Big East, Big 12 Reportedly Set To Launch Annual Hoops Challenge

The Big East and Big 12 have "officially agreed to an annual 'challenge' between the two conferences, starting during" the '19-20 men's basketball season, according to a source cited by CBSSports.com's Jon Rothstein. An official announcement of the agreement is "expected soon" ( TWITTER.com, 10/15 ). In K.C., Gary Bedore noted talk of this series, which "would have each of the 10 Big 12 teams play one Big East team," first "surfaced in May." This series would "make sure the Big 12 teams would have 20 locked-in, high-major opponents -- 18 Big 12 games, plus one each vs. the Big East and SEC." The SEC/Big 12 Challenge expires after this season but is "expected to continue." Univ. of Kansas Special Assistant to the AD Larry Keating said, “This is designed to add quality games to each school’s schedule." Keating added with the Pac-12 going to a 20-game schedule and the "ACC and Big Ten at 20 already, it means those teams are less available for nonconference games” ( KANSASCITY.com, 10/15 ).