Huggins to Face University of Florida for First Time in Annual Big 12-SEC College Hoops Challenge
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on May 14, 2015 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
The Big 12 and Southeastern Conferences have announced the matchups for the 2015-16 Big 12/SEC Challenge
Presented By Sonic. West Virginia University will visit the University of Florida for the event in Bob Huggins' first-ever matchup with the Gators.
“The Big 12 is proud to once again take part in the Challenge,” said Commissioner Bob Bowlsby. “Our teams have had unprecedented
success on the basketball court over the last two seasons and we are excited to provide the fans more quality opponents on the
schedules.”
For the first time, all games in the Challenge will be played in one day - Saturday, January 30, 2016. ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will
combine to televise every game of the third annual event matching every Big 12 squad with 10 members from the Southeastern
Conference. Each league will host five games. In addition, ESPN’s College GameDay Covered by State Farm will originate
from a to be determined site of one of the day’s games.
The Big 12 is 13-7 (.650) in the Challenge, having won the series in each of its first two seasons. The Big 12 has posted a 41-27
(.603) record in the last two conference challenge series it has played (vs. Pac-10, SEC) dating back to 2007.
The Challenge has eight teams ranked in the early ESPN.com early top 25 rankings overall, including five Big 12 teams - No. 1
Kentucky, No. 3 Iowa State, No. 6 Kansas, No. 10 Oklahoma, No. 17 Baylor, No. 19 LSU, No. 23 Texas and No. 24 Texas A&M. Three
games will pit ranked squads against each other - Kentucky at Kansas, Iowa State at Texas A&M and Oklahoma at LSU.
2016 Big 12 / SEC Challenge - Saturday, January 30
Georgia at Baylor
First meeting between the schools
Kentucky at Kansas
Jayhawks have won the last three meetings in Lawrence
Mississippi at Kansas State
K-State won last game between the teams in 2013
Tennessee at TCU
Frogs won only series meeting, 73-59, in 1991
Vanderbilt at Texas
Longhorns topped VU, 70-64, in 2013-14
Iowa State at Texas A&M
ISU has won the last two meetings
Oklahoma at LSU
Teams have split their previous four matchups
Oklahoma State at Auburn
OSU won last meeting, played in 2006
Texas Tech at Arkansas
96th meeting between the schools, first since 2006
West Virginia at Florida
Bob Huggins will face Gators for first time
