Lance Thomas, Nolan Smith and Mason Plumlee
The Big Ten-ACC Challenge begins in earnest tonight, the 11th installment of the annual ACC beatdown of the Big Ten throwdown between the two conferences. The Big Ten was one game away from winning it last year. Does it get over the hump in 2009? Unfortunately, it’s unlikely.
Penn State and Virginia (one of these two teams always plays the Monday night, scoff-inducing game that starts this ESPN-driven battle between the two leagues) will tip off at 8 ET on ESPN2 tonight to get this all going.
It was less than a month ago that the Big Ten was thought of as the most powerful conference in the country. What about now? Indiana wasn’t expected to be good, but it’s still stuck in the mud. Illinois has dropped two straight. Northwestern isn’t nearly the team it could be now that Kevin Coble is done for the season. Michigan is proving it needs Manny Harris more than any team might need any other player.
And around the country, the Big East started out something like 158-0 to begin the season, and has that conference even reached 10 total losses yet? The Big 12 also has a boatload of teams who can claim turf at the top of the mountain.
And, as you can see, the Big Ten lacks a lot of that fresh, exotic young talent that has so frequently catapulted many a team into relevancy. The Big Ten is experienced, sure, but does it have a whole lot that ACC teams will have trouble scouting?
As usual, the problem with the Big Ten winning this “Challenge” this year isn’t the quality of teams; it’s the matchups. Duke looked better than its then-No. 7 ranking implied when it humbled UConn with its size. North Carolina is still intimidating, despite losing four players to the NBA.
Mike Davis (did you even know who this was?) and Illinois have dropped two straight and now get No. 18 Clemson on the road.
Who gets the edge in which games? I’ll decide! (Taking Virginia in tonight’s game.)
TUESDAY:
Maryland at Indiana. It’d be a great win, and I wouldn’t put it past Tom Crean to out-coach Gary Williams in this kind of spot. That said, the Terps have to feel the urgency right now after falling on their face in Maui. Indiana doesn’t have the athletes. Edge: ACC.
Virginia Tech at Iowa. Hawkeyes might be worse than the Hoosiers. A 10-win season is the unspoken goal. Edge: ACC.
UNC vs. Michigan State. If you recall, North Carolina won this won easily last year, 98-63. We’re talking about the game before the national championship, of course. ESPN News threw up a stat over the weekend that stated the Spartans have lost 15 of their last 18 regular-season games against ranked opponents on the road. In a game of clashing styles, I’d expect Roy Williams to really challenge Larry Drew II. I think he’ll saunter up to him, wearing that clunky sling, and say, ‘Larry, I want you to show Kalin Lucas who the best guard on the floor is tonight.’ Lucas is the better guard, of course, but that doesn’t mean Williams won’t try and push the issue. UNC loves to run by nature; MSU doesn’t. And it could be weird if you see a stat line that reads something like this at the end of the night: Rebounds: North Carolina 48, Michigan State 33. It could happen. Edge: ACC.
Northwestern at N.C. State. Wildcats owned Notre Dame by 14 points last week. I still think Tournament hopes fade by mid-January, and this could be a rough, rough road game for them. Again, it’s the matchup problem. Who on Northwestern will contain the Wolfpack’s Tracy Smith (16 points, 10.4 boards/game)? If this one’s in Evanston, Ill., I’d probably go with Northwestern. N.C. State could open some eyes with a convincing win here. Edge: ACC.
Wake Forest at Purdue. Easiest call of them all: Purdue wins by at least 15. Edge: Big Ten.
WEDNESDAY:
Illinois at Clemson. The Illini came out of the Thanksgiving weekend looking a lot less confident and able than Clemson did. Tigers should be too fast and too overwhelming at home. Don’t like Illinois on the road in this spot at all. Edge: ACC.
Florida State at OSU. Great, great game. Gottlieb recently said an ACC coaching staff told him over the summer Florida State has the best athletes of any team in the conference. Ear-turning statement, to say the least. Toney Douglas is gone, guys! But the Seminoles are now ranked and will probably attempt to trap the hell out of Evan Butler. I do like the Buckeyes, but this game is a total toss-up. Edge: Big Ten.
Boston College at Michigan. This is the most intriguing game of them all, to me. Don’t know what to make of Boston College. You might think Michigan is the better team when you put starting five against starting five, but B.C. has five players averaging double digits. I smell overtime. Edge: Big Ten.
Duke at Wisconsin. The Badgers always find a way to make it to The Tournament, but if this team thought it was going to be able to scoot by and out-bang the Blue Devils en route to a 57-53 kind of win, that dream is now dead. Duke is physical and willing to play in the paint. Edge: ACC.
Minnesota at Miami. If the Golden Gophers fall on the road here, I won’t be surprised. Giving them the benefit of the doubt against an undefeated ‘Canes team, but this is a “prove it” game for Tubby Smith’s team. Edge: Big Ten.
Overall: ACC 7, Big Ten 4.
