BIG10/ACC Challenge

The Big Ten/ACC Challenge brings us some of the best non-conference college basketball match-ups of the year. For me, the Challenge always feels like the true kick off to the college basketball season. Sure the early season tournaments in places like Maui, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii are great, but they don’t offer the same excitement as a home crowd that has been revitalized by Thanksgiving Break.

This year’s Challenge offers some of the most exciting contests in recent history. The two best conferences in college basketball are full of ranked teams and programs with championship aspirations. This year’s Challenge is headlined by a Tuesday night match-up featuring (9) North Carolina and (2) Maryland. Both teams have dealt with unanticipated diversity through the early going, but both teams have conference championship and national championship goals on their radar.

The three night Challenge features two games on Monday and six games on both Tuesday and Wednesday. With each night I will provide my picks for the games. Picks are in bold.

Big Ten/ACC Challenge Schedule

Monday, Nov. 30
Wake Forest (4-2) (-6.5) at Rutgers (3-3), 7 ET, ESPN2  
Clemson (4-1) (Even) at Minnesota (4-2), 9 ET, ESPN2

Tuesday, Dec. 1
Michigan (4-2) at NC State (4-2), 7 ET, ESPN2
Northwestern (5-1) at Virginia Tech (4-2), 7ET, ESPNU
(12) Virginia (5-1) at Ohio State (2-3), 7:30 ET, ESPN
(15) Miami (5-1) at Nebraska (5-2), 9 ET, ESPNU
(16) Purdue (6-0) at Pittsburgh (3-0), 9 ET, ESPN2
(2) Maryland (6-0) at (9) North Carolina (5-1), 9:30 ET, ESPN

Wednesday, Dec. 2
Louisville (5-0) at (3) Michigan State (7-0), 7:15 ET, ESPN
Wisconsin (4-3) at Syracuse (6-0), 7:15 ET, ESPN2
Penn State(3-2) at Boston College (3-2), 7:15 ET, ESPNU
(13) Indiana (4-2) at (6) Duke (6-1), 9:15 ET, ESPN
(17) Notre Dame (4-2) at Illinois (3-4), 9:15 ET, ESPN2
Florida State (4-1) at Iowa (4-2), 9:15 ET, ESPNU

Grayson Gold-Garvey, Follow on Twitter, @TheGraygo