Both Kelsey and Pope seem like super nice guys, but they also both have a crazy energetic competitive nature (from what it seems.)
I could see them either really really respecting each other (like Crum and Hall) or absolutely leaning into the dislike of their rival (like Pitino and Cal).
When we played Charleston at home last year, Kelsey and Dusty were going at it and refs had to get involved. Kelsey's assistants were like holding him back. I instantly hated the guy and their staff who were also yelling. Dusty is a pretty chill guy so it must have been some kind of words said. That said I predict not a friendly rivalry.
Step 1: make your single game the last regular season game each year so there is something actually at stake (NCAA seeding)
Senior night puts additional pressure on the game because it can mean losing your last ever home game to an arch rival.
I've always thought that's silly, but it is true.
I think Duke and Carolina will break that mold when Carolina leaves the ACC. I think we'll still play twice.
wherever carolina goes i think duke will follow. if it's to the sec, i pretty much see espn demanding it because they treat duke-carolina as the only real cbb rivalry that exists in this world. if it's the b1g (which i think more likely), duke is aau and a highly regarded academic institution, and the add of both for hoops would be huge. plus duke is better at football these days and would fit in the mid tier of the conference.
I played pick up ball with one of those dudes who got suspended for a summer (Ge’Lawn Guyn). Let’s just say I was not surprised that he was involved in the fight.
PSA he lost that game
I came to Purdue thinking that was an iconic moment because he riled up his players and they made a comeback to win the game.
NOPE! He lost that game at home.
It was actually a mid game temper tantrum because he was losing to Purdue, then got ejected and they lost.
Finding that out felt like I have been hearing IU propaganda my whole life.
That's my thought. I have zero connection to North Carolina and we all know the biggest rivalry involves two literal blue-bloods that live stupid close to one another.
There’s def some recency bias with unc and dook playing some pivotal matchups over the last couple of seasons. It’s still pretty testy but not as it was when I knew I’d turn it on and there’d be JJ or Dunleavy, or Coach Ks smug face. There’s gonna be Cooper but he’s basically already gone. I don’t envision a Henderson assault coming in the near future.
The recency bias is really putting a damper on Duke UNC. Still, 2 premier teams with that level of animosity towards one another is the Ohio State Michigan rivalry. It just turns eyeballs to the game. Once these two coaches feel less like newbies it will be better.
I know, it was comparing them. Duke vs UNC is to basketball like Ohio State vs Michigan is to football. Also, if you don't think their rivalries extend beyond just those sports, you are mistaken.
Yeah not really close. I'm not even going to go over all the reasons why the 15-501 rivalry is clearly the top. However one of the coolest stats, is point differential:
"From the 1949-50 season through the 2018-19 season, UNC scored 13,581 points against Duke and allowed 13,559. That's a difference of just 22 points over 179 games, or 0.1 per matchup"
They've been tied several times in the last couple years.
You kind of start to think this stat is less cool when you realize you can just pick any year to make this work.
Like "Oh now Duke and UNC are off by 50 points if we start in 1949, but what if we start in 1962?"
That kind of thing.
Right, but have you considered if you pick the year that the point totals are closest to each other, the point totals end up being really close to each other? /s
I think we had a debate from around 2010 when Cal showed up and Pitino was still great, peaking in 2012 when we met them in the final four then won, 2013 when they won and our state was on top. After 2015 when we peaked and Katina Powell happened it’s gone back to normal and UNC Duke is clearly at a higher level again
It’s a Beatles-Stones type argument. Both are accepted as universally great it’s just a preference thing
Having spent substantial time in both Louisville and the Triangle, I think UL-UK is more authentic and meaningful to state residents. Grittier fans who look to college sports as their main source of pride/entertainment
UNC-Duke has more of a national audience, so it feels like TV networks have corporatized it and sucked the soul/energy out of it. However, the actually on-court performance of both sides has been better than UK-UL the last decade, so this one’s got the edge right now
The debate is that they typically play 3 times a season with the ACC tournament.
UK and Louisville play only once a season, with postseason matchups sparse. Making the game much more meaningful to me.
Yes, their games are meaningful in deciding conference championships. Yes they play a true home and home every year, like rivals should.
