The 2009 Big Ten/ACC Challenge is underway and the Big Ten has a chance to do something it’s never done in the tournament’s 10-year history: Win it. Below is a schedule of the games with recaps as we progress through the tourney.

 

PENN STATE 69, Virginia 66 (Big Ten 1, ACC 0)

After an atrocious first half by Talor Battle, the oft-talked about sophomore exploded in the second half for 28 points, giving him a career-high 32 points for the game and giving his Nittany Lions a 69-66 win over Virginia in Game 1 of The Challenge. Virginia started off scorching, hitting 6 of its first 7 shot attempts, but Penn State was able to play damage control and keep the deficit to only 6 at the half (27-21). The Nits came out of the gates gunning in the second half behind Battle’s performance and a fresh new look from Mini-Battle (if it’s possible for Talor to have someone smaller than him), freshman guard Tim Frazier. Frazier looked outstanding in the conference, a quick skat-guard (like Battle) who made great decisions and led the team with five assists.

PURDUE 69, Wake Forest 58 (Big Ten 2, ACC 0)

The Boilermakers locked down on defense in Mackey Tuesday night, pulling away from Wake in the 2nd half to coast to a 69-58 triumph. At the end of the game, the Purdue student section started chanting “Big Ten Basketball” as the conference proudly took a 2-0 series lead. E’Twaun Moore had 22 points and Robbie Hummel chipped in a double-double (11 and 11) as the juniors won a Challenge game for the first time in their careers. Purdue is the only unbeaten team left in the Big Ten, and the 6th-ranked Boilers have posted their highest national ranking since 1996.

NORTHWESTERN 65, N.C. State 53 (Big Ten 3, ACC 0)

Who would’ve thought the ‘Cats would start 6-1 after losing their star (Kevin Coble) days before the season opener? NU has looked deliciously flawless early on, however, and it was no different Tuesday night, as the purple pounded the Wolfpack in a pivotal Challenge contest. Northwestern’s last 3 opponents have all come in undefeated, and could not remain so against the ‘Cats. A big part of this trend has been the play of guards Michael Thompson and John Shurna. Thompson had a team-high 22 points in Tuesday’s contest.

Maryland 80, INDIANA 68 (Big Ten 3, ACC 1)

The ACC’s on the board… finally. In a virtual must-win, Maryland was able to pull away late from the again-pesky Hoosiers, who had no trouble scoring against Gary Williams’ crew, but could not stop Greivis Vasquez & Co. on the defensive end. Vasquez, arguably the Challenge’s best player, was 13 of 14 from the charity stripe (the Terps were awarded 31 total free throws on the night) and posted a game-high 23 points, while teammate Landon Milbourne added 19 points and 7 boards. After the game, Head Coach Tom Crean was more upset about some vulgarities spewed from the IU student-section than he was the loss: “I love our fans. It is an unbelievable honor to coach here and in front of them but we cannot have vulgarities. It’s not the Indiana way.”

North Carolina 89, MICHIGAN STATE 82 (Big Ten 3, ACC 2)

In a rematch of last year’s National Championship and easily the marquee matchup of this year’s Challenge, UNC carbon-copied its performance from the Motor City in March. Hot, clutch shooting and an easily dictated breakneck pace did in the Spartans, who made a valiant effort chiseling down a 19-point 2nd half deficit, but ran out of time in a 7-point defeat. Raymar Morgan had 18 points and Kalin Lucas (15 points) has now scored in double-figures in 18 straight contests.

Virginia Tech 70, IOWA 64 (Big Ten 3, ACC 3)

Despite shooting 44% from 3-pt land, the Hawkeyes succombed to a late long-range dagger by Tech’s Dorenzo Hudson as the shot-clock expired and the game clock dwindled underneath a minute-and-a-half. The ACC, after losing the first three games to start the Challenge, has answered with three big wins of its own, and we head into Wednesday in a dead heat. The matchups look favorable for the Big Ten coming in, and an Iowa win here would have all but sealed the conference’s first Challenge win.

ILLINOIS 76, Clemson 74 (Big Ten 4, ACC 3)

One of those games we’ll be talking about for awhile. Down by 23 POINTS early in the second half, the Illini frantically chisel into the deficit and hold on late for the biggest comeback in school history. Mike Davis had a team-high 22 points, and the freshmen duo of Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson combined for six threes to aid in the historic comeback. The message boards that were on fire no more than a week ago after Illinois dropped a back-to-back to Utah and Bradley in Vegas have been quickly extinguished. Maybe the Illini just got paid to drop a couple of eggs in the Sin City. Who knows?

Miami 63, MINNESOTA 58 (Big Ten 4, ACC 4)

The Big Ten needed this one. Yes, Miami was 7-0 entering the contest. And, yes, the game was in Coral Gables, but if Tubby wants his program to reach elite status (and it should with all the recruits he plucking) he’s gotta win games like this. Miami’s not that good, and there’s no way the Gophers should’ve only put up 58 points against the Hurricanes’ D. Story of the game? 46% from the charity stripe for Minnesota, AND they lost the battle of the offensive glass, 12-6. 

Boston College 62, MICHIGAN 58 (Big Ten 4, ACC 5)

Another egg for the Big Ten. When will Michigan learn how to play a solid brand of basketball on a more consistent level? When Manny leaves, maybe? Mr. Beilein has a lot of talent on this team. If Ann Arbor weren’t such a football town, he’d probably be hearing some whispers. Story of the game? Michigan was 9-34 (26%) from 3-point land. That’s almost worse than the football team’s conference winning percentage this year! At what point do you stop chucking and take the ball to the lid?

WISCONSIN 73, Duke 69 (Big Ten 5, ACC 5)

Yes, Kohl is a tough place to win in, but this was one of the more shocking outcomes of the Challenge. The Big Ten needs the last two, and they have one in the books after a smart, crafty, and calm Badgers squad is ill-affected by a furious Duke rally in the closing stages of the game Wednesday night. As the crowd rushes the floor at Kohl, OSU has a 15-point bulge on Florida State and it’s looking like the Big Ten could snatch the Challenege!

OHIO STATE 77, Florida State 64 (Big Ten Wins Challenge, 6-5)

Big Ten fans, much like a customer at Blockbuster, are goin’ home happy tonight. What a thrilling final few hours of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge Wednesday night with Illinois’ record-setting comeback, Wisconsin’s win over #6 Duke, and Ohio State’s dagger against the ‘Noles. Evan Turner was absolutely brilliant in this one, pouring in 25 points and grabbing 13 boards. When asked the importance of the win? “That’s the championship right there,” he said. “So that was huge”