The tide has turned in the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge. After bowing in the first 10 years of the competition, the Big Ten has won the last three years, including 8-4 last season. Here are some of the interesting matchups this week:
Virginia at Wisconsin (Wednesday) » This will be the first time Tony Bennett has coached at Wisconsin since he left the staff of current coach Bo Ryan in 2003 to join his father's staff at Washington State. There is no love lost between the two after a flap last year in which Ryan barred all ACC schools from contacting outgoing transfer Jarrod Uthoff, primarily to thwart Virginia's interest.
No. 13 Michigan State at Miami (Wednesday) »
Tom Izzo will get his first shot at Jim Larranaga since the NCAA opening round in 2006, when Larranaga guided George Mason to an upset of Michigan State en route to the Final Four. Miami (3-1) is led by point guard Shane Larkin (17.3 ppg, 4.5 apg), son of baseball great Barry Larkin, who will battle Spartans standout Keith Appling (16.8 ppg, 4.2 apg).
No. 4 Ohio State at No. 2 Duke (Wednesday) » No. 14 North Carolina will travel to No. 1 Indiana on Tuesday, but the only matchup that pits unbeaten teams is the one between the Buckeyes and Blue Devils. This is a chance for emerging Duke point guard Quinn Cook (DeMatha) to test his game against perhaps the most polished point guard in the nation, the Buckeyes' Aaron Craft.
- Kevin Dunleavy
