Aug. 9, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Aug. 9, 2010 - Penn State's ACC/Big Ten Challenge clash with Maryland on Wednesday, Dec. 1 has been set for a 9:15 p.m. tip on ESPN2. The Bryce Jordan Center showdown will be the second-to-last of the 11 Challenge games scheduled between Nov. 29 and Dec. 1 and airing on the ESPN networks.
Penn State also announced that its non-conference clash with Maine will be moved to Tues., Dec. 21 in order to accommodate conference and network partner's television broadcast requirements. Fans can get their first look at the 2010 Nittany Lion basketball team led by All-Big Ten guard Talor Battle on Sunday, Nov. 7 when Penn State takes on East Stroudsburg in exhibition action at the Jordan Center following the football team's Saturday clash with Northwestern in Beaver Stadium.
The Big Ten will look to defend it's 2009 Challenge title when the 2010 ACC/Big Ten Challenge gets underway on Monday, Nov. 29 with a match-up of Virginia at Minnesota at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN2. Tuesday, Nov. 30 will see a slate of five games starting at 7:00 p.m. with Iowa traveling to Wake Forest (ESPNU) and Georgia Tech playing at Northwestern (ESPN2). At 7:30 p.m. Ohio State will take on Florida State (ESPN) in Tallahassee and the night will wrap-up with Michigan traveling to Clemson (ESPN2) at 9:00 p.m. and North Carolina facing Illinois (ESPN) in Champaign at 9:30 p.m.
The final night of the Challenge will start with 7:15 p.m. clashes of Indiana at Boston College (ESPNU) and NC State at Wisconsin (ESPN2). Purdue will travel to Virginia Tech (ESPN) for a 7:30 p.m. clash before the Nittany Lions look to post an unprecedented fourth-straight Challenge victory for a Big Ten team. Penn State has knocked of Virgina Tech (2007), won at Georgia Tech (2008) and won at Virginia (2009) in the last three Challenges. This will be the Lions' first ever Challenge meeting vs. Maryland and the first meeting between the two school's on the hardwood since a 1990 NIT victory for Penn State in Rec Hall. The series is tied at 8-8.
The Challenge will wrap up when 2010 NCAA Final Four participants Michigan State and Duke square off at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN. The defending national champion Blue Devils will host the Spartans at fabled Cameron Indoor Stadium.
The Big Ten won its first-ever Challenge last year winning six games to the ACC's five. The last two Challenges have been decided by a 6-5 mark and six of the previous 11 Challenges have been decided by one game. Penn State is 4-5 in nine previous Challenge appearances and last year became the first-ever Big Ten program to win Challenge games in three consecutive seasons. The Lions' four Challenge wins ties Wisconsin and Minnesota for the second-best mark in the conference.
Nittany Lion Basketball season tickets are available by calling 814-865-5555. Season tickets are $220 for adults, $190 for seniors for a 19-game home schedule and $59 for students. PNC Flex Books are also available again this year for $99. The Flex Book gives fans 12 vouchers, 10 that can be redeemed in any combination for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion Basketball tickets throughout the year and two extra vouchers for the Nittany Lions' Coaches Vs. Cancer game and the Lady Lions' Think Pink game.
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