May 1, 2008

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big Ten Conference announced on Thursday the pairings for the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge for women's basketball, which is in its second year of a four-year agreement.

The 2008 challenge will open on Wednesday, Dec. 3, as Georgia Tech hosts Michigan State, Ohio State welcomes North Carolina and Florida State takes on Penn State. Thursday, Dec. 4, will feature six games as Clemson hosts Northwestern, Purdue takes on Maryland, Illinois welcomes Virginia, Minnesota plays host to Boston College, Duke welcomes Iowa and Wisconsin faces Virginia Tech. The challenge wraps up on Friday, Dec. 5, as Michigan hosts NC State and Miami welcomes Indiana.

The ACC/Big Ten Women's Basketball Challenge matches 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 ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Last year, the ACC won eight of the 11 inaugural Big Ten/ACC Challenge games, which were spread outside the traditional timeframe.

The Big Ten and ACC offices determine the 11-game schedule each season, and matchups may repeat from year-to-year in efforts to coordinate similar opponents. Each of the Big Ten's 11 institutions will participate, while the ACC will select its top 11 teams from the previous season from its 12-team membership.

In addition, the official title of the Challenge will rotate each year. 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 Big Ten and ACC have long been among the most dominant conferences on the women's basketball scene. This past season, the ACC was represented by six teams in the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship, making it the sixth straight year the league has had at least six in the Big Dance. Maryland and North Carolina advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals, giving the ACC at least one team in the Elite Eight for the seventh consecutive year. In 2005-06, the ACC became the first conference to send three teams - Duke, Maryland and North Carolina - to the same Final Four. Overall, the ACC has made 11 Final Four trips, including six in the past 12 years.

The Big Ten sent a conference-record nine teams to the 2008 postseason, including four squads to the NCAA Championship. In addition, Michigan State was one of five conference teams to participate in the postseason WNIT and became the second Big Ten team in as many years to advance to the event's final game. The conference has sent at least one team to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship in 23 of the last 24 years and has had at least one squad participate in five of the last 10 Final Fours, owning eight overall appearances.

Since the 1999-2000 season, the two conferences have squared off in head-to-head competition on 68 occasions with the ACC holding a 37-31 advantage.

Game times, as well as television and broadband coverage, will be announced at a later date. Stay tuned to theacc.com for more information about the ACC/Big Ten Women's Basketball Challenge, including a complete schedule.

2008 CHALLENGE SCHEDULE
Wednesday, December 3
Michigan State at Georgia Tech
North Carolina at Ohio State
Penn State at Florida State

Thursday, December 4
Northwestern at Clemson
Maryland at Purdue
Virginia at Illinois
Boston College at Minnesota
Iowa at Duke
Virginia Tech at Wisconsin

Friday, December 5
NC State at Michigan
Indiana at Miami

FUTURE CHALLENGE NAMES & DATES
2009: Big Ten/ACC Challenge - Dec. 2, 3, 4
2010: ACC/Big Ten Challenge - Dec. 1, 2, 3

FIRST DATE
Two of the Challenge contests will feature a pair of teams that have never faced one another. Georgia Tech welcomes Michigan State for the series' first meeting, while Iowa heads to Duke's Cameron Indoor for its debut against the Blue Devils. The Yellow Jackets take on first-time opponents for the second consecutive year in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

SERIES RECORDS
Minnesota leads Boston College, 1-0

Last Meeting: MINN, 76-63, 3-28-04 (NCAA Tournament)

Northwestern leads Clemson, 1-0

Last Meeting: NU, 70-68, 11-16-97 (Preseason NIT)

Penn State leads Florida State, 3-0

Last Meeting: PSU, 83-73, 3-15-90 (NCAA Tournament)

Maryland leads Purdue, 2-1

Last Meeting: PUR, 74-48, 3-14-97 (NCAA Tournament)

Miami leads Indiana, 1-0

Last Meeting: UM, 79-70, 11-25-06 (UM Thanksgiving Tournament)

Ohio State leads North Carolina, 3-2

Last Meeting: NC, 75-67, 12-18-80 (North Carolina Christmas Classic)

NC State leads Michigan, 1-0

Last Meeting: ST, 81-64, 3-17-90 (NCAA Tournament)

Virginia leads Illinois, 3-0

Last Meeting: VA, 72-56, 3-22-03 (NCAA Tournament)

Virginia Tech leads Wisconsin, 1-0

Last Meeting: VT, 75-64, 3-14-98 (NCAA Tournament)

ALREADY A CHALLENGE
Since the 2000 season, the Big Ten and ACC have squared off in head-to-head competition 68 times, with the ACC holding a 37-31 advantage.

COMMON CHALLENGERS
The 2008 ACC/Big Ten Challenge will feature nine contests in which the two opponents have previously met. Among the all-time series of games to be played in the 2008 challenge, the ACC holds a slight 10-9 advantage, including Virginia's 3-0 record over Illinois and Penn State's 3-0 mark against Florida State. In addition, the ACC holds a 5-4 edge in nine of the most recent meetings between the teams.

SCOUTING REPORTS
Over half of this year's Challenge games will require coaches to start fresh scouting reports as six of the contests are between teams that have not faced one another in 10 or more years. Ohio State and North Carolina have not played against one another since 1980, a span of 28 years, while both the Penn State/Florida State game and the NC State/Michigan contest are 18 years away from their last matchup.

2007 CHALLENGE RESULTS (ACC 8, BIG TEN 3)
November 19
Michigan 65, Miami 50

November 28
Wake Forest 60, Northwestern 45
Georgia Tech 76, Iowa 57

November 29
North Carolina 90, Purdue 72
NC State 61, Illinois 47
Michigan State 68, Clemson 51

November 30
Maryland 77, Ohio State 53
Virginia Tech 68, Minnesota 62
Virginia 84, Wisconsin 60
Florida State 85, Indiana 78

December 2
Penn State 86, Duke 84