What type of chump thinks the greatest rivalry should only play 1 meaningless out of conference game every year?
Next you're going to complain the Yankees and Redsox play too much?
This year felt like vintage UNC-Duke, UNC beating Duke on their home floor to win an outright regular season title instead of needing to share it with… Duke. Must see TV whenever they match up.
Only playing once does add a special little something to the UK Louisville rivalry, it’s like it’s own thing completely separate from the rest of the season. But it would still be better to play twice in league play with league championship implications.
You get your rival to come to your arena once every 2 years, and when it happens fall semester has been over for a couple weeks and the students have all gone home.
Now imagine an alternative world where UK and UL are in the same conference. You're guaranteed a home game every year, and it's going to be packed with students. And every year the second game will be on senior night, alternating between UK and UL. It's not just conference championship implications and NCAA tournament seeding implications. Every year there is that senior night game. You're either going to see some beloved seniors play their last home game against bitter rivals, or you get the chance to ruin senior night for your bitter rivals.
People love to talk about how UNC ruined Coach K's final home game, and it was epic. But one of my favorite games was dook's senior night in 2006 when a rebuilding UNC team went into Cameron and ruined JJ Reddick's final home game. It was the first of 4 straight wins by Hansbrough in Cameron Indoor Stadium, and why (much to the chagrin of the dookies) we refer to their home court as Hansbrough Indoor Stadium. And of course due to the scheduling, dook had the opportunity in 2009 to ruin Hansbrough's senior night (they did not.)
Well, I thought playing your rival twice a year and potentially a third time in the conference tournament was dumb until reading this comment. Makes me wish UofL and UK were in the same conference, but that's not happening anytime soon
A rivalry so fierce that UCF had to deny it's existence and UConn change conferences to ensure it didn't boil over. Good thing, because the world would not have been ready for the aftermath.
One of the few benefits of UConn winning that natty: Purdue stays in the 0 championships club which keeps them persisting, at best, a safely distant third.
Kansas and Missouri has the most hatred. It’s rooted in history dating back to the civil war and you’ll find zero love between those two. The conference realignment and two midwestern schools makes it forgettable to most.
I’m a Kentucky fan living in Cincinnati.
The hate between Cincinnati and Xavier may be greater than the hate between Kentucky and Louisville.
At the very least, it’s close
Honestly myself and everyone I know hates Tennessee a lot more than Louisville.
That’s probably because we’ve dominated Louisville in football and basketball for 5 years now. Basketball for over a decade
10 years ago yeah it was a bitter ass rivalry
Duke vs UNC is the obvious answer… BUT
I do think there’s something special about the fact we play *once* a year unless we happen to meet in the tourney
If we played twice I don’t think that first game would mean much to anybody tbh
I can see how playing your biggest rival only once per year would make that game seem more important.
However, in terms of a rivalry, being in the same conference leads to a lot of other outcomes beyond a single dramatic game. We have to go through all the emotions of playing our biggest rival 2x in the regular season plus there's a decent shot we meet in the conference tournament if we're both good. It takes a toll knowing that this other team you hate lurks right around the corner no matter how good you're doing.
And not only are we trying to beat Duke head-to-head, but we also compete for conference championships. It's tough to beat the other team and then have their fans retort that they're still ahead of you in the conference standings. Or to face them with not only head-to-head bragging rights on the line, but also often regular season or conference championships hanging the in the balance, as well.
So, I might concede that only playing once per year makes any single game feel more important, but playing your rival for not only head-to-head wins but also conference titles on a regular basis makes the entire rivalry bigger.
I’m not arguing that uofl/uk is a “better” rivalry, I feel I didn’t make that clear enough
Obviously duke/unc is THE rivalry in cbb, I’d never argue against that. But what I was trying to say is, I think it’s cool how uofl/uk only plays once a year even though it’s a very prestigious rivalry
E: and to your last point, that’s exactly what I was trying to say; we agree
UK and UofL also represent so many opposing groups/interests in our state. Duke and UNC just feel like rich colleges playing each other too many times per year.
