It's become a tradition unlike any other. No, I'm not Jim Nantz talking about The Masters. I'm referring to a college basketball staple that goes all the way back to the late '90s. Over the next three nights, teams from two of the biggest and best conferences will come together for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Eleven games will decide which region will claim bragging rights for the next 300 and some odds days. And in those eleven matchups, here are some of the highlights:
The Opener: Penn State at Virginia
Tony Bennett has made a splash in his first few games as the Cavaliers coach, losing on the road at South Florida and Stanford. This will be the first big-name opponent he'll host since moving to Charlottesville. It will be interesting to see how Bennett's style will work across the ACC, but if the last two NCAA tournaments are any indication, this style might be more suitable for Big Ten teams to handle.
Penn State hasn't faced the quality of opposition that Virginia has, meaning this will be the season's first test for the Nittany Lions (they went 1-2 at the Charleston Classic, barely beating Davidson for seventh place). This isn't the same team that won the latest postseason NIT, but a couple of starters from that team are back. If the people in State College hope to see more postseason basketball in 2010, a win here would be a step in the right direction.
The Headliner: Michigan State at North Carolina
The juiciness of this contest is everywhere. A rematch of last season's National Championship Game. An ultimate shot at revenge, and a proving ground, for the Spartans. A chance for the Tar Heels to rebound from the loss to Syracuse in New York. Another showcase of MSU's returning talent and UNC's emerging front-court star power.
In terms of the near future, this matchup could be a "better win" for either side. Carolina continues their brutal non-conference slate, as three of the next four are against top-flght opponents (at Kentucky, vs. Texas). On the other hand, Michigan State won't plan on much more heft out of conference. Except for a trip to Austin on December 22nd, the Spartans won't have many other chances for quality wins to impress any selection committee members.
The Sleeper: Minnesota at Miami
Just like Penn State, the Challenge will present the Hurricanes with their toughest test to date. Also like the Lions, Miami played down in South Carolina at the Charleston Classic. Unlike PSU, the 'Canes won the tournament and remain undefeated going into Tuesday's showdown. People are pegging Minnesota as a tourney team, so a victory here could go a long way on South Beach.
The Gophers just got done with a tourney of their own out West in Anaheim. Tubby Smith's squad got an impressive win in the quarters over highly-ranked Butler. But consecutive losses to Portland and Texas A&M have put more emphasis on a good performance against a surprising ACC team. This could also be the last game that might trip up Minnesota before going to Purdue on January 6th. After Miami, the Gophers get the next six at home, then play at Iowa.
The Potential Blowout: Virginia Tech at Iowa
The Hawkeyes dropped their first two games to UT-San Antonio and Duquesne ... in Iowa City. Add in the fact that they got housed by Texas and Wichita State in Kansas City. Looking at those results, any team from the ACC might be licking their chops to play at Iowa. That's all I can say.
This game barely made it over Maryland going to Indiana. The Hoosiers did not impress in an eighth-place (i.e. last) finish at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. But at least there haven't been any shockers in Bloomington ... yet.
The Under-the-Radar: Northwestern at N.C. State
Alongside Miami, N.C. State has to be one of the surprises of the young season. The Wolfpack swept through the much less heralded Glenn Wilkes Classic, surviving Auburn in the final. Other than that, there's not much to note in the team's 5-0 record. But expectations might be fraying nerves. Sidney Lowe is in his fourth season at his alma mater, and after 20 wins in year one, he's gone .500 the last two campaigns. This year may be his last to get a tournament bid together.
And into all that expectation comes Northwestern. Execpt for a loss to Butler, the Wildcats are off to a fast start. After taking down Notre Dame and Iowa State in Chicago over the weekend, the purple and white sit at 5-1. As noted in an earlier column, Northwestern is trying to earn their first ever NCAA tournament bid. Now that they have a couple of solid neutral court wins on the resume (it wasn't technically on their home court in Evanston), they can focus on a solid road victory to puff up their chances.
There have been interesting matchups across the board for each Challenge, and this one is no different. Can Duke shooters overcome Wisconsin's rugged defense? Will Florida State build on their tournament win in Orlando and beat a good Ohio State squad in Columbus? Can Wake Forest recover from a shocking defeat to William & Mary by upsetting Purdue on the road?
But all of these questions pale in comparison to the big one...can the Big Ten finally win the Commissioner's Cup? The first 10 (TEN!) have resided on the East Coast. Now, does the Midwest have enough will to steal the Cup from where everyone says is its rightful home? Here's my take:
Virginia def. Penn State
Maryland def. Indiana
Michigan State def. North Carolina
Northwestern def. N.C. State
Virginia Tech def. Iowa
Purdue def. Wake Forest
Michigan def. Boston College
Duke def. Wisconsin
Ohio State def. Florida State
Clemson def. Illinois
Minnesota def. Miami
By the slimmest of margins, the Challenge will go to the way of the Big Ten. I hope the Commissioner's Cup likes making snow trophies.
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