Unranked Boilermakers, Hoosiers Help Big Ten top ACC in Annual Challenge
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Big Ten knocked off the ACC 8-6 in its annual college basketball showdown, and they did it with Indiana, Purdue and Ohio State all knocking off ranked teams with win Challenge.
This was the Big Ten's first win in four years. The two leagues tied last year and the ACC won the two previous seasons. But with this win, the Big Ten is now 6-2-3 in the last nine years after losing all of the first 10 challenges.
Here are this year's results, with AP poll rankings included:
Big Ten/ACC Challenge Results
- Monday, Dec. 2
- Minnesota 78, Clemson 60
- Miami 81, Illinois 79
- SERIES TIED 1-1
- Tuesday, Dec. 3
- Indiana 80, No. 17 Florida State 64
- No. 1 Louisville 58, No. 4 Michigan 43
- No. 10 Duke 87, No. 11 Michigan State 75
- Northwestern 82, Boston College 64
- Iowa 68, Syracuse 54
- Pittsburgh 71, Rutgers 60
- SERIES TIED 4-4
- Wednesday, Dec. 4
- Purdue 69, No. 5 Virginia 40
- No. 6 Ohio State 74, No. 7 North Carolina 49
- No. 3 Maryland 72, Notre Dame 51
- Penn State 76, Wake Forest 54
- Georgia Tech 73, Nebraska 56
- N.C. State 69, Wisconsin 54
- BIG TEN WINS 8-6
The swing games were against several of the ACC elite. That league has five ranked teams right now, but No. 5 Virginia, No. 7 North Carolina and No. 17 Florida State all lost. Two of those losses — Purdue over Virginia and Indiana over Florida State — came against unranked teams. No. 6 Ohio State crushed No. 7 North Carolina.
Even more impressive was how they won. Indiana won by 16, Purdue by 29 and Ohio State by 25.
Winning this event doesn't mean a lot at the moment, but it often comes down helping with seeding and end-of-the-line selections for the NCAA Tournament.
Bragging rights are good, too. It's the one time on the basketball calendar where all Big Ten teams are rooting for each other.
"It was also about trying to help the Big Ten. We talked a little bit about that,'' Purdue coach Matt Painter said. "It seems like, if you play that 9 o'clock game and it comes down to someone from your league needs to win. Let's put the 9 o'clock Big Ten guys in a better position by trying to win this game at 7:15.
"I think it was great that we were able to help the Big Ten.''
Related Items: Big Ten/ACC Challenge
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- Indiana beats No. 17 Florida State, 80-64: CLICK HERE FOR GAME STORY
- I'll take good with the bad with Devonte Green: CLICK HERE FOR COLUMN
- Purdue beats No. 5 Virginia: CLICK HERE FOR GAME STORY
- Stefanovic lights it up for Boilermakers in first start: CLICK HERE FOR COLUMN
