CHICAGO (AP) -- The Atlantic Coast Conference started the 1990s with a challenge series with the Big East. The league that is always among the best in college basketball will close the decade with a series against the Big Ten.
The two leagues and ESPN announced Tuesday night that they have reached a multiyear agreement for the Big Ten-ACC Challenge beginning next season.All nine teams from the ACC and all but two members of the Big Ten will participate in the event that will played at campus sites in each league on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.
The participating teams in each league will be ranked one through nine, with the corresponding No. 1 and No. 2 teams playing, and so forth through No. 9.
Which Big Ten teams will not participate in the first two challenges has already been decided. Indiana and Ohio State volunteered not to play.
ESPN and ESPN2 will simultaneously televise two doubleheaders each night, with the ninth game syndicated locally by ESPN on a regional basis.
The pairings and sites will be determined each spring by ESPN.
ESPN senior vice president of programming John Wildhack said the network isn't concerned about deciding the matchups and sites.
"Obviously we'll work and we'll consult," he said. "People want to see the best of basketball, and that's what we'll try to provide to the fans."
The Big East-ACC Challenge involved eight games each season from 1989-91. That series ended with one year left on the contract after early season dates could not be agreed on. The leagues split 24 games.
"Our coaches and athletic directors are really excited about it," ACC commissioner John Swofford said. "We felt very good about the Big East-ACC Challenge. This will mean a lot to the fans and the players in the early part of the basketball season."