Big Ten/ACC Challenge slate will bring excitement

I love it when the nonconference schedule has some tasty matchups instead of bargain basement goodies.

Year in and year out, the Big Ten/ACC Challenge gives the fans a number of outstanding games. I am really looking forward to many of these games during the 2015-16 season.

Start off with Maryland and North Carolina, two potential No. 1 teams when the preseason polls come out. The Terps recently added former Dukie Rasheed Sulaimon to a nucleus that returned Melo Trimble, Jake Layman and Jared Nickens. The Terps also have another big plus in newcomerDiamond Stone.

Roy Williams has an outstanding club coming back with Marcus Paige, Brice Johnson, Kennedy Meeks, Justin Jackson, Nate Britt and Isaiah Hicks leading the way.

It will be great to see the renewal of this old ACC rivalry.

Michigan State and Louisville is a rematch of the 2015 Elite Eight thriller. Any time you have Tom Izzo and Rick Pitino going toe-to-toe on the sidelines, there is the potential for a classic. It is a rigatoni special, baby! Pitino is a Hall of Famer, and Izzo deserves to be in, hopefully in the near future.

I love the Duke-Indiana showdown. Mike Krzyzewski has bolstered his lineup with a number of recent additions. The return of Grayson Allen will be special; just look back at what he did to Wisconsin in the national title game.

Indiana will be much improved with the addition of big manThomas Bryant. Returning guardYogi Ferrelland James Blackmon Jr., along with Troy Williams up front, will give the Hoosiers a formidable squad. I believe Tom Crean will get the last laugh over the naysayers who were critical of him last season.

Virginia has Malcolm Brogdon back. Ohio State wishes it had D'Angelo Russell returning. It should still be exciting to have Tony Bennett vs. Thad Matta on the benches. The same can be said for Wisconsin-Syracuse with Bo Ryan facing Jim Boeheim.

The Midwest will be rocking with Notre Dame facing an improved Illinois squad. Tracy Abrams is expected back after sitting out last season because of injury. The addition of Mike Thorne Jr., a transfer from Charlotte, will help the frontcourt. The Irish counter withDemetrius Jackson, Zach Auguste & Co.

Michigan gets Caris LeVert back in the lineup. John Beilein should have a contender for an NCAA berth when the Wolverines face NC State.

I like the Florida State-Iowa matchup. Xavier Rathan-Mayes is going to be a super sophomore.Remember what he did late in the game in torching Miami? The Hakweyes have experience and will be ready.

It is mid-May and i am getting all revved up, baby! These games will produce excitement galore!