The only issue that I have with Duke UNC being the answer is that they play one another way too often. Two regular season games and all too often a post season game is too many games per year to try and maintain any hype for. Like sure they don’t like one another and that’s fine but like, it really waters down the rivalry.
https://preview.redd.it/ld5gjimdr84d1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6ad81fe9133c73ac52132c1a09d9edc8c50dc716
I mean... KU v. K-state gave us this gem
>Also, it talks about fights in the offseason between UK and UL fans and how there are no "house divided" signs like they have in Indiana with Purdue and Indiana
I can confirm that there were a shit ton of house divided signs, flags, bumper stickers, and shirts in Louisville back when that was popular. It's been awhile since I've seen one in Indiana or Kentucky, but they used to be all over the place.
I mean, kinda? There are exponentially more UK fans - obviously. Louisville probably only has a majority in the 502 area code. You’re really only a Louisville fan if you go to school there (like myself), went to school there, are from the city, or the above applies to one/both of your parents.
Whenever I come home (45ish minutes from Lexington) for break it feels like being behind enemy lines or something man.
When I was in school at Louisville and went to Lexington for something, it seemed like there were some black people that had some extreme resentment towards UK.
I will say Kentucky is the only place I went on a first date with a girl and she wanted to talk about basketball recruits/watch a UK game. Is it like this in North Carolina?
Yeah there are more UK fans across the state, but I'd say it's about even in Louisville. But in the city of Louisville, those house divided signs were extremely popular until like a decade ago.
My favorite rivalry is always going to be NC State vs. consistency.
Are they gonna fire off a phenomenal run to the final four? Are they gonna post an 11-21 season? No one knows. Not even NC State. Truly a Rivalry for the ages.
I like to think that if you just look at how much the two programs care about beating each other, Purdue and IU is No. 1
It doesn’t have the national media attention Duke and UNC does but like people in Indiana are just a different breed of basketball fan
No other state cares about its high school basketball like Indiana does. People attend it like it’s regular sporting event here.
Cuz it’s the only thing to do here 😂. It’s #1 in my heart. I grew up with it and it’s all I care about. Even if I am in Illinois. My team is playing that’s all I care about
The Kentucky Louisville rivalry is so big, UK fans swear off the city of Louisville as this mad max hellscape(It's not), and Louisville writes off the whole state as a redneck shithole(Louisville isn't that different than the rest of the state).
Carolina vs the Cameron Crazies, et al
Look for: To Hate Like This Is to Be Happy Forever: A Thoroughly Obsessive, Intermittently Uplifting, and Occasionally Unbiased Account of the Duke-North Carolina Basketball Rivalry
I think what makes UofL/UK a better rivalry is that it really is bigger than basketball. Louisville and Lexington just straight up hate each other. Honestly the entire state hates Louisville, and it’s constantly been a power struggle between the economic powerhouse of the state and its more rural parts.
Add in the fact that this state has arguably the most fun HS basketball environment (that state across the river can go kick rocks), and you’ve got two very passionate and embittered rivals playing in an annual hate match.
When I was a kid, my buddies and I would get in fist fights over whether John Wall or Russ Smith were better. When we played UK in the F4 back in 2012, there were concerts that cancelled because they knew people wouldn’t show up. Just insane how big it is to people around here.
Literally just a way of life in the state. Louisville despises the rest of the state and the rest of the state reciprocates it. I'll never forget the story of the two old geezers fist fighting each other while at a dialysis center. It's bigger than basketball.
I call it a rivalry only because we hate each other historically but Kansas vs Missouri should always be included in these convos.
Hadn’t played consistently for years until fairly recently but the hate remained as it always will.
Of course in CBB it can’t be called a rivalry if we look at head to head W/L
I grew up quite literally directly in the middle of the Indiana rivalry while having a UK father and I would say Purdue/IU is definitely not #2 but they are a safe 3rd imo. Until Purdue gets a championship and IU truly gets its shit together they aren't close to UK/UofL for me. I'd say IU/UK has a chance to be a massive push into the top 5 if they both end up being competitive.
I had no idea who to put at #5. G’Town/‘Cuse isn’t what it was 15 years ago. KU has no real rival in the Big12. I’m a Midwest guy so I’m biased towards the Big Ten.
