Syracuse women’s basketball will host Ohio State in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

After a year off, the ACC/Big Ten Women’s Basketball Challenge is back for the 2021-22 season. And even if we don’t know who will be coaching the Syracuse Orange just yet, it appears that we know who SU will face in the event.

According to an announcement from the ACC on Tuesday, the Orange will play host to the Ohio State Buckeyes on December 1, in the first of two days of matchups between the conferences. Syracuse is 3-4 in the event since joining the ACC, losing two straight — to No. 24 Michigan in 2019 and No. 20 Minnesota in 2018. Notably, SU is 3-0 at home in these games, but 0-4 on the road.

Syracuse is 1-10 all-time vs. the Buckeyes, with the only win coming in 2010 at the Carrier Dome. Ohio State beat SU in a battle of top-15 teams back in the 2016 Gulf Coast Showcase, by a score of 77-72.

The Buckeyes finished 13-7 last year and did not participate in the postseason. While they haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2018, they did win the Big Ten title that year before being upset in the Sweet 16.

As for Syracuse, obviously things are to look very different without Quentin Hillsman on the sidelines following his resignation. How that actually plays out in terms of team success, however, we’re not yet sure. The Orange should have another challenging slate ahead too, between roster turnover, this game, and a slate of Battle 4 Atlantis opponents that includes USF (confirmed), plus some combination of Buffalo, Connecticut, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Oregon and South Carolina.