ATLANTA–Once more please, with feeling.
The matchups for this year's ACC-Big Ten Challenge were announced on Friday; and series officials apparently couldn't get enough of last season's Georgia Tech-Northwestern clash.
Or the previous four encounters between the schools.
Citing the 20-year history of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, this November marks the fifth time Georgia Tech and Northwestern will meet on the court. The Jackets and Wildcats have won two games apiece, head to head.
As such, the Nov. 28 matchup (in Evanston, Ill.) sets up a possible winner-take-all scenario for the foreseeable future ... assuming there's an extended break between Georgia Tech and Northwestern in future challenges.
After all, the ACC and Big Ten both have 14 member programs. What are the odds of squaring off five more times over the next 20 years?
Georgia Tech has a 7-10 record against Big Ten competition in this series, including last year's 52-51 victory over Northwestern. Ben Lammers (team-high 13 points), Curtis Haywood and Tadric Jackson all scored in double figures for the Jackets.
The ACC had been deprived of the series title from 2009-15, with the Big Ten taking top honors five times during that span (two ties).
However, the ACC has rebounded in a big-time manner since 2016, owning a decisive 20-8 edge over the last two seasons. The ACC also boasts a 12-5-2 record since the made-for-TV series launched in 1999.
For what it's worth, Duke easily claims the best record of any series participant, at 17-2 overall.
The other matchups include:
NOVEMBER 26 (MONDAY)
Nebraska @ Clemson
Minnesota @ Boston College
NOVEMBER 27 (TUESDAY)
Indiana @ Duke
Michigan State @ Louisville
Illinois @ Notre Dame
North Carolina State @ Wisconsin
Virginia Tech @ Penn State
Pitt @ Iowa
NOVEMBER 28 (WEDNESDAY)
North Carolina @ Michigan
Syracuse @ Ohio State
Purdue @ Florida State
Virginia @ Maryland
Rutgers @ Miami
