Tom Izzo

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Nothing says the last week of June and a heat index of 101 more than discussing the college basketball matchups for the 2021 Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Let’s hoop because Louisville and Indiana both drew assignments against Hall of Fame coaches when the pairing were announced Monday.

For the third time in eight seasons, Louisville was matched against Tom Izzo and Michigan State. That game was booked for East Lansing on Dec. 1.

One night earlier, Indiana will visit the Carrier Dome to play Jim Boeheim and Syracuse. IU lost to the Orange in the 2013 Challenge, eight months after the Hoosiers famously lost to Syracuse as a No. 1 seed in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.

What to think?

ESPN loves pitting Michigan State against the Cards. Loves it. This will be Louisville’s eighth season in the Atlantic Coast Conference and the third time they will be matched against the Spartans in the Challenge.

Louisville lost at Michigan State, 71-67, in 2014 under Rick Pitino, then beat the Spartans, 82-78, in overtime, in Chris Mack’s first season.

Michigan State struggled last season, finishing 15-13 overall and 9-11 in the Big Ten. The Spartans blew a second-half lead and lost to UCLA, 86-80, in overtime in an NCAA Tournament First Four game in Dayton, Ohio.

Louisville finished 13-7 and missed the NCAA Tournament.

Louisville men's basketball coach Chris Mack

Louisville men's basketball coach Chris Mack yells during a game against Virginia on Saturday, March 6, 2021, in Louisville, Ky. (Photo via Michael Clevenger/Courier-Journal ACC pool)

In his early Big Ten forecast for The Athletic, Brendan Quinn picked Michigan State to finish fifth, behind Michigan, Purdue, Maryland and Ohio State.

State lost several players to the transfer portal, including guard Rocket Watts. Star junior Aaron Henry departed for the NBA. But Izzo added Tyson Walker, a veteran point guard from Northeastern, as well as top recruit Max Christie.

Matthew Gutierrez of The Athletic forecast Louisville to finish sixth in the ACC.

As for the Syracuse-IU game, The Athletic picked both teams to finish seventh in their leagues.

The Orange lost four of their top six scorers from last season, including Kadary Richmond, Quincy Guerrier and Alan Griffin. Syracuse won three of its last four games, making the NCAA Tournament as an 11-seed.

After beating San Diego State and West Virginia, the Orange lost to Houston, 62-46, in the Sweet Sixteen, finishing with an 18-10 record. IU lost its last six, slumbering to a 12-15 finish and costing coach Archie Miller his job. Former NBA head coach Mike Woodson will coach the Hoosiers.

Mike Woodson Scott Dolson

BLOOMINGTON, IN - MARCH 29, 2021 - Head Coach Mike Woodson of the Indiana Hoosiers and Indiana Hoosiers Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Dolson during a press conference in Bloomington, IN. Photo by Missy Minear/Indiana Athletics

For Syracuse, senior Buddy Boeheim returns as one of the top shooters in the nation, a player who made 77 of 201 shots from distance last season. Indiana did not have a player make more than 38 threes last season, converting only 158 as a team.

Indiana has lost five consecutive games to the Orange, since defeating Syracuse in the 1987 NCAA title game in New Orleans.

Here are the remaining Big Ten/ACC matchups:

Florida State at Purdue

Duke at Ohio State

Michigan at North Carolina

Nebraska at North Carolina State

Wisconsin at Georgia Tech

Iowa at Virginia

Notre Dame at Illinois

Clemson at Rutgers

Northwestern at Wake Forest

Minnesota at Pitt

Virginia Tech at Maryland

Miami at Penn State

Boston College was bypassed.

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