Give them their credit, the Big Ten won the ACC/B1G Challenge. The final tally was 8-6, but all things considered, the tally could have been much worse. If UNC or Clemson holds serve at home, the Challenge ends in a draw. If both manage to win, the ACC wins the challenge. I'm afraid the early lead the Big Ten held will have an effect though with regard to perception of conference strength. Of course, when you drill down into the matchups, the top of the ACC performed just fine.
ACC will lose to B1G in the challenge, but did go 5-2 in the "big match ups". Top appears strong.
— CrumsRevenge (@CrumsRevenge) December 4, 2014
Let's rundown last night's games quickly...
- I said yesterday a win for the Irish would go a long way in March come NCAA Selection time, and they managed to pull it out in OT. Jerian Grant is the best player in the ACC no one talks about. He's now averaging 19.5 points and 7 assists per game while shooting 58% from the field and 37% from long range. If he played for any of the blue bloods, he'd be getting POY hype.
- The Hokies had a few too many dry spells on offense on the road at Penn State. There a much better team when Adam Smith is hitting from long range, Smith was just 0-4 from 3 in the loss.
- While UNC is a more diverse offensive team than last season, Wednesday night proved they're still not immune to Marcus Paige shooting poorly. Paige made just 4-16 attempts, 3-12 from 3 point range in UNC's 60-55 loss. UNC is typically known for their rebounding presence, but the Heels allowed Iowa to dominate the offensive glass grabbing 44% of their own misses.
- Virginia went to Maryland and beat a Terps team by double-figures that is playing without Dez Wells. Malcolm Brogdon led the way with the 18 points in the victory. UVA wasn't particularly good on defense, posting a defensive efficiency of 111 against the Terps. Of course, Virginia's offensive efficiency of 129 made that a moot point. Justin Anderson rolled an ankle in the game, but reports have him walking on it after the game fine.
- Georgia Tech started the game on fire and led by 13 at half. Northwestern made it a game late, but the Yellow Jackets made enough plays and managed to win 66-58. Charles Mitchell led a balanced attack with 13 points, while Josh Heath was particularly impressive off the bench making all 6 field goal attempts and finishing with 12 points and 5 assists.
- Duke made a statement winning 80-70 on the road at Wisconsin. The freshmen reiterated that they will be unphased regardless of environment and opponent. While the focus was on Jahlil Okafor and Frank Kaminsky early in the game, it was clear that the Duke guards were the difference. Tyus Jones continued his uncanny ability of knowing when he needs to be more aggressive and when to defer. Jones finished with 22 points and 4 assists in the victory.
No ACC games tonight, but some good games across college basketball. The SEC/Big12 Challenge kicks off, with the best game of the night being Arkansas playing at Iowa State. Check out the predictions, links, and more below.
View more predictions at NCAAGameSim.com
| Team | Conf | Pct | Overall | Pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 0-0 | 1.000 | 8-0 | 1.000 |
| Duke | 0-0 | 1.000 | 8-0 | 1.000 |
| Virginia | 0-0 | 1.000 | 8-0 | 1.000 |
| Louisville | 0-0 | 1.000 | 6-0 | 1.000 |
| Notre Dame | 0-0 | 1.000 | 7-1 | 0.875 |
| Georgia Tech | 0-0 | 1.000 | 6-1 | 0.857 |
| NC State | 0-0 | 1.000 | 6-1 | 0.857 |
| Syracuse | 0-0 | 1.000 | 5-2 | 0.714 |
| UNC | 0-0 | 1.000 | 5-2 | 0.714 |
| Clemson | 0-0 | 1.000 | 4-3 | 0.571 |
| Pittsburgh | 0-0 | 1.000 | 4-3 | 0.571 |
| Virginia Tech | 0-0 | 1.000 | 4-3 | 0.571 |
| Wake Forest | 0-0 | 1.000 | 4-4 | 0.500 |
| Boston College | 0-0 | 1.000 | 3-3 | 0.500 |
| FSU | 0-0 | 1.000 | 3-4 | 0.429 |
Links
- Duke Topples #2 Wisconsin 80-70; Tyus Explodes, Rasheed Resurfaces
- No. 4 Duke upsets No. 2 Wisconsin in ACC/Big Ten Challenge
- No. 2 Wisconsin loses 80-70 to No. 4 Duke
- Duke beats Wisconsin but Big Ten wins 'Challenge' 8-6
- Duke Wins Showdown With Wisconsin
- No. 2 Badgers fall to Duke, lose chance at top-five win
- Tyus Jones upstages big men in Duke's win over Wisconsin
- Tyus Jones, No. 4 Duke unflappable in road win over No. 2 Wisconsin
- Duke knocks off Wisconsin in Madison
- Georgia Tech hangs on for 66-58 win over Northwestern
- Cavs' Anderson still learning to fit in
- No flash, just Virginia basketball
- Hey Joe: What we learned about MSU hoops so far
- Gesell's late basket helps Iowa stun No. 12 North Carolina
- Iowa stops UNC in ACC-Big Ten Challenge
- UNC whistle-blowers discuss academic scandal
- Deacons paying price for defensive lapses
- No. 7 Virginia dispatches No. 21 Maryland, improves to 8-0
- Lack of depth hurts No. 21 Terps in 76-65 loss to No. 7 Virginia
- Cavs are too much for Terps
- Cavaliers poised against a familiar foe
- Williams sees familiar problem in No. 12 UNC's 60-55 loss to Iowa
- Cavaliers shell Terrapins, 76-65
Yesterday's Games
| Matchup | |
|---|---|
| Michigan State 78 @ Notre Dame 79 | Box |
| Virginia Tech 58 @ Penn State 61 | Box |
| Iowa 60 @ UNC 55 | Box |
| Georgia Tech 66 @ Northwestern 58 | Box |
| Virginia 76 @ Maryland 65 | Box |
| Duke 80 @ Wisconsin 70 | Box |
Today's Games
| Time | Matchup | TV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No Games on the Schedule | |||
 Injury Report |
|---|
| Darryl Hicks (BC) |
| Out - knee surgery, is out indefinitely |
| Idy Diallo (BC) |
| Out - knee surgery, is out indefinitely |
| KC Caudill (BC) |
| Out - knee surgery, is out indefinitely |
| Lonnie Jackson (BC) |
| Out - strained calf, is out indefinitely |
| Aaron Thomas (FS) |
| Out - dizziness, is out indefinitely |
| Devon Bookert (FS) |
| Out - foot, is out indefinitely |
| Shaqquan Aaron (LO) |
| Out - eligibility, is out indefinitely |
| Terry Rozier (LO) |
| Probable - bruised left pinky finger, is probable for Friday's game against FIU |
| Davon Reed (MI) |
| Out - left leg surgery, will miss at least 2-4 months |
| Ivan Cruz Uceda (MI) |
| Out - eligibility, will be eligible to return on 1/13 against Duke |
| Luke Davis (NC) |
| Out - right foot surgery, will miss at least 2-3 months |
| Cameron Wright (PI) |
| Out - left foot surgery, will miss at least 1-2 months |
| Durand Johnson (PI) |
| Suspended - disciplinary, will miss the entire season |
| DaJuan Coleman (SY) |
| Out - left knee surgery, is out indefinitely |
| Daniel Green (WF) |
| Out - knee surgery, is out indefinitely |
