No. 5 Michigan basketball team gets prime-time ESPN slot vs. No. 6 N.C. State in B1G/ACC Challenge
Michigan basketball coach John Beilein will lead the Wolverines against North Carolina State in this year's Big Ten/ACC Challenge, and will do so in prime time on ESPN.
AnnArbor.com file photo
The Wolverines, ranked No. 5 in ESPN.com's early preseason poll, will host No. 6 North Carolina State at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 27.
The game will be televised on ESPN as the opening of the network's main Big Ten/ACC doubleheader, with No. 1 Indiana hosting No. 13 North Carolina at 9:30 p.m.
The Wolverines have taken part in 11 of the 13 Big Ten/ACC Challenge events, going 4-7 during that time. Michigan fell at Virginia last season, 70-58.
Michigan and North Carolina State have tangled twice before in the event, but never with respective top 10 ratings. The Wolverines beat the Wolfpack 68-61 at Crisler Center in 2003 and lost 74-67 on the road in 2006.
The full television schedule for this year's event is as follows:
Tuesday, Nov. 27
No. 25 Minnesota at Florida State, ESPN2, 7:15 p.m.
Iowa at Virginia Tech, ESPNU, 7:15 p.m.
No. 6 NC State at No. 5 Michigan, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Nebraska at Wake Forest, ESPNU, 9:15 p.m.
Maryland at Northwestern, ESPN2, 9:15 p.m.
No. 13 North Carolina at No. 1 Indiana, ESPN, 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 28
Virginia at No. 22 Wisconsin, ESPN2, 7 p.m.
Purdue at Clemson, ESPNU, 7:15 p.m.
No. 9 Michigan State at Miami (Fla.), ESPN, 7:30 p.m.
Georgia Tech at Illinois, ESPN2, 9 p.m.
Boston College at Penn State, ESPNU, 9:15 p.m.
No. 8 Ohio State at No. 15 Duke, ESPN, 9:30 p.m.
Nick Baumgardner covers Michigan sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2514, by email at nickbaumgardner@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @nickbaumgardner.
Comments
aarox
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 2:07 a.m.
#nervous
ChelseaBob
Tue, Aug 7, 2012 : 8:12 p.m.
Cmon Cliff, pay attention. This team has been growing by leaps and bounds. They are definitely top 25, sweet 16 material this year. How far they go, depends on intangibles. Heart and leadership.
Joshua Nagelkerke
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 2:08 p.m.
Cliff - stop being a buzz kill! They do shoot a lot of three balls (I'm sorry?). It is part of JB's offense but, when you have guys that were barely above 6 feet (Zach Novak) trying to play with the big boys down low, it's easier and more productive to shoot the three ball and, guess what? - they did it quite well. Now that we have more size and athleticism (insert White Thunder, Big Dog Jr., and a more improved Jordan Morgan as well as a healthy Horford), I think you'll see some more points in the paint this year. Yes, we lost Stu but, he wasn't always the most consistent and it looks like Stauskas is a better all around player than Stu and an even better long ball shooter. Yes, they are going to have a lot of freshmen on this team but, as we all know, freshman can be a large part of success in college basketball.
Nick Baumgardner
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 1:43 p.m.
Cliff -- I think you'll see a young team that may stumble a bit out of the box, but end up being a pretty solid squad at the end of the season because of it. A lot will depend on leadership, but this is -- without question -- the most athletic roster John Beilein has ever coached. They have to get used to each other on the court, and that might take some time. And if the leadership fails, it could be a nightmare. But if it holds -- there's no reason why the group can't live up to its potential.
Cliff
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 12:30 p.m.
I really don't see Sweet 16 material from this team. You can't assume that a freshman (McGary) is going to come in and be as impactful as Burke was last year. I believe they again will have no inside threat as Morgan is not good and McGary will be learning how to grind with the big guys in the big ten. This team will again live and die by the 3, because that's how Bielein coaches, and that is not going to get it done, just like always. Plus one of your biggest 3 point threats is gone in Douglass. Hardaway was very inconsistent last year as well. Burke will be the only constant on this team.
RWBill
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 3:14 a.m.
And if they can get an inside threat.
Blue Marker
Tue, Aug 7, 2012 : 8:37 p.m.
McGary will change that, you'll see!
robotmonster
Tue, Aug 7, 2012 : 8:30 p.m.
They'll live an die by the 3 ball.
Cliff
Tue, Aug 7, 2012 : 7:40 p.m.
It's going to be a long fall from the top for these wolverines....
Veracity
Thu, Aug 9, 2012 : 3:24 a.m.
So you believe that you are a better predictor of performance than the national pundits that rank Michigan?