2018 ACC/Big Ten Challenge: Purdue is Going to Florida State

We had to wait a moment longer to get the 11th and final non-conference game on the 2018-19 Men’s basketball schedule, but it was announced about an hour ago. ESPN has released the 2018 ACC/Big Ten Challenge and Purdue is headed to Tallahassee to face Florida State:

Here is the full lineup of games:

— Indiana at Duke

— North Carolina at Michigan

— Michigan State at Louisville

— Nebraska at Clemson

— Minnesota at Boston College

— Syracuse at Ohio State

— NC State at Wisconsin

— Purdue at Florida State

— Virginia at Maryland

— Rutgers at Miami

— Virginia Tech at Penn State

— Pitt at Iowa

— Georgia Tech at Northwestern

— Notre Dame at Illinois

* Wake Forest is the lone ACC team not a part of the event.

Purdue has played in Tallahassee before in this event. During the 2005-06 season, Matt Painter’s first in West Lafayette, the Boilers went to Tallahassee and lost 97-57. We have won 8 of our last 9 games in the Challenge, however. The only other game against Florida State came on December 26, 1974 and the Seminoles won that one 69-66 in Louisville.

Last season Florida State was 23-12 and went 9-9 in the ACC. They reached the Elite 8, however, after upsetting Xavier 75-70 in the second round and Gonzaga 75-60 in the Sweet 16. Michigan beat them 58-54 to go the the Final Four. This would be the saucy C.J. Walker game, but Walker is transferring to Ohio State.

Last season Purdue was one of only three Big Ten teams that won its ACC/Big Ten Challenge game, and we lead the conference with a 10-7 record in the event.