I put a considerable amount of thought into this list. I decided to narrow my list down to College Basketball. I found it ridiculously perplexing to compare and contrast all of the different sports genres. I came to the conclusion that I would focus on College Basketball due to the impending March Madness. One of the most important elements behind sports is the rivalry game. As rivals face off for bragging rights, tears are shed, fists are thrown and triumphant cheers ring out. Families become divided and the closest of friendships are tested. Rivalry games are what we look forward to watching week in and week out. So lets get started and keep in mind, this is merely my opinion!
10) Cincinnati vs. Xavier
We start the list with two schools that are only about 10 minutes a part from each other. It is self explanatory why this match up was coined the Crosstown rivalry. Check out the brawl that happened just a few years ago. This rivalry stretches all the way back to 1927. One of the most notable moments for this rivalry came in 1999 when an unranked Xavier knocked off #1 ranked Cincinnati.
9) Indiana vs. Purdue
Here we have the rivalry that triggered the infamous chair toss by legendary coach Bobby Knight. Although the competition has not been as fierce in recent years, many believe this rivalry is fueled by the state of Indiana’s deep affinity for the game of basketball. Go watch the movie Hoosiers and you will understand Indiana’s marriage with the sport of basketball. Indiana State has not been a substantial player since the days of Larry Bird and this match up is how the people of Indiana get their basketball fix. Many people would assume that Indiana dominates this series, however Purdue actually is in the lead at 115-82. Purdue has never won a national championship, but Indiana smashes them in this category with 5 titles. Its looks to me like Purdue’s super bowl happens when they play Indiana because they continue to make this series competitive and fun to watch.
8) Kentucky vs. Florida
This rivalry has seen its fair share of heated competition. Florida dominated for a period of time with consecutive championships and now Kentucky is dominating and in the pursuit of perfection. They are the only prime time rivalry the SEC offers in college basketball. The two schools feature two of the most premiere coaches in the game. Florida’s coach is Billy Donovan and he is a former Rick Pitino protege which adds a little flare to the rivalry considering Kentucky’s long time history with Pitino. These two universities often compete for the most acclaimed recruits in the country. Kentucky’s outspoken basketball coach John Calipari only adds fuel to the fire.
7) Michigan vs. Ohio State
This rivalry receives a boost from their respected football programs and it needs no introduction. Unlike Auburn and Alabama, this rivalry has managed to transcend into the basketball realm as well. It is one of the most highly regarded Big 10 rivalries. Ohio States coach Thad Matta is known for defense and Michigan’s coach John Beilein is admired for offense. These schools are opposite in every way, but this makes for wonderful entertainment. Check out this buzzer beater and you will know why!
6) Syracuse vs. Georgetown
This rivalry has a long and deep history. Syracuse’s coach Jim Boeheim has numerous experiences battling the father-son John Thompson duo. When you think of classic Big East basketball, this match up comes to the top of the mind. Send it in big fella! If you like poster dunks check out this slamma-jamma! Unfortunately this rivalry may take a hit now that Syracuse has joined the ACC. We will all have to salivate until the next time we get to see this thirst quenching battle.
5) UCLA vs. Arizona
This next rivalry on my docket rules the west coast. UCLA is the most accredited program in college basketball history with 11 national championships. UCLA continually abused PAC-10 competition for decades, until a coach by the name of Lute Olsen showed up in Arizona and forever changed the landscape. Arizona’s current head coach Sean Miller is doing a great job of continuing to build on Olsen’s success. Over the last 30 years, one of these schools has earned a conference title (regular season and/or tournament) in 22 of them. The statistics show that these two programs have a stranglehold on the west coast market.
4) Georgetown vs. Villanova
Another two Big East heavyweights come next in line. I gave this rivalry the nod over the Syracuse one because both schools remain in the Big East. One year in particular comes to mind when you think of this rivalry and its 1985. This was the first year the NCAA extended its tournament field to 64. Underdog 8th seed Villanova would go on to pull off one of the largest upsets in national championship history over #1 Georgetown featuring legendary center Patrick Ewing (the big guy from Space Jam). The 1985 Villanova team remains the lowest seed to ever win the NCAA tournament and the rest of this rivalry is history in the making. Watch the history behind the 1985 moment!
3) Louisville vs. Kentucky
The Battle of the Bluegrass divides a state in half. When it comes to the state of Kentucky, either you bleed red or you bleed blue. This rivalry was elevated to new heights when former Kentucky basketball coach Rick Pitino became Louisville’s basketball coach. Kentucky fans did not take it lightly that he joined a near by inner state rival. Kentucky won a national championship as recently as 2012 and Louisville followed them up in 2013. Kentucky lost in the national championship last year, but not before knocking off rival Louisville. As you can see, this rivalry has plenty of recent drama. I would show you a highlight, but instead I recommend you watch any of the tournament battles between these teams from 2012-2014. You wont be disappointed!
2) UConn vs. Tennessee (Women’s Basketball)
I bet you thought I forgot about the ladies, but not so fast! These two programs deserve considerable respect because they have set the standard for women’s basketball. One of the saddest moments in sports came when Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt had to step down due to Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia. Tennessee has 8 national championships and 5 runner ups. However, Tennessee was recently out done by its arch nemesis UConn which now has 9 national championships. Needless to say, these two storied programs have had to step on each others toes numerous times. Lets face it, if you are one of the most highly anticipated female recruits in the world, you are either picking A or B! Pat Summitt retired with over 1,000 wins which makes her one of the best coaches of all time (both male and female). UConn basketball coach Geno Auriemma is over 900 wins and counting. With UConn winning both the men’s and women’s national championships last year, I only see UConn’s basketball monopoly continuing to grow. The question remains whether this rivalry will slowly diminish due to Summits retirement, but the history will live on forever in our hearts. If you think women’s basketball cant compare in intensity to men’s basketball, you need to check this out!
1) Duke vs. North Carolina
You could say I’m somewhat biased on the subject because I grew up near the triangle area of North Carolina, but apparently a considerably large portion of the population agrees with me. This fierce battle is often referred to as the Tobacco Road rivalry. Only 10 miles (8 miles if the road were a straight line) separate these two bitterly divided rivals. This rivalry is full of opposites. Duke is a private school with a gym so small it reminds you of a high school gym (trust me I’ve been there). UNC is a public school with an enormous premiere basketball showcase called the Dean Dome. This match up decides which shade of blue reigns supreme. The most respected coach in college basketball history runs the vessel at Duke. He is commonly known simply as Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski). Coach K holds the record for D-1 basketball wins and he is the U.S. Olympic basketball coach as well. On he other hand, ask a UNC fan about Coach K and they might try to convince you he is a real life Blue Devil. North Carolina matches Duke’s prestige with the G.O.A.T Michael Jordan. Recently UNC’s former coaching legend Dean Smith passed away. Coach Smith was revered by all in the sports world and he was a civil rights pioneer for the game of basketball. Statistically this rivalry is among the closest in history. It features some of the most iconic figures in all of sports. If you want to see all the epic rivalry moments, watch this video. I rest my case!
Honorable Mentions:
Duke vs. Maryland
UConn vs. Syracuse
Kansas vs. Kansas State
St. Mary’s vs. Gonzaga
Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State
Michigan vs. Michigan State
UCLA vs. USC
etc……
Bobby Alan Brown 