The much speculated Big Ten/ACC Challenge between Indiana and Maryland was confirmed today in a release by IU media relations. The Hoosiers will host the Terrapins on Tuesday, December 1 in a contest that will be broadcast by the ESPN family of networks:

Bloomington, Indiana – Indiana will host Maryland in a December 1 rematch of the 2002 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Game in the 11th annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge Presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com. The two teams also met in the 2002 Challenge in Indianapolis as the Hoosiers came away win an 80-74 overtime win at Conseco Fieldhouse. IU leads the overall series 5-1.

“I think this is a matchup that our fans will enjoy,” said IU Head Coach Tom Crean. “Both programs have a great tradition and I would expect nothing less than an outstanding environment in Assembly Hall for this game. Gary Williams’ Maryland program has been and continues to be one of the most preeminent programs in America.”

From a personnel and competitiveness perspective, this is probably a good matchup for Indiana. On the other hand, there are plenty of other ACC teams (Duke, North Carolina and Wake Forest) I’d rather watch than Maryland. But that’s the way it goes when you’re coming off a six-win season. You can view the whole schedule of games after the jump. (more…)

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will make their first trip to Assembly Hall tonight to take on the No. 15 Hoosiers in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Tech is 3-2 on the season and is coming off a third place finish in the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands. Tech’s losses came at home to UNC Greensboro and to Winthrop in the Paradise Jam.

The meeting will be the second all-time between the schools. Indiana beat Georgia Tech 87-65 on December 29, 1969 in the Bruin Classic at UCLA. Georgia Tech is 4-4 all-time in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge and IU is 2-4.

Georgia Tech is expected to be a middle of the pack team in the ACC this season, evident by the media’s selection of the Yellow Jackets to finish seventh in the conference in a preseason poll.

They finished 20-12 a season ago and lost their two best players, Thaddeus Young (Philadelphia 76ers, 12th pick) and Javaris Crittenton (Los Angeles Lakers, 19th pick), to the NBA.

6-5 guard Anthony Morrow is the go-to-guy for Paul Hewitt’s team. The senior guard from Charlotte, NC is averaging 19.0 ppg and has hit a three-pointer in fourteen straight games dating back to last season.

Alade Aminu anchors the frontcourt for the Yellow Jackets. The 6-10 junior from Stone Mountain, GA is averaging 14.0 ppg and 6.8 rpg. Tech has two other players averaging in double figures: forward Jeremis Smith (12.2) and guard Lewis Clinch (11.0).

Two players will return from injury for Hewitt’s club: 6-8 sophomore Zack Peacock will see his first action of the season after missing the first five games with a stress reaction in his right foot and 6-1 freshman Moe Miller will also return. Miller started the first two games at point guard, but missed the Paradise Jam after bruising a bone in his lower back.

To learn more about the Georgia Tech program, click here.