The Big Ten / ACC matchups were released today.
One of the most interesting and compelling matchups features Indiana at Syracuse on Dec. 3 in a rematch of their Sweet 16 matchup from Washington, D.C. won convincingly by the Orange. Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller will be gone from Indiana, and Michael Carter-Williams, Brandon Triche and James Southerland will be departed from the Orange. Syracuse returns C.J. Fair, an SNY Preseason All-America Third-Team pick, and both teams bring in strong recruiting classes.
Michigan at Duke on Dec. 3 features two of the top coaches in the land in John Beilein and Coach K, and two perennial powers who both lost to national champion Louisville in this year’s NCAA Tournament. Michigan has big men Mitch McGary, an SNY Preseason All-America First-Team pick and fourth-teamer Glenn Robinson III. Duke has third-teamer Rodney Hood and fourth-teamer Jabari Parker.
And North Carolina at Michigan State Dec. 4 features two of the top coaches in the country as well in Roy Williams and Tom Izzo. Carolina features fourth-teamer P.J. Hairston and is still in the mix for Andrew Wiggins, while Michigan State has All-America Second-Teamers Gary Harris and Adreian Payne.
Other compelling games include Florida State at Minnesota (especially if Wiggins picks the Seminoles); Illinois at Georgia Tech; Maryland at Ohio State; and Northwestern at N.C. State in new coach Chris Collins’s return to ACC country.
2013 BIG TEN/ACC CHALLENGE MATCHUPS
Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013
Penn State at Pitt
Florida State at Minnesota
Illinois at Georgia Tech
Indiana at Syracuse
Michigan at Duke
Notre Dame at Iowa
Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013
Boston College at Purdue
Maryland at Ohio State
Miami at Nebraska
North Carolina at Michigan State
Northwestern at North Carolina State
Wisconsin at Virginia
