The thrill of college basketball is amplified by rivalries that span decades, bringing out the best—and sometimes the worst—in teams and their fans. These matchups go beyond the court, encompassing school pride, regional bragging rights, and historical significance. They create electric atmospheres that captivate fans and define seasons. Read on as we explore the top 15 fiercest college basketball rivalries.
Duke vs. North Carolina (men)
The rivalry between the Blue Devils of Duke University and the Tar Heels of the University of North Carolina peaks college basketball passion and intensity. Both schools are among the top programs in the nation and are just ten miles apart. They played their first basketball game in 1920 and have gone head-to-head at least twice yearly since then. Two hundred sixty-one meetings later, and U.N.C. leads with 145-117.
Kentucky vs. Louisville (men)
Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals have quite a passionate rivalry. They’ve encountered each other 56 times, and Kentucky leads with 39-17. Bleacher Report said it was the second-best college b-ball rivalry, and Dick Vitale of the Basketball Hall of Fame said they were college sports’ third-best rivalry.
Kansas vs. Missouri
The “Border War” or “Border Showdown” is a rivalry between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Missouri Tigers, and their basketball history dates back to 1907. Despite Missouri’s move to the SEC, the historical significance and deep-seated animosity between the two programs keep the rivalry alive in the hearts of fans. Kansas’s largest win was with 47 points, while Missouri’s was with 30 points. Kansas is ahead 176-95.
Indiana vs. Purdue (men)
Indiana’s two flagship universities—Indiana University and Purdue University—also have a fierce basketball rivalry. Purdue leads 127-92 in this rivalry, which is also about state bragging rights! They first played against each other in 1901. They’ve both made more than 30 appearances at N.C.A.A. Tournaments, but only Indiana has won an N.C.A.A. Championship, and they did so five times.
Cincinnati vs. Xavier (men)
Every year, the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Xavier Musketeers battle at the Crosstown Shootout. Both schools are in Cincinnati and are 3 miles apart—which makes them one of the closest rivalries in the United States. Since 1946, they haven’t missed a year, and as we look forward to their 92 meeting in December 2024, Cincinnati holds the lead 51-40.
Michigan vs. Michigan State (men)
University of Michigan’s Wolverines and Michigan State University’s Spartans make this rivalry. It goes off-field, too, where it has led to a scandal for the University of Michigan, also known as the Ed Martin scandal. From 1909, both programs have fought well, and so far, Michigan has the upper hand, leading Michigan State 97-90.
Arizona vs. Arizona State (men)
It all began in 1913 when Arizona State University wasn’t yet a university but was Norman School of Arizona. Arizona is ahead with a 161-87 lead. Four locations have hosted their games, and Arizona leads in three venues. This rivalry has had great streaks. Arizona has a winning streak of 17 games, and Arizona State has 15.
U.C.L.A. vs. U.S.C. (men)
The two schools first met in 1928, and U.C.L.A. was victorious in a three-game basketball series. That’s how the rivalry was born. U.S.C. once set a national record by holding a 41-game winning streak against U.C.L.A. U.C.L.A. broke the record but not against U.S.C. Today, U.C.L.A. has 149 wins over U.S.C.’s 114.
Maryland vs. Duke (men)
Both sides’ fanbases have different views of the rivalry. Maryland’s camp sees Duke as their biggest game, while Duke’s camp considers Maryland an exciting competitor, not a real rival. So far, Duke leads with 114 wins against 63 by Maryland. The rivalry entered a dormancy phase when Maryland joined the Big Ten Conference.
Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s (men)
Many analysts and media persons will say this is the West Coast’s best college basketball rivalry. Gonzaga Bulldogs and Saint Mary’s Gaels have encountered each other 116 times. The Bulldogs have 81 wins, while the Gaels have only 35. Gonzaga won 94-77 when they first played in 1977, but Saint Mary won their last game on March 12, 2024, by a score of 69-60.
Louisville vs. Cincinnati (men)
Both schools are 100 miles apart, and they remained rivals from 1921 to 2014 when Louisville joined the Atlantic Coast Conference. After facing off 99 times, Louisville walked away with the crown with a 53-43 win. They met twice at the N.C.A.A. Tournament, and each bagged a win over the other.
UConn vs. Syracuse (men)
When both schools first played against each other in Syracuse, the host team won 102-82. The rivalry has featured Jim Boeheim and Jim Calhoun—both Hall of Fame coaches. One of the biggest matches of the rivalry happened in a quarterfinal game of the Big East Tournament in 2009. Syracuse won 127-117. It’s 95 games now, and Syracuse leads 56-39.
Florida vs. Kentucky (men)
In the SEC, both schools face each other twice yearly in the regular season. When they first met, Kentucky won 44-36. Today, they’re still ahead with a winning lead that’s hard to recover from—110-42.
Marquette vs. Wisconsin (men)
It’s also called the I-94 Rivalry. The rivalry, between two major college programs 78 miles from each other, is the second most-played series for the Golden Eagles of Marquette University. Both teams have over 25 N.C.A.A. appearances, over three N.C.A.A. Final Four Appearances and 1 N.C.A.A. National Title. Wisconsin leads the series 71-59.
Illinois vs. Missouri (men)
Every year, the Fighting Illini from the University of Illinois and the Tigers of the University of Missouri battle it at the Braggin’ Rights. The teams first faced off in 1932, when the Tigers hosted the Illini and beat them 32-24. The scoreboard stayed the same when Illini hosted the Tigers the following year. Illinois leads the series with 34 wins, and Missouri is 14 wins behind.
