Oct. 4, 2007
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Atlantic Coast Conference and Big Ten Conference unveiled the logo and television schedule for the inaugural Big Ten/ACC Women’s Basketball Challenge, as announced today by ACC Commissioner John Swofford and Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany.
Seven of the Challenge’s 11 games will be nationally televised, including four on the Big Ten Network, two on ESPN2 and one on ESPNU.
The 2007 Big Ten/ACC Challenge opens on Monday, Nov. 19, as Miami hosts Michigan at 7 p.m. ET. The first televised game is slated for Wednesday, Nov. 28, as Northwestern hosts Wake Forest at 6 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network. The Challenge continues that evening as Georgia Tech travels to Iowa for an 8 p.m. CT match up, which will also be aired by the Big Ten Network.
Three contests will take place on Thursday, Nov. 29, including two televised games; Clemson at Michigan State (8 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network) and Purdue at North Carolina (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2). The Tar Heels and Boilermakers last met in the Regional Finals of the 2007 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament with North Carolina advancing to the Final Four with an 84-72 victory.
Two additional Challenge games will be showcased on Friday, Nov. 30, as Florida State travels to Indiana for a 7 p.m. ET tilt (Big Ten Network), while Ohio State heads to Maryland for a 7 p.m. ET contest that will be aired by ESPNU.
The 2007 Big Ten/ACC Challenge concludes on Sunday, Dec. 2, with Duke at Penn State at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The Blue Devils and Lady Lions have faced each other more times than any of the Challenge’s other match ups with five all-time meetings.
Following this year’s inaugural Big Ten/ACC Challenge, the Challenge will match 11 teams from each conference in head-to-head competition traditionally on the first Wednesday, Thursday and Friday after Thanksgiving, following the men’s basketball Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The ACC will select its top 11 teams from its 12-team membership from the previous season.
In addition, the official title of the Challenge will rotate each year beginning with the 2007 Big Ten/ACC Women’s Basketball Challenge. The 2008 event will be referred to as the ACC/Big Ten Women’s Basketball Challenge and will continue to mirror the official title of the two conferences’ Challenge agreement for men’s basketball.
The Challenge logo will be used for the duration of the conferences’ original four-year agreement.
For more information about the Big Ten/ACC Women’s Basketball Challenge, including a complete schedule and television information, log on to www.TheACC.org.
