Best Rivalry in College Hoops? ESPN Poll with XU/UC included [Archive]

blueblob06

02-10-2017, 09:41 AM

Not the most scientific but here's the link:
http://www.espn.com/sportsnation/story/_/id/18653953/best-rivalry-college-basketball

Here's the choices the poll gave:
Xavier/UC
Duke/UNC
UK/UL
IU/Purdue
Gtown/Syr

My personal ranking (with my XU-bias) would be the order I listed them above. I would watch the first 3 if on TV, but IU/Pur and Gtown/Syr wouldn't interest me at all. I'd put KU/K St and OKL/Ok St in there personally. I'm sure there's many other good ones I'm not initially thinking of.

GoMuskies

02-10-2017, 09:48 AM

KU/K-State?

Living here, I don't see all that much animosity, mostly because K-State generally stinks in basketball (though they've had a team or two recently), and KU generally stinks in football. So KU people expect to lose in football and K-State people expect to lose in basketball. So no one is particularly invested in it.

Wichita State/KU is more heated, and they don't play.

blueblob06

02-10-2017, 09:54 AM

xufan2434

02-10-2017, 10:20 AM

Syracuse/Gtown just doesn't have the same buzz that it used to have. It sucks the re-alignment has hurt so many awesome rivalries. But on the other hand, good for us ha

UNC/Duke was awesome last night. I'll always enjoy those games. Same goes for UL/UK. Maybe it's just me, but I've never thought of Purdue/IU as some huge rivalry. I just don't get that feeling from it. I'd rather watch IU/UK to be honest. And it kind of sucks that I'm trying to think of other really good rivalries that go on, and there aren't many. I do like UK/UNC and UK/KU when those games happen, but there aren't that many consistently good rivalries that have hate. Kansas always rotates who their Big 12 rival is basically by who is #2 in the standings that year. It OK last year, and Baylor this year.

birdman71

02-10-2017, 10:26 AM

Dayton/Wright State? :]

muskiefan82

02-10-2017, 10:28 AM

Dayton/Wright State? :]
Best rivalry that one team won't play because they are scared to lose

muskiefan82

02-10-2017, 10:30 AM

What would be some of the best rivalry games that currently don't happen?

I could make a case that Xavier/Gonzaga could be that kind of game.

UK/Duke should happen every year too.

RetireFiftyTu

02-10-2017, 10:32 AM

Utah and BYU is pretty heated. I think they ended the series though but now there may be talks to start it back up. Not sure.

xufan2434

02-10-2017, 10:51 AM

What would be some of the best rivalry games that currently don't happen?

I could make a case that Xavier/Gonzaga could be that kind of game.

UK/Duke should happen every year too.

X/Zaga might be too far in distance for something like that. Although would love to have that series going. The only other regional ones that could happen would be like X/UK, X/UL, X/IU or X/Purdue.. Kentucky and Louisville would never go for it. I doubt IU would too. Purdue doesn't do anything for me. Unless they wanna bring UD back, their pretty set with UC and Butler as 2 biggest rivals.

I like the UVA/Virginia series they've had. Would LOVE to see UNC/Nova every year. That could be one I could get behind

xubrew

02-10-2017, 10:59 AM

What would be some of the best rivalry games that currently don't happen?

I could make a case that Xavier/Gonzaga could be that kind of game.

UK/Duke should happen every year too.

I'd think the best rivalry games that don't happen are all rivalry games that used to happen.

BYU v Utah, although this one is coming back. After several years where Utah players were either punched or injured during the game, Utah decided to end the rivalry, but then decided to resume it after just one year.

Kansas v Missouri, although it's hard to argue that would be any good now, it used to be great.

West Virginia v Pitt, and now that Dixon is gone this one is coming back as well.

"Best" is a term that can be defined in a lot of ways. But, when it comes to how bitter a rivalry was, those three along with Louisville v Kentucky are just in another world. Everyone thinks the rivalry they're attached to is the best and the most bitter, but chances are it's not nearly as bitter as those four. Duke v Maryland probably wasn't as big as Duke v UNC, but it was more bitter. I don't think it was even close. That would be fun to bring that one back, but Duke won't play it unless it's on a neutral floor or part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Wichita State v Kansas would be good. So would Texas v Texas A&M where pretty much all the coaches, players, and fans from both schools have said they wanted to play, but the University administrators are still having hissy fits.

As far as rivalries that aren't on the list, I'd consider all of these to be more heated than any of the ones listed. Although, it doesn't say most heated. It just says best.