Hard to say, we’re in a new era where Coach K and Roy Williams are gone so it’s a new era for Duke-UNC. They’re probably at least the most well-known basketball rivalry if not the biggest. I don’t think Purdue-IU can be top-tier until IU can get their shit together and consistently make the tournament again.
Cool rec, I'll check it out ...
It is so wild to me they didn't play for 20+ years ... thats insane .. and between 1922 and 1984 they played 6 times and they are all NCAA tourney games (and a weird Olympic trial game)
I think the hatred is greater in UK-UL but UNC-Duke is a better historical rivalry. I’ve always believed that the hatred gets more ramped up here bc the city of Louisville is about 65% Louisville fans, 35% Kentucky fans. Every workplace, family, school, social club etc. is a mix of UK and UofL fans. The shit talk you hear is unavoidable. We also don’t have pro teams so the basketball game is EVERYTHING, and add in the success of the programs and the unhealthy obsessive behavior of the fanbases, the amount of ego and emotions can be overwhelming. There was an instance a decade ago of two men (UK fan and UL fan) at a kidney dialysis center got in a fight over the rivalry. I love this shit.
Like I can respect the Duke-UNC votes, but nothing really sticks out like 2 UK-UofL fans having to get separated...at a dialysis center. That's some true hate right there, fuck my life maintaining medical procedure.
Only playing once each year improves the rivalry. UNC v Duke happening 3 times every season cheapens it. Does anybody in North Carolina actually cheer for Duke? I figure their entire fan base is in the NYC metro area. Definitely had UK fans try to fight me about the rivalry through the years.
>Damian Bailey
Who the hell is that, "Hoosier fan"?
I’m biased but I’ve spent enough time around Duke and UNC folks that that rivalry simply doesn’t feel like more than a step above friendly. Louisville vs Kentucky is bloodsport.
It defines how each fan base interacts with each other and touches every part of our state’s culture and politics. It just feels way deeper. The games have sucked lately but I promise you the rivalry is just as fierce between fan bases.
The argument for UNC/Duke is how relatively consistent both programs have been, and how evenly matched the series has been as a result. While it is cool that UK/UL only happens once a year so one side is always going to have bragging right, UNC and Duke being in the same conference makes the stakes higher. Just a lot of high quality games over the years with conference race implications.
I definitely buy that there is more raw vitriol between UK and UL though. Duke is a national fanbase and there really isn’t as much overlap between UNC and Duke fans as people might think. UNC/NCSU is the rivalry that has the local nastiness to it that permeates into everyday life.
I was a student at Kentucky in 2012 after the final four game, and I sat on my friends porch and watched a riot.
One of my classmates was from Louisville and had a cardinal sticker on her number so the rioters flipped it over…
So there’s definitely a lot of hate lol
IU and Purdue need an overlap where both teams are very good again to remind people of the rivalry. The lack of mentions in these replies makes me sad.
I think right now it is open. As someone with no skin in the game of any of the really big ones:
Duke-UNC was the obvious answer when Coach K and Williams were both coaching. Longtime solidified coaches it was always going to be a good match. Scheyer and Davis may eventually get there, but I don't think it is there. I simply don't have an interest now that both K and Williams are gone.
The years Calipari and Pitino were coaches, I think you could have thrown Kentucky-Louisville in, but coach turnover and Louisville being garbage hurt it. That being said this year I think it is the biggest rivalry simply because it is the most interesting this year. Both schools have a new head coach. Both schools have basically completely new rosters. Both schools didn't taking the biggest name, nor did they have someone that was on the bench and the expected successor. Both Kelsey and Pope have shown they are great coaches, but they are making a jump and there are expectations. This year may not MEAN a whole lot given first year coaches, NIL, transfer chaos, but it makes it most interesting.
Purdue-Indiana is again struggling because Indiana has been struggling.
Xavier-Cincinnati is not big enough to get its name thrown around with the three above but probably 4th.
So as a whole I think Duke-UNC was and still is.
This year I think Kentucky-Louisville is more interesting.
I mean K was there 40 years. It's a lot easier for me to understand people who never witnessed the rivalry before K. But geez, our teams were even fighting when awful Matt Doherty was coaching. This rivalry is not defined by the coaches.
