The Big Ten and Atlantic Coast conferences unveil the 14 games that will comprise the 11th annual challenge.
ROSEMONT, Ill. — For the 11th consecutive season, two of the nation’s premier women’s basketball conference will square off for hardwood bragging rights, as the matchups for the Big Ten/ACC Women’s Basketball Challenge were announced Wednesday. The annual challenge, which is scheduled to continue through the 2020-21 season, offers 14 high-quality matchups for the fourth consecutive season.
The Challenge takes place over two days in late November, beginning Wednesday, Nov. 29, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska and Rutgers playing host to ACC counterparts, while Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio State and Wisconsin venture on the road. The following night (Thursday, Nov. 30), Illinois, Indiana and Penn State will serve as host schools, while Michigan State, Northwestern and Purdue will play at ACC sites.
The ACC earned last year’s Challenge title by a 9-5 count after the Big Ten and ACC played to 7-7 ties during the previous two seasons (2014 and 2015). Last year, Maryland, Michigan, Northwestern, Penn State and Purdue registered wins for the Big Ten.
The Big Ten and ACC offices collaborate to determine the Challenge schedule each season. In addition, the official title of the Challenge rotates each year. The 2017 event will be referred to as the Big Ten/ACC Women’s Basketball Challenge and will continue to mirror the official title of the two conferences’ Challenge agreements for men’s basketball and softball.
The Big Ten and the ACC have been among the most competitive conferences on the national women’s basketball landscape for many years. The Big Ten sent four schools to the NCAA Tournament in 2017, as Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue all advanced to the national tournament, with Maryland and Ohio State reaching the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. Four other Big Ten squads (Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Penn State) participated in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT), with Michigan winning its first WNIT championship with an 89-79 triple-overtime win over ACC member Georgia Tech in the title game. Last season, the ACC saw seven women’s basketball programs selected to the NCAA Tournament, while four ACC schools competed in the WNIT.
Game times, as well as television and streaming video coverage, for this year’s Big Ten/ACC Women’s Basketball Challenge will be announced at a later date. The complete schedule of home/away matchups can be found below.
Wednesday, Nov. 29
Florida State at Iowa
Maryland at Virginia
Notre Dame at Michigan
Minnesota at North Carolina
Wisconsin at Pittsburgh
Thursday, Nov. 30
Virginia Tech at Illinois
Louisville at Indiana
Michigan State at Miami
Clemson at Nebraska
Northwestern at Syracuse
Ohio State at Duke
Wake Forest at Penn State
Purdue at Georgia Tech
N.C. State at Rutgers