Wake Forest Athletics
Deacs to Face Illinois in ACC/Big Ten Challenge
5/25/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeWBB)
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Wake Forest women's basketball will travel to Illinois on Wednesday, Nov. 30, as part of the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge for the program's third matchup all-time against the Fighting Illini, the ACC announced on Wednesday morning.
The Demon Deacons and Illini have met twice before in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge with Wake Forest dropping both contests. The first matchup between the two came on Dec. 2, 2009, as the Deacs fell 65-50 in Winston-Salem. On Nov. 29, 2012, the Deacs traveled to Illinois and fell 95-82. All-time, Wake Forest is 5-12 against members of the Big Ten and 2-5 in the challenge. Last season, the Deacs fell 64-51 at home against Wisconsin on Dec. 2.
Last season, Illinois went 9-21 on the campaign and 2-16 in Big Ten action. The Illini started the season 7-1 before struggling the rest of the way. Illinois was led by Chatrice White, who averaged 18.7 points per game while starting all 30 games for the Illini. Cierra Rice (13.6 ppg), Kyley Simmons (12.3 ppg) and Alex Wittinger (10.0 ppg) rounded out Illinois' 2015-16 double-digit scorers. In 2016-17, White will be a junior while both Rice and Wittinger will be sophomores.
As a conference, the ACC has been very successful since the challenge's inception in 2007. Overall, the ACC is 6-0-3 over the years, but each of the last two challenges have ended in ties. All-time, conference members hold a 62-46 record in the challenge against the Big Ten and the ACC has won at least six games in each challenge to date.
In 2016, Wake Forest will be making its third-straight appearance in the challenge. The Demon Deacons started 2-2, but have dropped each of the last three games since their last win in 2011. Wake Forest's two victories to date came in a 60-45 road win over Northwestern on Nov. 28, 2007, and a Dec. 1, 2011, win over Minnesota in Winston-Salem, 82-65.
Game time and network for the game against the Illini will be set at a later date.
2016 ACC/Big Ten Challenge Matchups:
Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016
Michigan State at Syracuse
Notre Dame at Iowa
Florida State at Minnesota
Purdue at Pitt
Wake Forest at Illinois
Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016
Indiana at NC State
Nebraska at Virginia Tech
Duke at Rutgers
Penn State at Boston College
Maryland at Louisville
North Carolina at Wisconsin
Michigan at Georgia Tech
Virginia at Northwestern
Miami at Ohio State
Wake Forest's All-Time Challenge Results:
Dec. 2, 2015 – L, 64-51 vs. Wisconsin
Dec. 3, 2014 – L, 83-69 at Michigan
Nov. 29, 2012 – L, 95-82 at Illinois
Dec. 1, 2011 – W, 82-65 vs. Minnesota
Dec. 1, 2010 – L, 91-58 at Michigan
Dec. 2, 2009 – L, 65-50 vs. Illinois
Nov. 28, 2007 – W, 60-45 at Northwestern
