NCAA Basketball: Ranking the 2020 Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchups
4. Indiana at Florida State
We have a matchup of five-star freshmen to look forward to in this one, including Kristian Lander of Indiana and Scottie Barnes of Florida State. Besides them, there’s plenty of other talent that would be on the court. The Seminoles have MJ Walker and former JUCO guard Sardaar Calhoun, while Indiana has star power forward Trayce Jackson-Davis on the roster.
There’s a little more pressure on the road team to win this one, considering how deep the Big Ten is at the top. Both teams have new-looked rosters but the depth for the Seminoles and being at home should give them a slight edge.
Prediction: Florida State
3. North Carolina at Iowa
After a disastrous last season, the Tar Heels are looking to get back on the winning track. They’ll have a stacked frontcourt to lead the way with, including All-ACC forward Garrison Brooks and five-star freshmen Walker Kessler and Day’Ron Sharpe. Five-star guard Caleb Love is the key perimeter player to watch for them. He’ll be up against reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Luka Garza and a veteran group of guards for the Hawkeyes.
As great as Garza is, UNC is one of the few teams with enough depth inside to deal with him. However, the Tar Heels backcourt is still young and unproven, the opposite of what Iowa has now that Jordan Bohannon is back and healthy. That may make the difference, albeit in a different way than expected.