Maryland v Georgetown
Iowa v Iowa State
BYU v Utah once it comes back
West Virginia v Pitt once it comes back
Gonzaga v Washington - although this is probably more heated between Lorenzo Romar and Mark Few than it is the fans. If you don't know the story behind that, then you should look it up because it is spectacular. I didn't think that one had a chance at coming back before one of them left, but it's back. At least for now.

Drew

02-10-2017, 11:13 AM

People are overrating the UL vs UK rivalry like crazy. Having lived in KY my entire life there really is no rivalry. Nobody cares about UL outside of Louisville.

GoMuskies

02-10-2017, 11:19 AM

there really is no rivalry

This is the dumbest thing I've read on here. And _LH posted here for a long time.

flatspat

02-10-2017, 11:42 AM

Dayton/Wright State? :]

The game that was the " Gem City Classic"

blueblob06

02-10-2017, 01:34 PM

People are overrating the UL vs UK rivalry like crazy. Having lived in KY my entire life there really is no rivalry. Nobody cares about UL outside of Louisville.

I think a lot of people watch it outside of KY. I typically watch it because I love seeing two big-time hoops programs go at it. When they met in the Tourney a few years back, my buddy was working in a Louisville hospital when a fight broke out between 2 patients (one UL fan, one UK fan), arguing over hoops. Ha!

GoMuskies

02-10-2017, 01:34 PM

, my buddy was working in a Louisville hospital when a fight broke out between 2 patients (one UL fan, one UK fan), arguing over hoops. Ha!

That's the sort of thing that happens when there is no rivalry.

xufan2434

02-10-2017, 01:53 PM

Gonzaga v Washington - although this is probably more heated between Lorenzo Romar and Mark Few than it is the fans. If you don't know the story behind that, then you should look it up because it is spectacular. I didn't think that one had a chance at coming back before one of them left, but it's back. At least for now.

Holy crap... How have I not known about this feud at all. Dove into this one and that is absolutely wild. Honestly, I've never really known that much about Mark Few but man some of the things I was reading did not paint a pretty picture of him. And obviously none too great about Lorenzo either. I'm assuming it is true that the hate all started with a some illegal recruiting done by Washington.. Which based on their recent recruiting results would make some sense. They should definitely get this going. The West could use a good rivalry like this

GoMuskies

02-10-2017, 01:58 PM

The best rivalry in the West right now is probably Arizona vs. Gonzaga....which shows how bad the rivalries in the West are.

Drew

02-10-2017, 03:04 PM

This is the dumbest thing I've read on here. And _LH posted here for a long time.

I can only go off of what I have lived. I have lived in KY 28 years. Nobody cared about UL basketball before Pitino. And even now UK fans outnumber UL fans 10:1. I am sorry for recounting what I have experienced?

scoscox

02-10-2017, 03:13 PM

GoMuskies

02-10-2017, 03:38 PM

I can only go off of what I have lived. I have lived in KY 28 years. Nobody cared about UL basketball before Pitino. And even now UK fans outnumber UL fans 10:1. I am sorry for recounting what I have experienced?

You're apparently pretty young. Kentucky fans definitely weren't big fans of Louisville winning two titles and going to 4 final fours in the '80s. And even if no one cared about Louisville basketball before Pitino.....well, Pitino is there. And EVEN IF no one outside of Louisville cares about the rivalry (which isn't the case), Louisville is by far the largest and most important city in the state. And there the rivalry is 24/7/365.

The three most hated men in Kentucky are (in order) Tom Jurich, Rick Pitino and Bobby Petrino.

xubrew

02-10-2017, 04:06 PM

This thread has prompted me to check out Kentucky's Rival's site.

The most active thread on their message board by far is a thread about the stripper's scandal at Louisville.

There is another thread about Louisville having to take down the 2013 national title banner.

There is another thread about an NBA team coming to Louisville, and how if the team is called Louisville, they won't cheer for it because they hate Louisville.

There is another thread about UofL fans being obsessed with Kentucky fans, which is true, but the inverse of that is also true.

