April 15, 2008

EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern will host Florida State at Welsh-Ryan Arena Wednesday, Dec. 3 in a non-conference matchup as part of the 10th-annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge. It is set to be the fourth meeting between the Wildcats and Seminoles as part of the Challenge.

Game times and television coverage are to be determined at a later date. All games will be broadcast on either ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU.

Florida State has won two of the previous three Challenge meetings with NU. The Seminoles took the most recent matchup between the teams 71-53 Dec. 1, 2003 in Tallahassee, Fla. The 'Cats posted a 57-50 win at Welsh-Ryan Arena Nov. 28, 2001. FSU was Northwestern's inaugural opponent in the Challenge, winning by a 60-46 margin Dec. 1, 1999 in Tallahassee.

The Seminoles lead the overall all-time series with Northwestern 3-1, with the lone non-Challenge meeting going 91-73 in FSU's favor Dec. 23, 1972 in Dayton, Ohio. Florida State posted a 19-15 overall record during the 2007-08 season, including a 7-9 mark in the ACC to finish tied for seventh place. The Seminoles dropped a 65-60 overtime decision to Akron at home in the opening round of the 2008 Mastercard NIT.

Northwestern is 2-7 in its first nine ACC/Big Ten Challenge games. The Wildcats dropped a 94-52 decision at Virginia last season.

2008 ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchups
Monday, December 1
Wisconsin at Virginia Tech

Tuesday, December 2
Duke at Purdue
Clemson at Illinois
Ohio State at Miami
Virginia at Minnesota
Iowa at Boston College

Wednesday, December 3
North Carolina vs. Michigan State (from Ford Field)
Indiana at Wake Forest
Michigan at Maryland
Florida State at Northwestern
Penn State at Georgia Tech