2015-2016 Schedule Speculation (Challenge game is home vs. Indiana)

[SCMatt33]

Andy Katz just told the Indiana fan base that he expects Indiana at Duke to be one of the two marquee matchups in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge:

http://www.crimsonquarry.com/2015/5/...uke-in-big-ten

He expects Maryland at UNC as the other biggie. Interesting because by strict rotation (which they don't always follow), UNC is due a road game next season. But we got two home games in a row a few years ago, so it's possible. The other three teams he mentioned are right -- Duke is due a home game; Indiana and Maryland are due road games.

Of course, that's just Katz's opinion -- but since he's ESPN's chief basketball reporter and ESPN is running this thing, it's a pretty good chance he knows what he's talking about.

So if you watch the video, which is simply Katz's daily "3-point shot" segment, he acknowledges that his guesses are pure speculation on his part. He also says that the match-up would "most likely" be at Cameron because Duke was on the road last year, but falls short of outright predicting it. He also talks extensively about the possibility of Duke-Maryland, but his "gut" is that it won't happen because there are other attractive match-ups out there. Another note, if you go back to his 3-point shot segment from Monday, he talks about Wisconsin's schedule for the upcoming year, including his guesses that there will be a Duke/VCU and Wisconsin/Georgetown pairing for the 2K, and that he's guessing Wisconsin at Syracuse for the challenge.

[ACCBBallFan]

ACCBballFan - UVA at 7th?

My method tends to favor teams that recruit Top 30 guys and undervalue programs like UVA and Wisc that get more out of lower ranked guys.

I have appended the ESPN and CBS way too early Top 25 if you want to reorder. By coincidence 3 matchups remain the same - UNC, Duke and FSU

ACC - Big 10

UNC (1-2) - MD (2-4)

Duke (6-7) - Ind (13-14)

Lville (21-NR)- Mich St (8-12)

FSU (25-35) - tOSU (NR)

Cuse (NR) - Mich (19-26)

N Dame (13- NR)- Purdue (29-NR)

UVA (5-7) - Illini (NR)

NC St (27-NR) - Wisc (17-25)

Miami (FL) (22-36) - Iowa (NR)

which would yield

UNC - MD

UVA-Mich St

Duke-Ind

N Dame - Wisc

Lville - Mich

Miami - Purdue

FSU - tOSU

NC St -Illini

Cuse - Iowa

[DU82]

Word from my "spies" up north in Philly. Looks like a game is being scheduled in MSG or Barclays against Villanova. I'm guessing this is our annual NYC holiday game.

[Olympic Fan]

Word from my "spies" up north in Philly. Looks like a game is being scheduled in MSG or Barclays against Villanova. I'm guessing this is our annual NYC holiday game.

Love it ... 'Nova is going to be a top 10, maybe top 5 team, next season.

We are also likely to play in Barclays in the ACC/A-10 Doubleheader which starts next year (it's part of the payoff the ACC is making to get Barclays for the ACC Tournament in 2017-19). Just two ACC teams will play each year, but I'd be surprised if Duke isn't in the first pairing.

[mo.st.dukie]

Word from my "spies" up north in Philly. Looks like a game is being scheduled in MSG or Barclays against Villanova. I'm guessing this is our annual NYC holiday game.

Awesome. Even though it's probably just a one time thing I've always wanted Duke to get a home and home going with Nova. It would be just like the home and home with Temple since Nova also plays many of it's big home games in the 76ers arena.

[English]

Word from my "spies" up north in Philly. Looks like a game is being scheduled in MSG or Barclays against Villanova. I'm guessing this is our annual NYC holiday game.

I spoke with Jay Wright a couple of weeks ago, and he specifically mentioned that the deal was nearly done for the annual Duke in NYC game to pit Duke-Villanova, prior to Justise and Tyus declaring for the draft. In the aftermath, the Duke staff backed away from the matchup considering that Duke might reconsider playing a weaker team. This, obviously, was before the commitments of Derryk Thornton and Brandon Ingram. At the time, again ~2wks ago, Jay seemed pretty convinced that the Duke-Nova ship had sailed.

Perhaps the talks are back on--I hope so. Nice matchup, and I would certainly be in attendance.

[94duke]

This tells me that goose-stepping morons at Maryland should try reading books instead of burning them!

