Week 4: BTPowerhouse Big Ten Game of the Week: Badgers Face Blue Devils

This is an exciting week for Big Ten and college basketball fans as the Big Ten - ACC Challenge officially got underway on Monday night.  With the rest of the games tipping off on Tuesday and Wednesday, this is a week filled with great matchups between two of the nation's best conferences.  Let's take a look at which games made the cut and at the Game of the Week:

Game Of The Week:

Duke at Wisconsin: This is a matchup that people have been circling on the schedule for months and people have been excited about since it was first announced.  Not only do Duke and Wisconsin represent some of the nation's best college basketball programs over the last decade, but they both look to be serious Final Four and national championship contenders this season.  The Badgers bring back All-American candidates Sam Dekker and Frank Kaminsky and Duke brings in elite recruits Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor.  On paper, this literally looks like a game that could be repeated in April.  It will also be a big game for the national perception of both conferences as Duke and Wisconsin are generally considered to be the top teams from each of their respective leagues.  When the game happens in Madison, it should be a great one.

Honorable Mention:

Syracuse at Michigan: The last time these two teams faced off was in Atlanta for the 2013 Final Four.  Of course, many of the key players on those teams have excited the college game for various reasons, but this is still an exciting matchup on paper and features two of the better programs in the country over the last few seasons.  It will also be the 11th time that Michigan head coach John Beilein and Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim will meet on the court with Michigan winning the most recent matchup.  We will see if Michigan's shooting can beat Syracuse's zone defense.

Ohio State at Louisville: In the vast majority of weeks, this would have easily been the Game of the Week.  This is going to be a game featuring a ton of elite talent, two great coaches, and two teams that look like they could be in the running for high seeds in March.  The Buckeyes currently sit at 5-0 and have walked through all of their games pretty easily to this point.  Louisville also sits at 5-0 and won against Minnesota to open the season in impressive fashion.  The Cards have experience all over the roster and both Chris Jones and Montrezl Harrell look to be in the running for conference and national honors.  If the Buckeyes can go on the road and pull this off, it would be a huge win for the team, program, and conference.

Season Stats

Game of the Week Appearances By Team:

• Wisconsin - 2
• Michigan State - 1
• Minnesota - 1

Game of the Week Honorable Mention Appearances By Team:

• Ohio State - 2
• Illinois - 1
• Iowa - 1
• Michigan - 1
• Michigan State - 1
• Nebraska - 1
• Rutgers - 1

Total Appearances By Team:

• Michigan State - 2
• Ohio State - 2
• Wisconsin - 2
• Illinois - 1
• Iowa - 1
• Michigan - 1
• Minnesota - 1
• Nebraska - 1
• Rutgers - 1