May 24, 2010
2010 ACC/Big Ten Challenge Release (Big Ten Conference) 
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern will battle Georgia Tech in the fourth-annual ACC/Big Ten Women's Basketball Challenge, the conference office announced today (May 24). The pairing marks the fourth time the two squads have met overall, and signifies the first encounter in the Challenge. Game times, as well as television and broadband coverage, will be announced at a later date.
The 2010 Challenge will take on a two-day format again this year and is slated to open on Wednesday, Dec. 1, as Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota host ACC opponents, and Michigan State and Northwestern go on the road for their Challenge contests.
The ACC/Big Ten Women's Basketball Challenge matches 11 teams from each conference in head-to-head competition traditionally on the first Wednesday and Thursday after Thanksgiving, following the ACC/Big Ten Men's Basketball Challenge.
The ACC and the Big Ten conference offices determine the 11-game schedule each season, and matchups may repeat from year-to-year in efforts to coordinate similar opponents and reach competitive equity. Each of the Big Ten's 11 institutions will participate, while the ACC will select 11 teams from its 12-team membership.
In addition, the official title of the Challenge will rotate each year. The 2010 event will be referred to as the ACC/Big Ten Women's Basketball Challenge and will continue to mirror the official title of the two conferences' challenge agreement for men's basketball.
The ACC and the Big Ten have long been among the most dominant conferences on the women's basketball scene. This past season, the ACC was represented by six teams in the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship, making it the eighth-straight year the league has had at least six in the Big Dance. Duke and Florida State advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals, giving the ACC at least one team in the Elite Eight for the ninth consecutive year. Overall, the ACC has made 14 Final Four appearances, including four in the past five years.
2010 CHALLENGE SCHEDULE
Wednesday, Dec.1
Wake Forest at Michigan
Michigan State at Florida State
Northwestern at Georgia Tech
NC State at Illinois
Thursday, Dec. 2
Duke at Wisconsin
Iowa at North Carolina
Penn State at Boston College
Virginia at Ohio State
Maryland at Purdue
Indiana at Clemson
Virginia Tech at Minnesota
For more information, please see the Big Ten's release in PDF format above.