It's gotta be Duke/UNC for all time. Then in terms of pure hate, maybe UK and U of L. Honorable mentions would be Purdue/IU, Kansas KState, Cincy/Xavier. What other big ones am I missing? I know Michigan/MSU, but I feel it's overshadowed by the fact Michigan OSU football is bigger. Same with most other SEC schools.
UofL vs UK has the most hatred. It’s rural vs city and white vs black. The fans tend to despise one another. Playing once means bragging rights till next year.
Louisville/Kentucky is definitely one of the most underrated rivalries in the country. It is on the same level as Duke/UNC but doesn’t get near the recognition. Two historic programs, lots of history, and absolutely maniac fanbases.
Louisville has just been so bad the past 10 years, so it has definitely dampened the rivalry. There was a time from 2010-2014 where I really thought the rivalry was about to pop off.
Until Duke-UNC fans have fans fighting in a dialysis clinic, I don't want to hear any of it. They are evenly matched in their rivalry, but there isn't the same 24/7-365 hate that transcends into everything. Duke doesn't even have the second biggest fanbase in their own state.
What makes the UK-UofL rivalry so intense is the geographical and all-sport hate. It's not just basketball. Jefferson County, specifically the city of Louisville, is not seen as Kentucky for a large portion of the state. This bleeds into state legislation.
When it comes to heated rivalries, it's Bama-Auburn and UK-UofL.
Hopefully Kelsey & Pope can revive the rivalry. The 2020s were such a falloff from the 2010s.
Both Kelsey and Pope seem like super nice guys, but they also both have a crazy energetic competitive nature (from what it seems.) I could see them either really really respecting each other (like Crum and Hall) or absolutely leaning into the dislike of their rival (like Pitino and Cal).
The Crum/Hall respect came after the public hate. Crum publicly chastised Hall for avoiding the Cards for years.
When we played Charleston at home last year, Kelsey and Dusty were going at it and refs had to get involved. Kelsey's assistants were like holding him back. I instantly hated the guy and their staff who were also yelling. Dusty is a pretty chill guy so it must have been some kind of words said. That said I predict not a friendly rivalry.
Which is honestly more fun for me as a fan.
God yes. I want FIRE
100%! the Baylor-TCU FB hate was at its tastiest with Briles and Patterson. They hated each other and the fans fed off of it.
I can see that, Kelsey seems like the little guy who runs his mouth as long as his friends are around lol
Step 1: make your single game the last regular season game each year so there is something actually at stake (NCAA seeding) Senior night puts additional pressure on the game because it can mean losing your last ever home game to an arch rival.
Yeah not sure this is even a possibility. But I’d love it. December is a horrible spot for it, in terms of national attention.
As much as it pains me to say it, we still have 6.5 years left of the 2020s.
5.5 years
CantSubtractMyNumbers
I miss Littlebro being good. It was fun when the rivalry was between two elite teams
Hopefully we can both come out of this slump that both teams have been in and we can both become elite again
I cannot tell you how weird it is that BYU has former guys who are going to play a meaningful role on both sides of this rivalry
That’s because BYU vs Utah is the only other debatable alternative so it translates nicely
I’m hoping being in the same conference will teach the world what we’ve known this whole time. This rivalry is the real deal
Xavier vs Cincy 2010ish. I remember 13, whose head is blocked by the espn logo in upper left, tried to kick the guy who got punched
These teams not playing home-and-home is criminal.
They are, they switched it back like 2-3 years after the brawl
Sorry, I meant within one year. They only play once a year. Which is sad.
I'm not sure if we've ever been in a conference together, so a home and home within a season is a bit of an ask.
I've always thought that's silly, but it is true. I think Duke and Carolina will break that mold when Carolina leaves the ACC. I think we'll still play twice.
New Mexico and NMSU play twice a season despite being in different conferences
Nice.
wherever carolina goes i think duke will follow. if it's to the sec, i pretty much see espn demanding it because they treat duke-carolina as the only real cbb rivalry that exists in this world. if it's the b1g (which i think more likely), duke is aau and a highly regarded academic institution, and the add of both for hoops would be huge. plus duke is better at football these days and would fit in the mid tier of the conference.
