A peak ahead to ACC/Big Ten Challenge

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SelectionSunday

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It's way early, yes, and we still don't have enough data to get a solid read on most of the teams in the ACC & Big Ten. But revisiting the matchups now as opposed to a few months ago, this has a chance to be the most competitive & evenly matched series in the Challenge's history. I might not have said that a few months ago.

Not saying the Big 10 will win, but the matchups should offer some down-to-the-wire jobs and great entertainment for the fans. It looks to me like the folks who set up the matchups this year did a particularly good job. There should be no excuses from the Big 10, these matchups give them a shot to win it for the first time. The Big 10's likely best 2 squads (Sparty & Purdue) get to play the ACC heavyweights (UNC & Duke) either at home (Mackey Arena) or just down the road (Detroit).

Consider.

Clemson at Illinois -- slight edge Illini
Duke at Purdue -- toss-up
Florida State at Northwestern -- toss-up
Indiana at Wake Forest -- probably a Demon Deacons rout
Iowa at Boston College -- toss-up
Michigan at Maryland -- toss-up
Michigan State vs. North Carolina -- toss-up (it's in Detroit, no Zeller, Hansbrough?)
Ohio State at Miami -- toss-up
Penn State at Georgia Tech -- slight edge Ramblin' Wreck
Virginia at Gophers -- toss-up
Wisconsin at Virginia Tech -- toss-up

Really can't see any of these games being total blowouts, save for Wake Forest over Indiana.
 

I agree, it looks like an excellent chance for the Big 10 to win the Challenge this year. Certainly a lot can happen between now and then but a lot of things are set up in the Big 10's favor.
 

From my relative lack of knowledge concerning these two teams, I think FSU won't have too much of a problem against Northwestern.
 

FSU's 3 wins by a total of 8 points over Jacksonville, LaSalle (decent win) & Stetson leads me to believe the Wildcats can win this one. I wouldn't even be surprised if they're a slight favorite.
 

SelectionSunday said:
It's way early, yes, and we still don't have enough data to get a solid read on most of the teams in the ACC & Big Ten. But revisiting the matchups now as opposed to a few months ago, this has a chance to be the most competitive & evenly matched series in the Challenge's history. I might not have said that a few months ago.

Not saying the Big 10 will win, but the matchups should offer some down-to-the-wire jobs and great entertainment for the fans. It looks to me like the folks who set up the matchups this year did a particularly good job. There should be no excuses from the Big 10, these matchups give them a shot to win it for the first time. The Big 10's likely best 2 squads (Sparty & Purdue) get to play the ACC heavyweights (UNC & Duke) either at home (Mackey Arena) or just down the road (Detroit).

Consider.

Clemson at Illinois -- slight edge Illini
Duke at Purdue -- toss-up
Florida State at Northwestern -- toss-up
Indiana at Wake Forest -- probably a Demon Deacons rout
Iowa at Boston College -- toss-up
Michigan at Maryland -- toss-up
Michigan State vs. North Carolina -- toss-up (it's in Detroit, no Zeller, Hansbrough?)
Ohio State at Miami -- toss-up
Penn State at Georgia Tech -- slight edge Ramblin' Wreck
Virginia at Gophers -- toss-up
Wisconsin at Virginia Tech -- toss-up

Really can't see any of these games being total blowouts, save for Wake Forest over Indiana.
Click to expand...

I don't know how you can call our game with the cavaliers a toss up, especially with home barn advantage. And I know talk is cheap and doesn't matter, but looking at the top 144 at collegehoopsnet, it shouldn't be much of a contest with us at #52 and the cav's at #130. I predict a double digit margin of victory for us.
 


I really think predictions should require a prediction. Having a tossup on the majority of games is pretty weak but that is just me.
 

I recall thinking in most years most of the games are "toss-ups" and they seem to almost all go in the direction of the ACC. I want to win this thing, but all the borderline games seem to go against the Big 10. I guess I will believe it when I see it. UNC without their two big men seems to set up nicely for the Spartans, though. Is this the first time Puke has played a real road game in this thing? They seem to play the neutral site games pretty often.
 

"I really think predictions should require a prediction"

Those will come next week after we've digested a little more about all these teams.
 

Ok, here's my mostly ignorant predictions (next to Hodger's)

Clemson at Illinois -- slight edge Illini. HOme court gives it to Il
Duke at Purdue -- toss-up. Home court gives it to Purdue
Florida State at Northwestern -- toss-up. HOme court gives it to NW
Indiana at Wake Forest -- probably a Demon Deacons rout. Agree
Iowa at Boston College -- toss-up. IA doesn't have much--Tucker will be better guarded. BC going away.
Michigan at Maryland -- toss-up. HOme court gives it to MD
Michigan State vs. North Carolina -- toss-up (it's in Detroit, no Zeller, Hansbrough?). Detroit, but not at home. even without those two, just too much talent on NC.
Ohio State at Miami -- toss-up. HOme court not enough--OSU wins.
Penn State at Georgia Tech -- slight edge Ramblin' Wreck. Agree
Virginia at Gophers -- toss-up. Gophers a bit better team, and at home.
Wisconsin at Virginia Tech -- toss-up. HOme court not enough to compensate for Wiscy's better team.

Makes it 6-5 Big Ten.
 



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