Badgers Host Wake Forest in ACC-Big Ten Challenge
December 04, 2002 | Men's Basketball
The Wisconsin men's basketball team, ranked 23rd in the latest Associated Press poll, hosts Wake Forest tonight at the Kohl Center as part of the fourth annual ACC-Big Ten Challenge. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:35 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally by ESPN2. Dave Strader and Len Elmore will handle the commentary. The game will also be shown on a tape delay basis by Wisconsin Public Television at 11 p.m.
The ACC holds a 15-11 advantage through the first three years of the event. Wisconsin is 1-2, having beaten Maryland, 78-75 in overtime in Milwaukee in 2000 and having lost to Wake Forest (67-48) in 1999 and Georgia Tech (62-61) last year on the road. The Demon Deacons are undefeated in the event, defeating UW in 1999, winning at Michigan in 2000 and beating Minnesota at home in 2001.
This season, the ACC holds a 3-2 advantage. Florida State defeated Iowa 80-67 on Monday night in Tallahassee. Last night the two conferences split the four games. Indiana defeated Maryland 80-74 in overtime in Indianapolis in a rematch of last year's national championship game while Illinois beat North Carolina 92-65 at home for the two Big Ten wins. In Greensboro, Duke defeated Ohio State 91-76 while Clemson beat Penn State at home, 79-70.
Wake Forest enters tonight's game 2-0 after having beaten Yale and Temple at home. The Demon Deacons are led by senior forward Josh Howard, a third-team All-ACC selection last year. Howard leads this year's team with 17.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game.
Wisconsin is 4-0 for the first time since 1996-97. Senior guard Kirk Penney paces the squad with 19.2 points per game, tied for second in the Big Ten. The Badgers are tops in the conference in turnover margin, averaging 6.5 less turnovers per game than their opponents. They also lead the league in free throw shooting, connecting on 81.0 percent (81-100) of their shots from the foul line.
The UW's next game is Saturday, Dec. 7 vs. UNLV. Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. and the game will be televised by Fox Sports Net North.
