Previewing the 2021 ACC/Big Ten Challenge

The ACC looks to defeat the Big Ten in the Challenge for the first time since 2017

The 23rd annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge begins this week, with 14 games taking place from Monday through Wednesday. 

The ACC/Big Ten Challenge began in 1999 and the ACC won the first ten editions of the Challenge. The Big Ten won the next two, before both the 2012 and 2013 Challenges were tied at 6-6. The Big Ten won in back-to-back seasons in 2014 and 2015. The ACC won two-consecutive Challenges in 2016 and 2017 and the Challenge was tied again in 2018. The Big Ten has won the last two Challenges in 2019 and 2020 and will look to make it three in a row against the ACC in the 2021 ACC/Big Ten Challenge. 

The ACC leads the all-time series 12-7-3 and has a 138-113 advantage over all of the games played in the Challenge.

Virginia has the second-most wins (13) in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge of any team in either conference, trailing only Duke (19 wins). UVA is 8-2 in its last 10 games in the Challenge, including a 7-2 record all-time in home games. The Cavaliers had a five-game winning streak in the Challenge snapped in a loss at Purdue in 2019 and the Hoos did not participate in the 2020 ACC/Big Ten Challenge as their game against Michigan State was cancelled due to COVID-19 protocols.

Full preview of Virginia's game against Iowa here: Game Preview: Virginia Basketball vs. Iowa

Full schedule:

Monday

7pm: Iowa (6-0) at Virginia (5-2), ESPN2

9pm: Notre Dame (3-2) at Illinois (4-2), ESPN2

Tuesday

7pm: Minnesota (5-0) at Pittsburgh (2-4), ESPNU

7pm: Indiana (6-0) at Syracuse (3-3), ESPN2

7:30pm: Florida State (5-1) at Purdue (6-0), ESPN

9pm: Clemson (5-2) at Rutgers (3-3), ESPN2

9pm: Northwestern (5-1) at Wake Forest (6-1), ESPNU

9:30pm: Duke (7-0) at Ohio State (4-2), ESPN

Wednesday

7:15pm: Louisville (5-1) at Michigan State (5-2), ESPN

7:15pm: Nebraska (5-2) at NC State (6-1), ESPNU

7:15pm: Virginia Tech (5-2) at Maryland (5-2), ESPN2

9:15pm: Miami (4-3) at Penn State (4-2), ESPNU

9:15pm: Michigan (4-2) at North Carolina (4-2), ESPN

9:15pm: Wisconsin (5-1) at Georgia Tech (5-1), ESPN2

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