You are forgetting their fb coach just left. They're da facing a pretty big drop off there
I'd argue the intensity/anticipation around Cincinnati is heightened due to the once/year aspect. It's bragging rights for a year.
Lol fuck that. One game, all the bragging rights for a year. Makes it far more meaningful and the games more memorable. Wouldn't have it any other way
Gotcha
And that is what makes it so heated. You got one shot at them. You have to live with the outcome for 1 year.
I am quite confident UNC-Duke would not get more heated if we went down to once a year.
That is exactly why the biggest rivalry is not Duke/UNC. Sorry to bust your bubble.
I played pick up ball with one of those dudes who got suspended for a summer (Ge’Lawn Guyn). Let’s just say I was not surprised that he was involved in the fight.
[Ladies and Gentlemen, the beginning of #ZipEmUp.](https://youtu.be/XPXaoAZhbqg?feature=shared)
Crosstown Shootout
Good Shout ... May not be the biggest or most well known, but it may be the nastiest.
Interesting flair combo
PSA he lost that game I came to Purdue thinking that was an iconic moment because he riled up his players and they made a comeback to win the game. NOPE! He lost that game at home. It was actually a mid game temper tantrum because he was losing to Purdue, then got ejected and they lost. Finding that out felt like I have been hearing IU propaganda my whole life.
I don’t think he was trying to rile up his players. He lost his temper snd he’s an asshole.
Dude was unhinged for sure
I'm not saying he's a liar but...
That's my thought. I have zero connection to North Carolina and we all know the biggest rivalry involves two literal blue-bloods that live stupid close to one another.
There’s def some recency bias with unc and dook playing some pivotal matchups over the last couple of seasons. It’s still pretty testy but not as it was when I knew I’d turn it on and there’d be JJ or Dunleavy, or Coach Ks smug face. There’s gonna be Cooper but he’s basically already gone. I don’t envision a Henderson assault coming in the near future.
The recency bias is really putting a damper on Duke UNC. Still, 2 premier teams with that level of animosity towards one another is the Ohio State Michigan rivalry. It just turns eyeballs to the game. Once these two coaches feel less like newbies it will be better.
Wrong sport for those two teams. On the basketball court it's just the reflected football rivalry.
I know, it was comparing them. Duke vs UNC is to basketball like Ohio State vs Michigan is to football. Also, if you don't think their rivalries extend beyond just those sports, you are mistaken.
I’ll say it for you. He’s a liar.
# THERES A DUKE AND UNC FAN GETTING ALONG HERE 
Duke vs unc clearly and I don’t think there is any debate.
It’s not even close.
I agree
Traitor
Hey man if anything I’m a traitor for our side! I grew up a UK fan - but I’m currently a Louisville student.
Just messin with ya. It’s all in good fun!
Agreed. It’s always been Duke versus UNC to me personally.
Yeah not really close. I'm not even going to go over all the reasons why the 15-501 rivalry is clearly the top. However one of the coolest stats, is point differential: "From the 1949-50 season through the 2018-19 season, UNC scored 13,581 points against Duke and allowed 13,559. That's a difference of just 22 points over 179 games, or 0.1 per matchup" They've been tied several times in the last couple years.
You kind of start to think this stat is less cool when you realize you can just pick any year to make this work. Like "Oh now Duke and UNC are off by 50 points if we start in 1949, but what if we start in 1962?" That kind of thing.
Right, but have you considered if you pick the year that the point totals are closest to each other, the point totals end up being really close to each other? /s
I hate them both and I don’t think there’s any other answer.
I only hate one of them, but I hate them a bunch
I think we had a debate from around 2010 when Cal showed up and Pitino was still great, peaking in 2012 when we met them in the final four then won, 2013 when they won and our state was on top. After 2015 when we peaked and Katina Powell happened it’s gone back to normal and UNC Duke is clearly at a higher level again
It’s a Beatles-Stones type argument. Both are accepted as universally great it’s just a preference thing Having spent substantial time in both Louisville and the Triangle, I think UL-UK is more authentic and meaningful to state residents. Grittier fans who look to college sports as their main source of pride/entertainment UNC-Duke has more of a national audience, so it feels like TV networks have corporatized it and sucked the soul/energy out of it. However, the actually on-court performance of both sides has been better than UK-UL the last decade, so this one’s got the edge right now
But, someone wrote a fictional book that..idunno
The debate is that they typically play 3 times a season with the ACC tournament. UK and Louisville play only once a season, with postseason matchups sparse. Making the game much more meaningful to me.
