The No. 23 Wisconsin Badgers kept the Big Ten alive for one more day in college basketball's ACC/Big Ten Challenge with their 69-64 victory over Maryland Tuesday night, but the Atlantic Coast Conference pulled off the victory, winning seven of the nine games, the same total as last year. The win helped the ACC remain undefeated in the Challenge improving the ACC's record to 6-0.
North Carolina State gave the ACC the early lead with its 60-53 victory over Purdue Monday night.
Wednesday started out the same way. No. 4 Georgia Tech started the night by pounding Michigan 99-68. Senior guard B.J. Elder tallied 27 points and junior guard Jarrett Jack had 11 assists in the win for the Yellow Jackets.
The Big Ten then fell in a game that many felt it should have won when Minnesota lost 70-69 to Florida State. More than just a one-point loss, the Gophers blew a 16-point lead in the second half.
The woes continued when Michigan State took on Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Michigan State had four players in double figures, but Duke guards J.J. Redick and Daniel Ewing scored 29 points each in the Blue Devils' 81-74 victory over the Spartans. The win gave the ACC a 4-0 advantage, meaning if Maryland would have come back to beat UW, it would have locked up the Challenge victory before Wednesday even rolled around.
But UW sophomore forward Alando Tucker locked up a Badger victory and kept the Big Ten alive until Wednesday night.
\We're the only team right now?"" UW Head Coach Bo Ryan asked after the win. ""Go Big Ten. We win the next four, we've got five.""
Wednesday night started out with a battle of unbeatens-No. 1 Wake Forest against No. 3 Illinois. The Illini kept up hope for the Big Ten with a stunning 18-point victory. Illinois was already up 21 points by halftime and ran away with the win thanks to four players in double-figures. Wake Forest, on the other hand, shot 40 percent from the floor as star sophomore guard Chris Paul went four of 11 and junior guard Justin Gray was just three of 18 shooting.
But Clemson quickly smothered the Big Ten's hopes, topping Ohio State 80-73 in a game that went back and forth. The Buckeyes led by one at halftime but could not close it out down the stretch. The loss gave the ACC its Challenge-clinching fifth victory even though there were still two games to be played.
No. 9 North Carolina tacked on another win for the ACC later on in the night when the Tar Heels took down the Indiana Hoosiers 70-63. UNC junior guard Rashad McCants with 19 points.
No. 25 Virginia then closed out the 2004 Challenge with a 48-44 win over the Northwestern Wildcats.
-compiled from staff reports