When you have four threads about a team that isn't your team on your front page, and you don't play that team again for at least another ten and a half months, then you may care about that team. Just a little bit.

xubrew

02-10-2017, 04:25 PM

Holy crap... How have I not known about this feud at all. Dove into this one and that is absolutely wild. Honestly, I've never really known that much about Mark Few but man some of the things I was reading did not paint a pretty picture of him. And obviously none too great about Lorenzo either. I'm assuming it is true that the hate all started with a some illegal recruiting done by Washington.. Which based on their recent recruiting results would make some sense. They should definitely get this going. The West could use a good rivalry like this

It's back. They played last year in an exempt tournament, and the two schools agreed to a four year deal, but even that was crazy because they couldn't agree on where the series would begin. Both coaches were insisting that they get the first home game, which is stupid when you think about it because you're both getting the same number of games. Well, I guess Gonzaga won that one because it was at Gonzaga this year. The Zags flattened them, but I watched the end of the game to see if they would shake hands. I guess that's a part of Cincinnati that's still with me. They did, BTW.

EDIT: Another aside. Cameron Dollar is the head coach at Seattle, and Mark Few hates him as well and refuses to play them. I cannot confirm this, nor am I sure if I actually believe it myself, but it's good enough to where it's worth repeating on a message board. Gonzaga said they'd play Seattle in a buy game if Seattle paid them to come to Spokane.

xufan2434

02-10-2017, 05:38 PM

It's back. They played last year in an exempt tournament, and the two schools agreed to a four year deal, but even that was crazy because they couldn't agree on where the series would begin. Both coaches were insisting that they get the first home game, which is stupid when you think about it because you're both getting the same number of games. Well, I guess Gonzaga won that one because it was at Gonzaga this year. The Zags flattened them, but I watched the end of the game to see if they would shake hands. I guess that's a part of Cincinnati that's still with me. They did, BTW.

EDIT: Another aside. Cameron Dollar is the head coach at Seattle, and Mark Few hates him as well and refuses to play them. I cannot confirm this, nor am I sure if I actually believe it myself, but it's good enough to where it's worth repeating on a message board. Gonzaga said they'd play Seattle in a buy game if Seattle paid them to come to Spokane.

Haha yeah I saw that part about Dollar being at Seattle. That is the ultimate F U by Few to consider it as a buy game. I love it though to be honest. College Basketball could use more of that

bobbiemcgee

02-10-2017, 06:32 PM

Zags should move to St. Louis. Zags vs X, Zags vs. V, Zags vs. G'Town, Zags vs. Jays, Zags vs. 'Dawgs. That would be fun.

nasdadjr

02-10-2017, 06:36 PM

paulxu

02-10-2017, 06:48 PM

Were you ever in a Crosstown Shootout in the Gardens?

bleedXblue

02-10-2017, 07:53 PM

Were you ever in a Crosstown Shootout in the Gardens?

or attended this game ever in person?

bleedXblue

02-10-2017, 07:57 PM

Our game divides families. Husbands and wives. Brothers and sisters. Co-workers. Doctor and patients. You could go on and on. Our campuses are less than 2 miles apart. One school is private and one public. There are so many reason why this isn't even a contest.

Our game may not be the most "popular" rivalry.

But it is very clear, that we simply just don't like each other. At all.

xubrew

02-10-2017, 09:33 PM

If I was being completely objective my order would be
1. Duke UNC
2. UK/ Louis
3. Georgetown Syracuse
4. XU UC
5. IU Purdue

Syracuse v Georgetown is still pretty heated, but it's not quite the same anymore.

The Shootout is great. All rivalries are great in the ways that are unique to that specific rivalry. But I do think the flavor has changed. Throughout pretty much the entire Bob Huggins tenure, UC was a nationally relevant program that was seemingly always in the rankings, and Xavier was a good program that was fun to cheer for when they played against teams that were nationally relevant and highly ranked, and low and behold they're in the same city as Cincinnati. Not only that, but it seemed like for several years in a row Xavier pulled the upset, and did so in very crazy fashion. Now, Xavier is the alpha program, and Cincinnati just doesn't have the appeal that Xavier did when UC was the alpha program, so it's not as exciting to people outside the city anymore. I was at X from 98-02, and I hung around Cincinnati until about 2007. I'm glad I got to experience the rivalry during that time. I'm not saying it was better then or that it's worse now, but it was different. When 6000 seats at US Bank go unsold, I have a hard time currently ranking this rivalry up there with Louisville v Kentucky, Duke v North Carolina, Syracuse v Georgetown, Iowa State v Iowa, etc. You could even look a t something as simple as the message boards. Fifteen years ago, fans from both schools were on both team's boards talking trash all year long. There aren't any UC fans here now. I'd bet there are no Xavier fans on UC's board either. It's still one of my personal favorites, though.

nasdadjr

02-11-2017, 03:22 AM

Were you ever in a Crosstown Shootout in the Gardens?

