Virginia To Play Michigan State In ACC/Big Ten Challenge

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July 2, 2002

CHARLOTTESVILLE – The University of Virginia men’s basketball team will play Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich., on December 4 in the fourth ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The game is scheduled to be televised by ESPN at 9:00 p.m.

The ACC/Big Ten Challenge is scheduled for December 2-4 and matches nine teams from each conference.

Virginia played Michigan State in last season’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge, but the game was halted with 15:04 left in the contest due to wet floor conditions at the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, Va. The unseasonably warm temperature (70 degrees) combined with the ice surface under the playing court produced condensation on the court causing slippery conditions that forced the game to be halted. UVa led 31-28 when play was stopped.

Other games scheduled for December 4 include Georgia Tech at Minnesota, Northwestern at North Carolina State and Wake Forest at Wisconsin.

The ACC/Big Ten Challenge opens with Iowa playing at Florida State on December 2. Games scheduled for December 3 include Ohio State against Duke in Greensboro, N.C. (Greensboro Coliseum), Penn State at Clemson, Maryland against Indiana in Indianapolis, Ind. (Conseco Fieldhouse) and North Carolina at Illinois.

The ACC has won the Commissioners Cup the three previous years of the Challenge. The ACC won five of the eight games last season.

Virginia lost at Minnesota (74-62) in the first ACC/Big Ten Challenge during the 1999-2000 season and then defeated Purdue (98-79) at University Hall during the 2000-01 season.