ACC Wins 2016 ACC/Big Ten Challenge: ACC Wins

The ACC needs to get back on the winning track. If the Big Ten wins it will be their third in a row. So far this season the ACC is 7-1 against the Big Ten, including 1-1 in the challenge. Tech helped add to that total with their most recent win over Nebraska. Another blessing for the ACC is that Boston College is sitting this one out, so the Big Ten doesn't get another gimme game there.

This season this is how the Challenge breaks down:

Games already played:

Florida State (6-1) beat Minnesota (6-1) 75 - 67. Freshmen Forward 6'10 Jonathan Isaac continues to tear up opponents, going for a double double with 14 points and 13 boards to lead FSU over Minnesota. Isaac has scored in double figures in all seven games for the Seminoles.

Northwestern (5-2) beat Wake Forest (5-2) 65-58 behind 23 points from Junior Guard Bryant McIntosh, with three other Wildcats also in double digits.

Games tonight:
All betting lines taken from ESPN Scoreboard, Favorite in Bold, My selection Pictured


Pittsburgh (5-1) at Maryland (7-0), 7 p.m., ESPN2 (-4.5)
This one has me leaning primarily because its a Maryland home game. The Terps have done well at home, even when needing to come back. They also stormed back late against Georgetown at the Verizon Center to win that rivalry game.


Georgia Tech (4-1) at Penn State(4-3), 7 p.m., ESPNU (-7)
I think Georgia Tech gets the upset here, as Penn State is relying on three freshmen starters but the key freshman in the game will likely be a Jacket, Guard Josh Okogie, who comes into this contest averaging 19 PPG, 5.6 RPG. Okogie put up a Tech freshman record 38 points against Tulane in Tech's last game out.


#22 Syracuse (4-1) at #17 Wisconsin (5-2), 7:30 p.m., ESPN (-6.5)
The Wisconsin monster lineup down low of Happ and Hayes combining for 24 points and 16 rebounds a game I think will be too much for the young Syracuse roster to handle.


Iowa (3-3) at Notre Dame (6-0), 9 p.m., ESPN2 (-11)
Fighting Irish shoot the three ball really well. Iowa is terrible at defending the perimeter. Game goes to the Irish unless the build a brick house.


NC State (5-1) at Illinois (4-3), 9 p.m., ESPNU (-1)
The Wolfpack pull one out on the road, putting on a show with their talented freshman point guard Dennis Smith putting up 19.9 PPG, one of five Wolfpack players averaging in double figures.


Michigan State (4-3) at #5 Duke (6-1), 9:30 p.m., ESPN (-12)
Just a bad year for Sparty so far with how both football and basketball are a bit off track. Not a good thing when you have to go into Cameron to take on Coach K and his Dukies. Could be a house of horrors game for Izzo and crew.

Games tomorrow:
No betting lines were available on ESPN for these games, My selection Pictured


#15 Purdue (5-1) at #14 Louisville (5-1), 7 p.m., ESPN
Toss up goes to the team that controls the ball better. Right now Purdue is 255th in turnovers, so Louisville pressures their way to a win in this one.


Virginia Tech (5-1) at Michigan (5-1), 7 p.m., ESPN2
This game comes down to who shoots better from behind the arc. Both teams live by it. Tech needs to press its ability to get to the line as Michigan has a weakness there. Essentially a toss up game though.


Rutgers (6-0) at Miami (4-2), 7 p.m., ESPNU
Miami this season has played tough games against top opponents while Rutgers has taken the powder puff trip through Candyland. The Hurricanes come in looking to bounce back from two tough losses to Iowa State and Florida at the Advocare Invitational. This game could get ugly with a hungry Hurricane team looking for some good memories.


#3 North Carolina (7-0) at #13 Indiana (4-1), 9 p.m., ESPN
At the beginning of the season this looked like the premier matchup of this Challenge, but then Indiana went and laid an egg against Fort Wayne. It still will be a close game with Indiana shooting from outside while North Carolina plays with a four guard lineup. Carolina comes in having run the doors off of Wisconsin in the championship game of the Maui Invitational 71-56. The tipping point is whether James Blackmon plays for Indiana. With him its a game, without it could be a mere snoozer late.


Ohio State (6-0) at #6 Virginia (6-0), 9 p.m., ESPN2
As much as it pains me to favor the Wahoos, LOLUVA comes in having held its opponents to a lowly 41.3 PPG, lowest in college basketball. Even against tougher opponents like Iowa and Providence on their way to winning the Emerald Coast Classic, they held those two opponents to a combined 93 points. Ohio State is a tougher matchup with much taller interior players and six players averaging in double figures but I think the Wahoos pressure defense wins out. Trevor Thompson averaging 10 points a game so far this season for OSU.


Nebraska (4-2) at Clemson (3-2), 9 p.m., ESPNU
This is another home team gets the edge in very similar opponents. This one could go either way. Some Hokies fans got to see what Nebraska has to offer as Tech beat them for third place in the Wooden Legacy. Clemson has one thing in its favor going into this game. Much more balanced scoring. The Tigers come in with six players averaging in double figures. The double edge to this though is that beyond that sixth man, there is only one other player averaging more than 1 point per game. Foul trouble could be extremely damaging to the Tigers hopes in this one. Clemson though should come in rested, having gone to a pre-Thanksgiving tournament, and has been at home since the 21st. Nebraska had to travel back from Anaheim, and then on to South Carolina in this one.

Looking at my picks they have come out very ACC homerish but I tried to take each game on its merits so I am predicting an ACC win in this Challenge with a record of 11-3. There are essentially four pick'em games so likely it falls more to the medium with some unexpected results here or there. Hopefully the ACC can do just enough to pull this one off and get back in the win column.

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I have no idea why my username is VT_Warthog.

Arkansas blew a 24-0 lead in the Belk Bowl.