Rutgers set to play Miami in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Per a report from John Fanta, Rutgers will play at Miami (FL) this coming season as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Big Ten confirmed the matchup later on Friday.

Miami was 26-11 last season and lost to eventual national champion Kansas in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. The Hurricanes return star Isaiah Wong and have added transfers Nigel Pack from Kansas State as well as Sun Belt Player of the Year Norchad Omier out of Arkansas State. Miami finished No. 41 in KenPom last season and will likely be projected higher in the preseason. This will be the most challenging non-conference game on the schedule and will be a great test for Rutgers ahead of Big Ten play.

The Scarlet Knights are 4-4 all-time in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and have won two in a row in the series. This will be the third time they visit Miami in the series. They lost 73-61 on November 30, 2016 in Steve Pikiell’s first defeat of his inaugural season at Rutgers. Two years later, the Scarlet Knights returned to upset the Hurricanes with a 57-54 victory. RU is 6-10 all-time in the head to head series between the two programs and were former conference foes in the Big East.

The non-conference schedule is near completion as all eleven opponents have been reported so far in addition to Miami: Coppin State, Bucknell, Rider, Columbia, Sacred Heart, UMass-Lowell, Central Connecticut State, Seton Hall, Wake Forest and Temple on a neutral court. There has not been confirmation from Rutgers and contracts might not be 100% complete as of yet, but expect this to be the non-conference slate of opponents.

The game against Seton Hall will be at Jersey Mike’s Arena as part of the annual Garden State Hardwood Classic. The home game against Wake Forest is part of a two-year series reported last week. It was also reported on Thursday that Rutgers will play Temple at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut in November.

As for the 20 game Big Ten schedule, the slate of opponents was announced last week and reviewed here.

A full examination will follow once the completion of the non-conference schedule is confirmed.

Here is a full schedule of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchups:

Monday, November 28

Minnesota at Virginia Tech

Pitt at Northwestern

Tuesday, November 29

Syracuse at Illinois

Maryland at Louisville

Penn State at Clemson

Virginia at Michigan

Wake Forest at Wisconsin

Georgia Tech at Iowa

Wednesday, November 30

Ohio State at Duke

Purdue at Florida State

Rutgers at Miami

North Carolina at Indiana

Michigan State at Notre Dame

Boston College at Nebraska