2015 ACC-Big Ten Challenge Pairings Announced
With college basketball nearly six months away, the annual ACC-Big Ten Challenge already has its matchups set as the two conference heavyweights go toe-to-toe once again.
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ESPN put out the pairings in a press release, announcing dates and times for the three-day event that jumpstarts the college basketball regular season.
Many of the pairings provide interesting matchups for both conference and three of the four participants of last year’s Final Four, but it’s the pairings for schools in the Tar Heel State that have everyone buzzing.
Speaking of Tar Heels, they’ll lock up with former ACC foe Maryland on December 1 at home as part of the series. It’ll mark the first time that the Heels and Terps have gotten together since February of 2013, a game in which North Carolina won 75-63. With Maryland now reloaded and with former Duke guard Rasheed Sulaimon in tow, it could prove a good early test for Roy Williams’s squad.
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Garnet and Cocky
That same night, NC State will host Michigan in a matchup of dark horses in each conference. The Wolfpack have many returning pieces including Cat Barber, while the Wolverines are coming off a .500 campaign and are still looking to climb the ladder in the Big Ten.
Duke will host Indiana the next night inside Cameron Indoor in what should be, again, another big test for a newer-looking Blue Devil team that boasts a top-rated recruiting class. The Hoosiers look to be a strong contender in the Big Ten once again, with the returning Yogi Ferrell in the lineup.
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Busting Brackets
Backtracking a bit, two games kick off the event on November 30, including a matchup for Wake Forest as they travel to Rutgers to take on the Scarlet Knights. Both teams spent last season near the bottom of their respective conferences, but with the latter trying to recover after losing many pieces.
Other standout matchups include Virginia traveling to Ohio State on Nov. 30, Louisville taking on Michigan State and Notre Dame heading to Illinois, both on Dec. 2.
What do you think FanSiders? What’s the most intriguing matchup to you? Let us know!