A sub-par Challenge?
Posted: Monday, November 26, 2007 8:54 PM
Filed Under:
Big Ten, ACC
Some things never change. Another year, another stumble for the Big Ten to start their Challenge against the ACC. But the worst part was the game itself.
Wake Forest’s first road win in nearly a year was a sloppy, offensive mess against a worn-out Iowa squad. The Hawkeyes (4-3) were playing their fifth game in nine days and it showed. They had a turnover every three possessions, made just 38 percent of their free throws and looked lost offensively.
Yet somehow, Wake Forest was just as bad. Both had about 70 possessions, (faster than the normal Big Ten game last season, and on the money for the ACC) which gives the Deacons a .796 offensive efficiency, and the Hawkeyes a miserable .676. Bad, bad basketball.
The good news? The rest of the games should be better. Should, because of the talent on the courts.
(After all, the ACC always starts off well. Only time the Big Ten started with a win was Ohio State in 2005. The typical response to this is “so what?” It’s also the correct response. The conferences have the same number of NCAA titles and Final Four appearances. March matters, right?)
It’s not that I think the Big Ten will split or even win more games than the ACC. This series of projections goes along my thinking, though Michigan should have a chance against Boston College. What’s intriguing is getting to see the players involved during the next two days.
Tuesday has Eric Gordon, D.J. White, Sean Singletary, Kyle Singler and the underrated James Mays. Wednesday features J.J. Hickson, Brandon Costner, Drew Neitzel, Raymar Morgan, Geary Claxton, Kosta Koufas and the No. 1 ranked Tar Heels and its loaded roster.
I’m hopeful some of the games will be good, too. Wisconsin is No. 1 in the Pomeroy ratings, but doesn’t have much room for error at Cameron. Especially with the Devils already in mid-season form. N.C. State vs. Michigan State should be a fine display of athletic big men and it’ll be interesting to see how the Tar Heels handle Koufos.
