The additions of Pittsburgh and Syracuse to the ACC will cause some major changes to the conference's basketball schedule, the ACC announced on Friday. Starting in 2012/13, teams will play an 18-game schedule, up from 16 games. Each school will have one "primary" partner that they will play twice every year, and the other ones will rotate.

Via the announcement:

The scheduling model will be based on a three-year cycle during which teams will play every league opponent at least once with the primary partners playing home and away annually while the other 12 rotate in groups of four: one year both home and away; one year at home only; and one year away only. Over the course of the three-year cycle primary partners play a total of six times and all other conference opponents play four times.

Maryland's primary partner will be Pittsburgh, according to the release.

For more on the Syracuse Orange, visit Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician. For more on the Pitt Panthers, visit Cardiac Hill. For more on the Maryland Terrapins, visit Testudo Times.