Yes I was at every other shootout since 95 when my dad had season tickets. I'm sorry but while XU UC is special it doesn't usually involve 2 championship contenders like UNC Duke or U.K. Louisville. That's just a fact and that matters

TUclutch

02-11-2017, 04:20 AM

I can only go off of what I have lived. I have lived in KY 28 years. Nobody cared about UL basketball before Pitino. And even now UK fans outnumber UL fans 10:1. I am sorry for recounting what I have experienced?

UC enrollment: 43K+
Xavier enrollment: 6,500

Not quite 10:1, but a drastic difference. Guess the shootout isn't a rivalry based on your flawed logic

TUclutch

02-11-2017, 04:21 AM

People are overrating the UL vs UK rivalry like crazy. Having lived in KY my entire life there really is no rivalry. Nobody cares about UL outside of Louisville.

A rivalry doesn't need to have people all over like a team. Louisville fans hate UK. UK fans hate Louisville. The games are usually heated. I always enjoy watching and i don't follow either team in the slightest

paulxu

02-11-2017, 08:33 AM

Yes I was at every other shootout since 95 when my dad had season tickets. I'm sorry but while XU UC is special it doesn't usually involve 2 championship contenders like UNC Duke or U.K. Louisville. That's just a fact and that matters

Great. But the "national championship contenders" doesn't really play directly into a rivalry game. It may reflect the relative national prominence of the teams, but unless 2 teams met every year in the NCAA finals, the rivalry game is the annual game between the two schools before the tournament.

So, the XU/UC rivalry game exists on its own merits, and for my money is every bit as intense, bitter, and fun filled as any of the others listed.
My frame of reference on the Gardens goes to the 60s, and the longevity of the games up to today. Those early games are some of the most intense atmospheres I have ever experienced. I may have also been drinking a lot of beer....

Xavier

02-11-2017, 10:02 AM

Yeah, wasn't sure where he was going about the national championship contenders thing.

Smooth

02-11-2017, 10:44 AM

What would be some of the best rivalry games that currently don't happen?

I could make a case that Xavier/Gonzaga could be that kind of game.

UK/Duke should happen every year too.

X - Ohio St. would be huge for many reasons. The Matta factor. The previous tourney game. The fact that OSU doesn't want to play in-state schools that will beat them.

I'm sure beating their asses a couple times will increase the intensity for Buckeye fans.

xumuskies08

02-11-2017, 11:07 AM

What would be some of the best rivalry games that currently don't happen?

I could make a case that Xavier/Gonzaga could be that kind of game.

UK/Duke should happen every year too.

KU vs Mizzou. The Border War. A literal war happened between the states prior to the rivalry. Those games felt like 10 times the rivalry of XU/UC.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

xubrew

02-11-2017, 12:54 PM

KU vs Mizzou. The Border War. A literal war happened between the states prior to the rivalry. Those games felt like 10 times the rivalry of XU/UC.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You're not wrong. Not at all. Most will disagree, but they're disagreeing without ever having experienced it that one. Of course, it'd be a rather pitiful game if the two were to meet this year, but as far as the level of intensity and bitterness it really is on a whole other level.

Porkopolis

02-11-2017, 01:21 PM

Auburn/Alabama is always intense, too. Even if neither one is any good at the time.

THRILLHOUSE

02-11-2017, 01:25 PM

What would be some of the best rivalry games that currently don't happen?

More so in football than basketball, but Texas vs. a&m was always intense regardless of the sport. Might have gotten that in last year's tournament had UNI not hit a buzzer beater half court shot to break the tie and win vs UT.

xubrew

02-11-2017, 02:12 PM

As for rivalries that have not prevoiusly been regular series....

Kansas v Wichita State would be fun. Kansas is always quick to say that Wichita is not on their level, and they're not wrong, but if that's their standard for playing an OOC game then there are only about three or four teams that they can play. Wichita is better than a lot of teams that Kansas does play. So at what point does a team finally become worthy?

I know we'd like to play Ohio State, but UC and Ohio State have actually been snipping at each other for a long time. I think they've only played ten times in their entire history, and have only met outside of the NCAA Tournament once in the last sixty years. There have been attempts to get that going, but every time it seems like it may happen someone pisses off someone else and it falls through.

Georgetown and GW played every year until 1982, and I don't think they've played since. I'm not so sure why they stopped, but I'm sure there's a story there somewhere. I get that Georgetown is the alpha program and can claim they don't need it, but losing to GW is better than losing a buy game, which Georgetown seems to be in the habit of doing lately. I think they play in every sport but men's basketball, so it can't be that the athletic departments don't get along.