A few disclaimers earlier than we get began.
First, this record is restricted to Division-I males’s basketball rivalries. If you wish to examine Calvin College vs. Hope Faculty or Ferris State vs. Grand Valley State, this isn’t going to be the place.
Second, this record has been confirmed by each math and science to be one hundred pc correct. There isn’t a room for dialogue. There isn’t a room for debate. That is the record.
Let’s get to it.
100. North Carolina Central vs. North Carolina A&T
As soon as the MEAC’s defining rivalry, the collection took successful when North Carolina A&T bolted for the CAA in 2021. The 2 hated rivals now play only one contest — the “Eagle Aggie Traditional” — every season.
99. UCSB vs. Cal Poly
The “Blue-Inexperienced Rivalry” might be greatest identified for males’s soccer, however the two Large West packages don’t take care of each other in basketball both. The Gauchos have dominated in recent times, profitable 15 of the final 16 contests.
98. Military vs. Navy
The primary of a number of rivalries on this record which might be much more identified for his or her prominence in soccer, Military and Navy even have a heated Patriot League rivalry on the hardwood. The Midshipmen lead the all-time collection, 85-56. The Black Knights, infamously, are certainly one of simply 4 authentic Division-I packages which have by no means made the NCAA Event.
97. Portland vs. Portland State
An absence of a wealthy basketball historical past is just not going to maintain a heated rivalry off this record. The Pilots and Vikings, regardless of enjoying in numerous conferences, despise each other and have performed some extraordinarily aggressive video games over the previous twenty years. That’s sufficient to warrant a spot within the prime 100.
96. UConn vs. St. John’s
A rivalry too recent to be any increased on this record, St. John’s vs. UConn has an opportunity to be the largest factor within the Large East over the last decade that lies forward. Two of the best profile head coaches within the sport, Rick Pitino and Dan Hurley are too equally spirited for these matchups to not give us extra memorable moments (like Hurley’s fiery interplay with “crimson blazer man”) through the years to come back.
95. Southeast Missouri State vs. Southern Illinois College Edwardsville
Watch any sport at any time between SEMO and SIUE, and the disdain the 2 packages have for each other can be inconceivable to overlook. SEMO has traditionally dominated the collection, however SIUE is the aspect with present bragging rights after knocking off their arch-rivals in final 12 months’s Ohio Valley match championship sport to punch their first-ever ticket to the NCAA Event.
94. Illinois vs. Northwestern
The rivalry dates all the best way again to 1908, however can’t be ranked any increased on this record due to how totally the Illini have dominated. Whereas the 2 groups have break up their season collection in every of the final three years, Illinois nonetheless owns the all-time depend by a whopping whole of 144 wins to 46.
93. UAB vs. Memphis
Memphis dominated the “Battle for the Bones” whereas the pair have been each members of Convention USA, and has picked proper again up since UAB joined The American in 2023. Whereas the pair have performed some classics through the years, the Tigers lead the all-time collection 40-12.
92. Houston vs. Texas Tech
Houston has had no bother making high-profile enemies because it joined the Large 12, and Texas Tech is close to the highest of that record. The 2 groups performed a pair of incredible video games final season, and have break up the eight video games that they’ve performed all-time. This has the potential to be one of many Large 12’s higher rivalries through the years to come back.
91. North Florida vs. Jacksonville
The crosstown rivals from the Atlantic Solar play a pair of video games every season which might be often known as the “River Metropolis Rumble.” Jacksonville gained the primary 11 video games in collection historical past, however the Ospreys have stormed again to assert a present all-time benefit of 23 to 22.
90. The Citadel vs. VMI
Some of the enjoyable and aggressive rivalries in all of mid-major basketball, the 2 SoCon army colleges first performed in 1920 (a 71-8 VMI win), and have performed virtually yearly since 1953. VMI leads the all-time collection by the narrowest of margins, 63-62.
89. West Virginia vs. Marshall
That is the primary of a handful of rivalries on this record which might be at present outlined by one aspect refusing to play the opposite. Regardless of a lot protesting from the Marshall aspect, West Virginia has refused to play their in-state rivals in a scheduled matchup for the reason that 2015-16 season. This resulted in a spicy second spherical NCAA Event sport in 2018 that was gained by the Mountaineers.
