany Lions have a returning double-digit scorer in Myreon Jones but will need improvement from Myles Dread and Izaiah Brockington to keep the team in contention for each game.
Prediction: Virginia Tech
11. Boston College at Minnesota
The intrigue of this game doesn’t just come on the court but on the sidelines, with a pair of head coaches viewed to be squarely on the hot seat. Jim Christian of Boston College hasn’t been able to get them out of the bottom-tier of the ACC, while the up-and-down inconsistencies of the Gophers have Richard Pitino on the chopping block.
Both teams have added a number of transfers, including center Liam Robbins to Minnesota and Rich Kelly to Boston College. With star point guard Marcus Carr back for another season, the Gophers present a powerful starting lineup. If they can get some bench production, they’ll beat not only the Eagles but others in the Big Ten.