IU to host North Carolina in 2012 Big Ten-ACC Challenge
Matchups for the 14th annual Big Ten-ACC Challenge were announced today and Indiana, projected by many as a top three preseason team, will host North Carolina on Tuesday, Nov. 27.
The Challenge, won by the Big Ten the previous three seasons, will be played on Nov. 27 and Wednesday, Nov. 28.
The Hoosiers won their Big Ten-ACC Challenge game last season at North Carolina State. It was the program’s first win in the event since beating Georgia Tech in 2007.
Start times and broadcast information will be released at a later date.
North Carolina is the fifth confirmed non-conference opponent on Indiana’s 2012-2013 schedule.
“With North Carolina coming to Assembly Hall, I see BEDLAM coming to BLOOMINGTON! Our players are very, very excited for that opportunity,” IU coach Tom Crean said on Twitter. “The pace of the game will be at Warp speed. It will be a indoor track meet in Assembly Hall. North Carolina’s running game is high level.”
The Tar Heels are once again expected to be among the country’s top 15 teams despite losing Tyler Zeller to graduation and Harrison Barnes, John Henson and Kendall Marshall as early entrants to the NBA Draft.
ESPN.com has North Carolina at No. 13 in their early top 25 while CBSSports.com has the Heels at No. 9.
Roy Williams returns a talented roster from an Elite Eight team that includes forward James McAdoo (pictured) and guards Dexter Strickland, Reggie Bullock, Leslie McDonald and P.J. Hairston.
Both Strickland and McDonald are recovering from torn ACLs.
Point guard Marcus Paige, a McDonald’s All-American point guard from Marion (IA), headlines a four-man recruiting class for UNC.
Wing J.P. Tokoto, center Joel James and forward Brice Johnson are also expected to make an impact.
The meeting will be the third all-time between the programs in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. Indiana won in Chapel Hill, 79-66, in 2001 and North Carolina won in Bloomington, 70-63, in 2004.
IU leads the overall series with North Carolina, 7-5.
The complete lineup for the 2012 Big Ten-ACC Challenge:
| Date | Game |
| Tue, Nov 27 | No. 13 North Carolina at No. 1 Indiana |
| No. 6 NC State at No. 5 Michigan | |
| No. 25 Minnesota at Florida State | |
| Maryland at Northwestern | |
| Iowa at Virginia Tech | |
| Nebraska at Wake Forest | |
| Wed, Nov 28 | No. 8 Ohio State at No. 15 Duke |
| Virginia at No. 22 Wisconsin | |
| No. 9 Michigan State at Miami | |
| Purdue at Clemson | |
| Georgia Tech at Illinois | |
| Boston College at Penn State |
Filed to: Big Ten/ACC Challenge, North Carolina Tar Heels