Previewing the ACC/Big 10 Challenge

I love ACC basketball.  I love this week.  I love this "challenge".

It's a lot like an all-star game where players who compete all season long suddenly find themselves lined up beside each other.  While each of the ACC teams have a lot at stake for their personal cause, the conference has a lot on the line as well.

The ACC/Big 10 Challenge will begin on Monday with one game and then pick up pace on Tuesday and Wednesday with 5 games each night. 

The marquee matchups are the 9 PM games on Tuesday and Wednesday night, although the UNC/Michigan St game looked a lot better before last week.  The Spartans were handled in an 18 point loss to Maryland in the Old Spice Classic. 

The other 9 PM game has Purdue hosting Duke in a true road test for the Blue Devils.  Duke has often been criticized for playing only games at neutral sites in non-conference play, but will get a chance to show their intestinal fortitude on Tuesday night.

Among the other games, the key matchups for ACC teams include FSU, Clemson, BC, and Maryland who are trying to prove to everyone that they are indeed contenders.  Each of those teams have their eyes set on an NCAA bid, and a win against a major conference team will go a long way.

The Wake Forest vs Indiana matchup has all the makings of a laugher, but watch out Demon Deacons.  Do not get overconfident, because you are NOT playing that well right now.  Odds are, Wake wins by 20, but Wake needs to get back to running and gunning like they did against UNCW.

As far as my predictions, I see the ACC winning this "challenge" 7-4 with UNC, FSU, Maryland, Wake Forest, BC, Duke, and Virginia Tech picking up wins.

Here are the matchups...