There are a bunch of new “challenges” throughout NCAA Basketball in the past few years but the old one that has stayed throughout is the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, pitting programs from both the ACC and Big Ten Conferences and seeing who wins the most each season.
Last year, the Big Ten got out to a big lead in the first days of the challenge and while the ACC did cut into it at the end, the Big Ten ultimately won the series, 8-6. There were a number of close games throughout, including Syracuse scoring 112 points to beat Indiana in double-overtime and NC State beating Nebraska in 4OT. Of the 14 games, nine of them ended up within five points.
This year’s set of games has some familiar matchups, with some being rematches of recent challenge games. The lone ACC team excluded from the event is NC State after finishing last in the standings last season. Yet in the first few weeks of the season, the Wolfpack have looked like a team in the top half of the league. There certainly are a few that looks like clear bottom-half teams.
Meanwhile, the Big Ten has once again looked strong in the non-conference, winning a few tournaments and beating several ranked opponents already. On paper, the Big Ten should have the edge over the ACC in the games for this weekend but as the first few weeks in NCAA Basketball have already shown, unexpected things can happen.
Here’s a preview of each of the games, as well as a prediction of who will win.