The Michigan men’s basketball team will face North Carolina State for the fifth time in the upcoming ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

Michigan will host N.C. State at the Crisler Center on Dec. 9 to kick off the annual challenge between both conferences. While a time for tip-off has not is known at the time, the 14-game event will take place over two days (Dec. 8-9).

Wolverines fans should be excited about this matchup. Especially given the history between both teams. 

Michigan currently holds a 3-1 series lead over N.C. State. They have also won the previous two meetings in the series, including each matchup (two) at Crisler Center. There still may be some slight concern for Wolverines fans. And the reason for that is merely looking at the box score of each game. 

Even though Michigan holds the series lead, the end score was a 7-point difference between the two schools in each matchup. In 2003, Michigan won a 68-61 contest in Ann Arbor. Three years later, N.C. State got their revenge in a 74-67 victory in Raleigh, NC. Michigan won the next two games, 79-72 (2012) and 66-59 (2015).

Michigan’s success against N.C. State is evident. Unfortunately, their success in the challenge is another story.

The Maize N Blue have a rocky history in this challenge.

Michigan has participated in the ACC/Big Ten challenge 19 of its 21 years, holding an 8-11 record. When playing at home, they hold a 5-4 record. They are also 1-0 when the game takes place at a neutral site.

While that record isn’t bad, it also isn’t great. Now when it comes to the road games during this challenge, they are not good at all. They are a woeful 2-7 on the road.

Luckily for Michigan men’s basketball coach Juwan Howard, he won’t have to worry about that. 

In Howard’s first year at Michigan (2019), his No.4 Wolverines lost to the No.1 ranked Louisville 58-43. Howard will look to gain his first win in the challenge this December.