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North Carolina vs. Duke is one of the top rivalries in college basketball. — Mar 9, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard RJ Davis (4) drives to the basket as Duke Blue Devils guard Jeremy Roach (3) defends during the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Tar Heels won 84-79. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

North Carolina vs. Duke is one of the top rivalries in college basketball. — Mar 9, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard RJ Davis (4) drives to the basket as Duke Blue Devils guard Jeremy Roach (3) defends during the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Tar Heels won 84-79. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

Top 10 Rivalries in College Basketball

These 10 college basketball rivalries are the best in the sport. Which teams make the list?

January 24, 2025 | 12:05 PM EST

1 of 10

The Sunflower Showdown begins the list, headlined by two inter-state rivals, the Kansas Jayhawks and Kansas State Wildcats. The sixth-most played series in NCAA men’s basketball history, the two schools are separated by less than 90 miles. Although the series has been dominated by Kansas, with a 205-96 all-time record, both Allen Fieldhouse and Bramlage Coliseum bring the energy each time these teams match up. Between 1994 and 2005, the Jayhawks famously won 31 straight games against the Wildcats — but in recent years, the competitiveness has been brought back. Raucous atmospheres in both Kansas’ Allen Fieldhouse and Kansas State’s Bramlage Coliseum have been must-watch.

Both Penn and Princeton reside in the Ivy League — where they’ve dominated across the history of the league. Between 1963 and 2007, the Quakers or Tigers won or shared the Ivy League regular season championship every year with the exception of 1986 and 1988. Each have won 26 conference championships in school history and earned 24 bids to the NCAA tournament. Aside from similar success within the conference, their head-to-head matchups do not disappoint. Penn holds a precious 126-124 lead over Princeton in the all-time series dating back to 1903. Different from power conferences, Penn and Princeton compete for a singular postseason bid in the Ivy League, further raising the intensity.

A former Pac-12 turned Big Ten rivalry, the Trojans and Bruins represent the Battle of Los Angeles. A roughly 20-minute drive between the two campuses, major bragging rights are on the line each time these programs meet. They first met in 1928, and largely due to legendary Bruin head coach John Wooden, UCLA has 149 wins to only 114 losses all-time against USC. UCLA has 31 conference championships to USC’s seven, but the competition has turned in recent years. Since 2016, the Trojans have gone 12-9 against the Bruins, including six games that came down to the final possession.

Belmont’s Carter Whitt, guards during the game against Lipscomb at Lipscomb in Nashville , Tenn., Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024.
The so-called Battle of the Boulevard has been one of the most competitive rivalries in all of college basketball. The two schools are separated by less than two miles in Nashville, Tennessee — likely contributing to the fact that the total margin of each of the last three matchups has been a mere four points. Neither team wants to lose to their town rival. For now, Lipscomb holds a 76-75 record over Belmont. The rivalry began as a meeting of conference foes before Belmont left the ASUN ahead of the 2012-13 season to join the Missouri Valley Conference. The rivalry as previously known looked to be lost — until the schools agreed to play in each season in a non-conference meeting. The most recent matchup, played on November 11, 2024, featured a game-winning and-one by the Bruins. While it’s a shame they’re not conference opponents anymore, it makes it that much more special meeting only once a year.

Don’t let the recent Villanova domination in this series district prevent you from learning about the history of these two programs. Arguably the two most prestigious Big East programs, the rivalry goes back to the 1970s and 80s. Two legendary coaches led these programs during those times: Georgetown’s John Thompson and Villanova’s Rollie Massimino. Each are inducted in numerous Hall of Fame’s and enjoyed success while leading their teams. Many hard-fought matchups took place between the Hoyas and Wildcats, but one rose above the others. The 1985 national championship game pitted the Big East rivals against each other. The No. 8 seeded Wildcats upset the No. 1 seeded Hoyas, 66-64, to claim the program’s first national title. Defeating their bitter rivals while doing it made it that much more sweet.

Emerging as a national power in the early 2000s, Gonzaga appeared competition-less at the top of the West Coast Conference, winning eight of 10 conference championships in the 2000s. They continued their dominance into the 2010’s before Saint Mary’s began to challenge the Bulldogs at the top. Back and forth they’ve gone in recent years, splitting the last four matchups. Saint Mary’s has joined Gonzaga as a mid-level power, with NCAA tournament appearances in four of the last five tournaments. Each time the Gaels and Bulldogs meet, the conference — regular season title or tournament — is likely going to be in favor of the winner. It’s one of the fastest-growing rivalries in the sport, and it’s not going anywhere but up.

Another inter-state rival, this time between Indiana and Purdue. The state of Indiana is known for it’s die-hard love for hoops, and the two largest universities in the state make up one of the best rivalries in college basketball. There’s Indiana’s Isiah Thomas sucker punch of Purdue’s Roosevelt Barnes, the Bob Knight chair-throwing incident in 1985, and recently, the profanities laced toward Purdue center Matt Harms by the Indiana student section. Rivalries don’t get much more fierce than when these two teams meet.

The Crosstown Shootout between Xavier and Cincinnati has been played every year since 1946. A non-conference matchup, the location alternates home court each year. These teams really don’t like each other. The 2011 game remains in infamy, perfectly encapsulating how much the players cared about beating the other team. While Xavier dribbled out a 76-53 victory, a fight started underneath the basket. Soon, the benches were cleared and an all-out brawl had ensued. Multiple players came out bloody.

Two-blue blood programs also doubling as in-state rivals. Another non-conference rivalry, these two teams have met every year since 1983. Kentucky leads the all-time series 40-17, having taken control in recent years. Throughout the 2010’s, each team was perennially ranked in the top-25 and ESPN regularly featured the matchup during their Rivalry Week. Although they’ve been hard to come by as of late, each of the last four Louisville victories have come by three points. The NBA talent on both sides adds to the skill level in the game, as Kentucky has had 46 players drafted in the first round of the NBA draft while Louisville has had 24. Forty minutes decide 12 months of bragging rights within the state of Kentucky, with nearly everyone in the state tuning in.

The list wouldn’t be complete without the Blue Devils and Tar Heels at the top. It’s arguably one of the most intense rivalries in all of American sports. Located only ten miles apart, Duke and UNC meet twice a year as ACC conference opponents. There are an incredible number of memorable moments. The matchup started to gain speed when UNC’s Dean Smith and Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski led their respective teams in the 1980s and 1990s. Each year, the teams seemed to battle in the ACC tournament, the pendulum swinging back and forth. Since 1997, Duke or North Carolina has won 17 of 27 ACC Championships.

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