Rematch With Purdue Next Season

[shadow force]

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The University of Louisville men's basketball team will face Purdue for the second straight year in the 2017 Big Ten/ACC Challenge at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind. Dates, times and television will be announced later.

Ranked 15th nationally in the final Associated Press and USA Today polls last season, Purdue achieved a 27-8 record, won its 23rd Big Ten regular-season championship and reached the NCAA Tournament where it fell to Kansas in the Midwest Region semifinal. Six of its top seven scorers return, led by 6-8 senior forward Vincent Edwards (12.6 ppg, 4.9 apg), 7-2 senior center Isaac Haas (12.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg) and 6-0 sophomore guard Carsen Edwards (10. ppg).

The teams met in last year’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge when Louisville prevailed over then No. 15 Purdue 71-64 in the KFC Yum Center (12--30-16) as Ray Spalding (11 points, nine rebounds) and Mangok Mathiang (11 points, eight rebounds) led a balanced UofL effort. Louisville has won two of its three previous challenge events since joining the ACC. The Cardinals fell 71-67 at No. 3 Michigan State in 2014 and beat No. 14 Ohio State 64-55 in Louisville in 2015.

 

[arizan]

I wouldn't mind if they sat out a year of the challenge to get on the other side of the draw. Where it stands now, it seems like it'll be Purdue or MSU every year with maybe Minny or OSU sprinkled in occasionally.

 

[zipp]

I don't understand the value of this "challenge" except to elevate the profile of Big Ten basketball. They're barely over .500 the last two years (16-14) in the tourney with no teams in the Final Four. As with the LPT game, we lose a home game every other year worth a couple million to U of L and Bailout Arena.

Need to replace these games with more conference games. Plenty of good ACC teams to replace any of our OOC games...

 

[shadow force]

I wouldn't mind if they sat out a year of the challenge to get on the other side of the draw. Where it stands now, it seems like it'll be Purdue or MSU every year with maybe Minny or OSU sprinkled in occasionally.

I would like to see other opponents as well. Facing Purdue again after just facing them last season seems odd. But looking at it another way, it could be a good test for Anas and the rest of the front court. Purdue doesn't have Swanigan anymore but they'll still have 7 foot 1 Haas that was there last season. Anas held his own against him so it could be interesting.

 

[IUPACK]

This challenge between the ACC/BT was going on long before Louisville join the ACC. I hope it will continue for the next 20 yrs, Look forward to it every year.