ACC/Big Ten Challenge: 2006

[doublee]

Round one is in the books with NC State holding on to knock off Michigan 74-67. I was impressed with how the undermanned Wolfpack battled in this one. Michigan couldn't hit anything from the field and NCSU just outhustled them most of the night. It looks like NC State has a winner in Sidney Lowe he had his kids ready to play tonight and they never gave up even though it looked like they were getting pretty gassed the last 10 minutes of the game. NC State may not be a tourney team but they probably won't lose many due to lack of effort.

[buckeyefan78]

How bad is this gonna be for us? I'm not that big on college b-ball but word is the Big Ten is down this year.

[HibachiDG]

I think Maryland/Illinois might be interesting tonight...Illinois might be crushed, but it'll be interesting to see how quickly they can regroup.

Ohio St/UNC tomorrow should be good.

In general, though, I don't think we'll be able to take it this year. Iowa, Wisconsin and MSU should/can win. PSU, Purdue, Minnesota should lose. Indiana has a tough draw with Duke, not sure how good Indiana is this year. Miami/Northwestern, I have no idea about.

[doublee]

The Big Ten has never been able to take it.

Illinois/Maryland should be an interesting one as both teams seem to be playing better than expected.

Indiana/Duke will be an interesting one as I don't think Duke is that good just yet.

[doublee]

The ACC takes three of five with Ga Tech, Duke, and Maryland all winning and Wisconsin and Northwestern winning for the Big Ten.

So far the ACC holds a 4-2 lead with five to go. Tomorrows matchups should be interesting. Michigan State should beat BC and Clemson will likely beat Minnesota. I'll give UVA the slight edge over Purdue as they have beaten the only ranked team they have played while Purdue has lost its only game against a ranked opponene. Iowa/Va Tech is a tossup and I think UNC/OSU is a toss up as well.

[UK_Cat]

The ACC is definitely stronger top to bottom--but dont jump to conclusions on the Mich St/BC game.
BC hit a very bad 2 game skid last week with 2 ugly losses--but they are a strong club with much preseason hype.

[Alex]

Penn State lost to Georgia Tech but this program is about to turn the corner. With the Big Ten very down this year, don't be surprised to see the Nittany Lions in the Big Dance. For the first time in many years, Penn State fans are expecting more out of the this team than just hoping to stay out of last place. When Geary Claxton is back playing at 100%, this team could be pretty good.

[HibachiDG]

That loss to Stony Brook getting folks excited?

[Marc]

Is there any doubt that the SEC is the top conference in the nation? Two Final Four teams return most of their talent. The league is stacked!

[doublee]

Well the ACC does have more ranked teams right now than the SEC does 5 to 3 and Kentucky and Tennessee have not lived up to the preseason hype as of yet.

[Marc]

Kentucky had no preseason hype and had two tough games in Maui. They'll be back, believe me. They went to the wire against a top team in UCLA and did the same with Memphis before imploding in the second half ... three games in 60 hours was too much, apparently. Again, to clarify my statement, I think the SEC will be the top conference at the end of the season. Standings right now mean little.

[doublee]

Well they were ranked prior to going to Maui so someone thought they were a pretty solid squad. Standings do mean something at this stage as this is the time when you establish yourself against other conferences. When your ranked teams are stepping out of conference and losing against other ranked teams it does not exactly speak volumes for the strength of the conference.

[Alex]

That loss to Stony Brook getting folks excited?

No, but the wins over Bucknell and St. Joe's are. As is the near upset of Georgia Tech on the road. DeChellis has basically built this program up from nothing. Penn State basketball is Indiana football- some success but really just constant failure.

The Lions aren't going to be winning the national title any time soon but this team is definitely close to being an NCAA tournament team. If they're not there this season, definitely next year with Claxton as a senior and Cornley as a junior plus one of Penn State's best recruiting classes in quite awhile. Both recruits, Jeff Brooks out of Louisville and Talor Battle from Albany, were actually wanted by other major conference programs. That's a big step up. In DeChellis' first couple of years we were battling the A-10 schools for talent. Now we're taking on the middle of the pack major conference schools.

DeChellis has the program headed in the right direction. :thumbup:

[UK_Cat]

Who in the HECK is STONY BROOK ?? What division are they ?

A big ten school losing to such ??

By the way...I called that BC/MichSt game last night...no props ?? I quess Ill pat myself then.....:D

[Alex]

D1 school in America East. Ugly loss but it happens. Boston College lost to Vermont so the AE schools beating major conference opponents isn't unprecedented.

[grizzle_810]

will the big ten ever get close to the ACC in the challenge? acc has been mopping the court with the big ten as of late. big ten needs to get their collective shiz together, pronto.