Spartan Women’s Basketball Travels to Florida State for Big/ACC Ten Challenge

EAST LANSING, Mich. - In the 13th edition of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, the Michigan State women’s basketball team will travel to Florida State on sThursday, Dec. 5. The matchups for the 2019 Big Ten/ACC Challenge were announced jointly by both conferences on Tuesday.

This will be the third time in the last four years that MSU will be play on the road.

Last year’s Challenge once again proved to be among the most competitive in the event’s history, with the ACC edging the Big Ten, 8-6. Five of last year’s Challenge games were decided by single digits (and two others by 11 points), including a pair of one-possession games and the first overtime Challenge games since 2016. Last year, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State and Purdue registered wins for the Big Ten.

This is the third Challenge meeting between the Spartans and the Seminoles with both teams earning one win. In 2010, the Saprtans stopped the Seminoles, 72-64, on the road, before FSU edged MSU, 60-58 in 2013. Overall, Michigan State holds the series lead, 2-1. Florida State will come to East Lansing for the first time ever.

Michigan State is 6-6 all-time in the Challenge. MSU won its inaugural contest, 68-51, over Clemson at the Breslin Center in 2007, before a 2008 loss to Georgia Tech. In 2009, Michigan State upset No. 4 North Carolina, 72-66, in East Lansing, and followed it up with a come-from-behind upset at No. 15 Florida State, 72-64, in 2010. In 2011, MSU lost to No. 9 Miami, 76-60, at the Breslin Center, but bounced back to win at NC State, 68-51, in 2012. In 2013, the Spartans remained on the road but lost to Florida State, 60-58.

In 2014, Michigan State came-from-behind to capture a 79-73 overtime win against Georgia Tech. In 2015, Louisville came out fast and despite a second-half comeback by MSU, the Cardinals captured the win, 85-78. The Spartans traveled to No. 21 Syracuse, falling to the Orange in the Carrier Dome, 75-64 in 2016. Despite a game-high 14 points from guard Taryn McCutcheon, Michigan State was stopped at Miami in 2017. Last season, the Spartans dominated Virginia at home, 91-66, which was MSU’s largest margin of victory in a Challenge game.

The Spartans finished the 2018-19 season with a 21-12 record, reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Michigan State will return four starters led by All-Big Ten honorees Shay Colley, Nia Clouden and Taryn McCutcheon. Clouden also earned a spot on the All-Freshman team.

Game times, as well as television and broadband coverage, will be announced at a later date.

Wednesday, December 4

Clemson at Iowa

Indiana at Miami

Duke at Nebraska

Boston College at Northwestern

Minnesota at Notre Dame

Thursday, December 5

Michigan State at Florida State

Wisconsin at Georgia Tech

Syracuse at Michigan

Illinois at North Carolina