Best Team Records in ACC/Big 10 Challenge

This will be the 17th year of the Challenge series between the ACC and Big 10 in men’s basketball. The Big 10 just started an annual series against teams from the revamped Big East.

The ACC and Big 10, in a bit of ecumenical labeling, alter the order in which their names are included in each year’s title. This season it’s the Big 10/ACC Challenge.

Whatever it’s called, the majority of teams have losing records in the series. That’s especially true of Big 10 teams despite posting equal or more aggregated wins in the past six seasons, including 8-6 in last year’s edition. The ACC came out ahead in the first 10 Challenges.

Of a dozen Big 10 schools that have played in the Challenge more than once, just three have a winning overall record (25 percent). And one of those is Maryland, 0-1 in its new conference but 10-5 while competing as an ACC member.

Even subtracting the Terrapins, five ACC programs (of 14, 36 percent) are on the positive side of the ledger against Big 10 opponents in the series.