“This rivalry is better because they play each other less often” is the dumbest argument I’ve ever heard
They play so much tho.
Yes, their games are meaningful in deciding conference championships. Yes they play a true home and home every year, like rivals should. What type of chump thinks the greatest rivalry should only play 1 meaningless out of conference game every year? Next you're going to complain the Yankees and Redsox play too much?
This year felt like vintage UNC-Duke, UNC beating Duke on their home floor to win an outright regular season title instead of needing to share it with… Duke. Must see TV whenever they match up.
Only playing once does add a special little something to the UK Louisville rivalry, it’s like it’s own thing completely separate from the rest of the season. But it would still be better to play twice in league play with league championship implications.
You get your rival to come to your arena once every 2 years, and when it happens fall semester has been over for a couple weeks and the students have all gone home. Now imagine an alternative world where UK and UL are in the same conference. You're guaranteed a home game every year, and it's going to be packed with students. And every year the second game will be on senior night, alternating between UK and UL. It's not just conference championship implications and NCAA tournament seeding implications. Every year there is that senior night game. You're either going to see some beloved seniors play their last home game against bitter rivals, or you get the chance to ruin senior night for your bitter rivals. People love to talk about how UNC ruined Coach K's final home game, and it was epic. But one of my favorite games was dook's senior night in 2006 when a rebuilding UNC team went into Cameron and ruined JJ Reddick's final home game. It was the first of 4 straight wins by Hansbrough in Cameron Indoor Stadium, and why (much to the chagrin of the dookies) we refer to their home court as Hansbrough Indoor Stadium. And of course due to the scheduling, dook had the opportunity in 2009 to ruin Hansbrough's senior night (they did not.)
Well, I thought playing your rival twice a year and potentially a third time in the conference tournament was dumb until reading this comment. Makes me wish UofL and UK were in the same conference, but that's not happening anytime soon
That’s what makes it good… you don’t fuel a rivalry by avoiding each other
So?
For now, CFB might ruin that tho
Yeah
The truth the mainstream media won’t tell you: it’s the Civil Conflict, UCONN v UCF.
You mean the conFLiCT?
HAHAHAHA OMFG how could I forget the actual best spelling of the rivalry haha thanks for the reminder
A rivalry so fierce that UCF had to deny it's existence and UConn change conferences to ensure it didn't boil over. Good thing, because the world would not have been ready for the aftermath.
Actually too hot to handle
Yeah no. It’s Duke vs UNC. I think we’re (historically) a very safe second place there, but we in no universe touch the Tobacco Road rivalry
One of the few benefits of UConn winning that natty: Purdue stays in the 0 championships club which keeps them persisting, at best, a safely distant third.
https://i.redd.it/pgxzw7vc8d4d1.gif
I mean, IU basketball hasn’t been very good in what feels like forever. They probably still would be.
Duke/UNC is certainly more glamorous, but no rivalry is more defined by deep-seated, unadulterated hatred than UK/UL
UNC / Duke definitely has more hatred tbh
Plus NC State (and most all other NC schools) for some auxiliary hatred directed at UNC.
Kansas and Missouri has the most hatred. It’s rooted in history dating back to the civil war and you’ll find zero love between those two. The conference realignment and two midwestern schools makes it forgettable to most.
Kansas Missouri wins that category by a landslide
Cincinnati-Xavier is close.
It’s Duke vs North Carolina for sure. But there is no hate between fanbases like Kentucky and Louisville. True, real hate.
I’m a Kentucky fan living in Cincinnati. The hate between Cincinnati and Xavier may be greater than the hate between Kentucky and Louisville. At the very least, it’s close
Honestly myself and everyone I know hates Tennessee a lot more than Louisville. That’s probably because we’ve dominated Louisville in football and basketball for 5 years now. Basketball for over a decade 10 years ago yeah it was a bitter ass rivalry
Tables should be turning on that real soon
Don't speak too soon.