88. BYU vs. Gonzaga
One other pattern on this record can be as soon as scorching rivalries which have been cooled off considerably because of convention realignment. The pair performed some incredible video games, together with three convention match title matchups, throughout BYU’s stint within the Large West, however they haven’t squared off for the reason that Cougars bolted for the Large 12.
87. Georgetown vs. Villanova
This rivalry isn’t solely concerning the 1985 nationwide championship sport … but it surely’s largely concerning the 1985 nationwide championship sport. Regardless of Georgetown’s struggles as a program over the past decade and Villanova’s latest dominance within the collection, the Hoyas nonetheless maintain a 51-46 all-time edge.
86. Murray State vs. Belmont
The 2 packages dominated the Ohio Valley Convention throughout their co-existence within the league, after which left collectively for the Missouri Valley in 2022. They haven’t but discovered that very same stage of success within the MVC, however their rivalry has persevered.
85. Charlotte vs. Davidson
The North Carolina rivals play yearly for “The Hornet’s Nest Trophy.” Charlotte leads the all-time collection, 31-20, however after a victory final 12 months, Davidson has now gained 9 of the previous 12 matchups.
84. Stephen F. Austin vs. Sam Houston
Although the basketball collection doesn’t have as cool of a reputation because the soccer one — “Battle of the Piney Woods” — it’s much more loaded with historical past. The 2 packages have performed a number of occasions a 12 months since 1956, with Stephen F. Austin profitable 74 occasions and Sam Houston claiming 61 victories.
83. Wofford vs. Furman
The “I-85” rivalry is likely one of the largest highlights of any season within the SoCon. It’s particularly notable given how profitable the 2 packages have been, with the Terriers and Paladins being the one lively members of the convention which have gained a sport within the NCAA Event this century. Wofford has the last word bragging rights in the mean time after knocking off Furman in final March’s SoCon championship sport.
82. Drexel vs. Penn
Although the pair haven’t performed practically as many occasions as you’d factor, “The Battle of thirty third Road” remains to be notable for being the closest geographical rivalry in Division-I athletics, with the colleges’ campuses sharing a bodily border and their residence courts positioned simply blocks aside. The rivalry acquired a lift in 2023 when Drexel was formally added to the famed Philadelphia “Large 5.”
81. Baylor vs. Houston
Although Houston has dominated the all-time collection (40-16), Kelvin Sampson and Scott Drew’s groups have performed some absolute bangers for the reason that Cougars joined the Large 12. The 2 video games are computerized circles on the Large 12 sports activities calendar at this level.
80. Dayton vs. Saint Louis
There appear to be followers on either side right here that deny the existence of this rivalry (particularly on the UD aspect), but it surely’s fairly clearly a factor. The packages are two of the largest manufacturers within the Atlantic 10 and play for the “Arch Baron Cup” every season. Dayton at present leads the all-time collection, 43-30.
79. Oakland vs. Detroit-Mercy
The one two Division-I colleges within the Detroit space, the 2 Horizon League packages meet twice a 12 months within the “Metro Collection.” Whereas Oakland, winners of 12 of the final 13 video games, has managed the collection, the extent of contempt that’s current every time the 2 groups share the courtroom nonetheless makes each sport appointment viewing.
78. Miami (Ohio) vs. Ohio
Courting again to 1908, the “Battle of the Bricks” is likely one of the oldest and most-played rivalries in all of school basketball. Miami leads the all-time collection by a depend of 121-96, however Ohio has gained 10 of the final 12.
77. Canisius vs. Niagara
The oldest rivalry within the MAAC, Canisius and NIagara first met on the hardwood all the best way again in 1904. The 2 packages compete throughout all sports activities yearly in what’s known as the “Battle of the Bridge,” a reference to the Grand Island Bridge, which each groups should cross to achieve the opposite’s campus. Whichever program has probably the most whole wins on the finish of the athletic 12 months receives the “Canal Cup.” Niagara leads the all-time males’s basketball collection, 112-84.
76. Memphis vs. Tennessee
This is likely one of the strangest rivalries on the record. When it has burned, it has burned nearly as brightly as any rivalry in faculty basketball. In truth, you may argue that the extreme warmth is the basis reason for the 2 groups not enjoying greater than they’ve through the years. This century has seen the groups play a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown in 2008, after which a completely ridiculous sequence of occasions in 2018 and 2019 that led to the 2 sides (or not less than the Tennessee aspect) selecting to not proceed the collection. The hate remains to be there. We simply want ti get the video games again.
Test again quickly for the following installment of this collection.
