2012 ACC-Big 10 Challenge: Indiana to Host UNC, Duke to Host Ohio State

ESPN announced the games for the 14th annual ACC-Big 10 Challenge taking place in November 2012. As would be expected the lineup has some great match ups between quite a few likely to be top ranked men's college basketball teams. 

Yahoo! Sports recently projected the Big 10 to hold its position as the No. 1 conference based off of RPI rankings in the 2012-13 season. According to Yahoo!’s Mike Huguenin, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio State will be the Big 10 teams contending for the league title in 2012-13.

Huguenin has the ACC at No. 5 behind No. 4 SEC, No. 3 Big 12, and No. 2 Big East in his predicted league ranking. Duke, North Carolina and North Carolina State are the three teams predicted to be the league title contenders in 2012-13.

Here we breakdown the 2012 ACC-Big 10 Challenge lineup along with some early pre-season ranking info on several of these teams projected to be in the top 25. (Yahoo!’s preseason top 25 posted on May 4, 2012 can found by clicking here. ESPN’s preseason top 25 posted on April 12, 2012 can be found by clicking here.)

November 27, 2012 Games:

North Carolina at Indiana: Last season, Indiana went 27-9 overall and 2-1 in the NCAA tournament. With the squads top scorers all returning and a top recruiting class both Yahoo! and ESPN have Indiana ranked as No. 1.

North Carolina went 32-6 overall and 3-1 in the 2012 NCAA tournament. The Tar Heels will be losing several key players, but are bringing in some top recruits to balance things out. Yahoo! ranks UNC No. 8, while ESPN ranks the Tar Heels No. 13. 

North Carolina State at Michigan: North Carolina State went 24-13 overall and 2-1 in the 2012 NCAA tournament. With several top scorers returning and some top recruits coming in Yahoo! ranks NC State No. 5, and ESPN ranks them No. 6.

Michigan went 24-10 overall, and 0-1 in the 2012 NCAA tournament. With some key players returning and lots incoming top recruits Yahoo! ranks Michigan at No. 6. ESPN ranks the Wolverines No. 5.

Minnesota at Florida State: Minnesota went 23-15 overall and lost to Stanford in the 2012 NIT Championship Game.  With their top scorers all coming back ESPN ranks Minnesota No. 25. Florida State went 25-10 overall and lost to Cincinnati in the 2012 NCAA tournament.   

Maryland at Northwestern: Maryland went 17-15 overall in 2011-12. Northwestern went 19-14 overall and lost to Washington in the 2012 NIT. 

Iowa at Virginia Tech: Iowa went 18-17 overall and lost to Oregon in the 2012 NIT. Virginia Tech went 16-17 overall in 2011-12.

Nebraska at Wake Forest: Nebraska went 12-18 overall in 2011-12. Wake Forest went 13-18 overall in 2011-12. 

November 28, 2012 Games:

Ohio State at Duke: Ohio State went 31-8 overall and 4-1 in the 2012 NCAA tournament. Ohio State will be losing some key players in 2012, but will have several returning along with some looking to play a larger roll on the squad. Yahoo! ranks Ohio State No. 12 and ESPN ranks the Buckeyes No. 8.

Duke went 27-7 overall and 0-1 in the 2012 NCAA tournament. Duke will be returning some key players along with bringing in some talent. Yahoo! ranks Duke No. 16 and ESPN ranks the Blue Devils No. 15.

Virginia at Wisconsin: Virginia went 22-10 overall in 2011-12. Wisconsin went 26-10 and 2-1 in the 2012 NCAA tournament. The Badgers are returning most of their key players and bringing in some talent. Yahoo! ranks Wisconsin No. 25 and ESPN ranks them No. 22.

Michigan State at Miami: Michigan State went 29-8 overall and 2-1 in the 2012 NCAA tournament. The Spartans will be losing some key talent, while maintaining some and bringing more in. Yahoo! ranks Michigan State No. 20 and ESPN ranks them No. 9. Miami went 20-13 and lost to Minnesota in the 2012 NIT.

Purdue at Clemson: Purdue went 22-13 overall and lost to Kansas in the 2012 NCAA tournament. Clemson went 16-15 overall in 2011-12.

Georgia Tech at Illinois: Georgia Tech went 11-20 overall in 2011-12. Illinois went 17-15 in 2011-12.

Boston College at Penn State: Boston College went 9-22 overall in 2011-12. Penn State went 12-20 in 2011-12.

You can read the Associated Press/ESPN announcement for the 2012 ACC-Big Ten Challenge by clicking here.