April 17, 2007

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - Penn State will face Virginia Tech in the Bryce Jordan Center as part of 2007 Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Match-ups for the ninth annual Challenge, which for the third consecutive year will feature 11 games all televised on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU, were released today.

The Nittany Lions and Hokies will meet on Wednesday, Nov. 28 in University Park in the final game of the 2007 Challenge. The game is scheduled for a 9:30 p.m. tip on ESPN2.

This year's clash of conferences will be played the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday after Thanksgiving (Nov. 26-28). The ACC has claimed the Commissioner's Cup winning the Challenge in each of the previous eight seasons.

Penn State will face Virginia Tech for the first time since 1979 and for the fifth time in program history. The Hokies own a 4-0 series lead. Virginia Tech posted a 22-12 mark, third place ACC finish and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season.

In other Challenge match-ups, Wake Forest will visit Iowa (7 p.m., ESPN2) on Monday, Nov. 26 to begin the 2007 event. Games on Tuesday, Nov. 27 include: Georgia Tech at Indiana (7 p.m., ESPN), Minnesota at Florida State (7:30 p.m., ESPN2), Northwestern at Virginia (8 p.m., ESPNU), Wisconsin at Duke (9 p.m., ESPN) and Purdue at Clemson (9:30 p.m., ESPN2). Games on Wednesday, Nov. 28 include: North Carolina State at Michigan State (7 p.m., ESPN), Illinois at Maryland (7:30 p.m., ESPN2), Boston College at Michigan (8 p.m., ESPNU) and North Carolina at Ohio State (9 p.m., ESPN).

Since 2000, the Big Ten and ACC have combined to make 14 Final Four appearances and captured four of the last eight NCAA Championships. The ACC and Big Ten rank either first or second in all-time NCAA Tournament bids, victories and Final Four appearances.

The Nittany Lions return four starters and their top three scorers and rebounders next season, including two-time All-Big Ten selection Geary Claxton and Jamelle Cornley, the 2006 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

2007 Big Ten/ACC Challenge Schedule (All Times ET)

Monday, Nov. 26
7:00 p.m. - ESPN2 - Wake Forest at Iowa

Tuesday, Nov. 27
7:00 p.m. - ESPN - Georgia Tech at Indiana
7:30 p.m. - ESPN2 - Minnesota at Florida State
8:00 p.m. - ESPNU - Northwestern at Virginia
9:00 p.m. - ESPN - Wisconsin at Duke
9:30 p.m. - ESPN2 - Purdue at Clemson

Wednesday, Nov. 28
7:00 p.m. - ESPN - N.C. State at Michigan State
7:30 p.m. - ESPN2 - Illinois at Maryland
8:00 p.m. - ESPNU - Boston College at Michigan
9:00 p.m. - ESPN - North Carolina at Ohio State
9:30 p.m. - ESPN2 - Virginia Tech at Penn State