Couldn't spork you, but thank you, Henry.

[Olympic Fan]

ACC-Big Ten matchups should be released any day now -- it was May 1 last year ... it's almost always the first half of May.

A source at NC State just told me that Michigan will be at NC State in the Challenge. Apparently, they just got the news confirmed.

So we should know the rest very soon.

[Troublemaker]

It's all over twitter.

Indiana at Duke, confirmed.

[SCMatt33]

Brett McMurphy tweeting out reported challenge match ups, including Indiana at Duke.

ACC-B1G hoops challenge: Maryland at UNC, Indiana at Duke, UL at MSU, UVa at Ohio St., ND at Illinois, Wis. at Syracuse

[blazindw]

Brett McMurphy tweeting out reported challenge match ups, including Indiana at Duke.

ACC-B1G hoops challenge: Maryland at UNC, Indiana at Duke, UL at MSU, UVa at Ohio St., ND at Illinois, Wis. at Syracuse

Here's a spreadsheet, compliments of @lebrownlow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lebrownlow/statu...49157956161536

[flyingdutchdevil]

Brett McMurphy tweeting out reported challenge match ups, including Indiana at Duke.

ACC-B1G hoops challenge: Maryland at UNC, Indiana at Duke, UL at MSU, UVa at Ohio St., ND at Illinois, Wis. at Syracuse

Really? Indiana? Guess the Big10 is gonna be kinda crappy next year.

[jhmoss1812]

Really? Indiana? Guess the Big10 is gonna be kinda crappy next year.

At least you guys drew a ranked team. UVA gets to play an unranked Ohio State team on the road.

[flyingdutchdevil]

At least you guys drew a ranked team. UVA gets to play an unranked Ohio State team on the road.

That's even worse. They should just create the "ACC/[Next Best Conference] Challenge".

[Olympic Fan]

Well, I knew the release would be soon -- I just didn't know how soon.

A couple of quick observations:

-- Georgia Tech is the ACC team that's left out. One of the unwritten rules is that no team gets left out twice in a row. A year ago, BC was left out. Even though they are going to be projected last in the ACC next season, they can't be left out again -- hence, Georgia Tech bites the bullet. It was either going to be them or Virginia Tech and the Hokies look a little better on paper (plus, they were left out two tears ago)

-- 26 of the 28 teams involved next season are on a perfect home and away rotation (meaning the teams that were at home last year are on the road ... the teams that were on the road last yea are at home). The two exceptions are UNC, home for the second straight year, and Virginia, on the road for the second straight year.

And for the record, Indiana will almost certainly be the No. 2 pick in the Big Ten next year -- they didn't lose either of their star guards to the NBA and they added 7-1 Thomas Bryant, which should help gill their one glaring weakness.

[Troublemaker]

Really? Indiana? Guess the Big10 is gonna be kinda crappy next year.

That might be college hoops in general next season.

But Indiana looks like they'll be pretty good. Yogi Ferrell, James Blackmon, Troy Williams, Thomas Bryant. That should be a good game.

Derryck Thornton will get tested in the non-conference slate, going up against Ulis, Ferrell, and maybe Arcidiacano.

[gam7]

Here's a spreadsheet, compliments of @lebrownlow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lebrownlow/statu...49157956161536

What's the source of the rankings they are listing here?

[SCMatt33]

That might be college hoops in general next season.

I'm already dreading how much we'll have to hear Jay Bilas talk about a "down year" in college basketball, and how there are a lot of "very good" teams, but no "great" teams.

I also find it interesting that there are only 2 teams playing in the same location (home vs road) compared to last year. Given that there have been an even number of challenges, most teams will have played an equal number of home and road games going into this year over the long term. Next year won't have that much freedom as I doubt they will have a team with 2 extra home or road games over the life of the challenge.

[Avvocato]

Not sure anyone has seen this, but the ACC-Big Ten match-ups have been announced. Duke draws Indiana. UNC gets Maryland.

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebaske...hallenge-games

[Olympic Fan]

ESPN column on the pairings (and the fact that they had it up so fast, indicates that they've know about this for awhile):

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebaske...hallenge-games

Note -- this link includes an Andy Katz commentary

And props to Katz, who was on the money two weeks ago with his Maryland at UNC and Indiana at Duke predictions. A little inside knowledge there, Andy?