About a year ago, it was announced Maryland men’s basketball would be playing Pittsburgh in the annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge. I wrote at the time that Pitt was a lackluster opponent without a history against the Terps or a recent tradition of success. The Panthers wound up winning the game, but my point still rings true, especially since they failed to make the NCAA tournament.
Maryland’s matchup for this year’s clash of conferences has not been announced yet. Until then, let’s speculate on who would be a fun adversary for the Terps and who would make for an uninteresting affair.
NC State: I’m writing this post under the assumption that there is absolutely no chance Maryland will be playing Duke in this challenge any time soon. Given that the Terps have already gone up against Virginia and North Carolina, there’s only one longtime ACC foe left for them to match up with: NC State.
The Terps and Wolfpack have faced each other 151 times, with Maryland holding a 77-74 advantage. Fans stormed the court in 2013 when an Alex Len-led squad was able to upset then-No. 14 NC State, 51-50.
The Wolfpack struggled last year, failing to make the NCAA tournament even with future lottery pick Dennis Smith Jr. running the point, so there’s no guarantee this would be a competitive game or a resume booster for the Terps if they won. But if fans are longing to bring back a familiar ACC rival for the challenge, NC State fits the bill.
Louisville: While Maryland and NC State have a rich history together in the ACC, Maryland and Louisville were never in the conference at the same time.
Despite that, the Cardinals would be an exciting matchup for the Terps, even if they’re lacking in history. Louisville has had a rich tradition of success in recent years: a Final Four appearance in 2012, a national championship in 2013 and an Elite Eight appearance in 2015. While Michigan upset the Cardinals in last year’s tournament, they’ve still been one of the most successful teams in this decade of college basketball.
Facing Louisville — which ESPN has at No. 10 heading into the season — could give Maryland a strong out-of-conference opponent to measure itself against. If the Terps can beat the Cardinals, it’d be a huge win for their tournament resume. Even a loss would still help their strength of schedule and help them identify what they need to work on before they enter the gauntlet of Big Ten play.
Miami: Since 2012, it has been inaccurate to describe Miami as a football school, at least when it comes to its records. The Hurricanes have won the ACC in basketball more recently than in football, for starters.
Under the leadership of Jim Larrañaga, The U has gone 64-42 in conference play, good for a .604 winning percentage. The two-time ACC Coach of the Year has led the Hurricanes to the Sweet 16 twice in his tenure, and the squad secured another tournament appearance last season.
There’s also some ACC familiarity between the Terps and the Canes. Maryland and Miami faced each other 14 times as conference members, with the Hurricanes holding a 9-5 edge in those games. Miami would present a solid combo of a strong program that also has a history with Maryland.