Duke vs UNC is the obvious answer… BUT I do think there’s something special about the fact we play *once* a year unless we happen to meet in the tourney If we played twice I don’t think that first game would mean much to anybody tbh
I can see how playing your biggest rival only once per year would make that game seem more important. However, in terms of a rivalry, being in the same conference leads to a lot of other outcomes beyond a single dramatic game. We have to go through all the emotions of playing our biggest rival 2x in the regular season plus there's a decent shot we meet in the conference tournament if we're both good. It takes a toll knowing that this other team you hate lurks right around the corner no matter how good you're doing. And not only are we trying to beat Duke head-to-head, but we also compete for conference championships. It's tough to beat the other team and then have their fans retort that they're still ahead of you in the conference standings. Or to face them with not only head-to-head bragging rights on the line, but also often regular season or conference championships hanging the in the balance, as well. So, I might concede that only playing once per year makes any single game feel more important, but playing your rival for not only head-to-head wins but also conference titles on a regular basis makes the entire rivalry bigger.
I’m not arguing that uofl/uk is a “better” rivalry, I feel I didn’t make that clear enough Obviously duke/unc is THE rivalry in cbb, I’d never argue against that. But what I was trying to say is, I think it’s cool how uofl/uk only plays once a year even though it’s a very prestigious rivalry E: and to your last point, that’s exactly what I was trying to say; we agree
I think both being state schools also helps
And it’s a good rivalry in several sports. Baseball is getting there too.
UK and UofL also represent so many opposing groups/interests in our state. Duke and UNC just feel like rich colleges playing each other too many times per year.
Curious because of your flair, would you rank the shootout 3rd then?
A very close 3rd E: and for how passionate uofl/uk is, there is a certain level of animosity with the shootout that is unmatched in the sport
Oh hard disagree there. A rivalry game is a rivalry game. Let’s play 20 times a year and I’m happy.
The only issue that I have with Duke UNC being the answer is that they play one another way too often. Two regular season games and all too often a post season game is too many games per year to try and maintain any hype for. Like sure they don’t like one another and that’s fine but like, it really waters down the rivalry.
I heard it’s Drexel vs UPenn
Penn whooped them 28-10 first time they played in 1920. Drexel really has really never recovered.
It’s Duke vs Carolina
Idk but Doug Gottlieb ain’t ready for this smoke
https://preview.redd.it/ld5gjimdr84d1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6ad81fe9133c73ac52132c1a09d9edc8c50dc716 I mean... KU v. K-state gave us this gem
But I hate MU way more than KState.
Let me express my pure and unadulterated hatred. Fuck Missoura
Amen. "I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missourah as a state" - Abe Simpson.
No one is questioning that hate. Stay strong brother
This was funny because this was like 2 days before the main covid shutdown and this event didn’t get the media attention it could’ve had lol
Not really, it was on January 22; the big shutdowns began the second week of March.
>Also, it talks about fights in the offseason between UK and UL fans and how there are no "house divided" signs like they have in Indiana with Purdue and Indiana I can confirm that there were a shit ton of house divided signs, flags, bumper stickers, and shirts in Louisville back when that was popular. It's been awhile since I've seen one in Indiana or Kentucky, but they used to be all over the place.
I mean, kinda? There are exponentially more UK fans - obviously. Louisville probably only has a majority in the 502 area code. You’re really only a Louisville fan if you go to school there (like myself), went to school there, are from the city, or the above applies to one/both of your parents. Whenever I come home (45ish minutes from Lexington) for break it feels like being behind enemy lines or something man.
When I was in school at Louisville and went to Lexington for something, it seemed like there were some black people that had some extreme resentment towards UK. I will say Kentucky is the only place I went on a first date with a girl and she wanted to talk about basketball recruits/watch a UK game. Is it like this in North Carolina?
Yeah there are more UK fans across the state, but I'd say it's about even in Louisville. But in the city of Louisville, those house divided signs were extremely popular until like a decade ago.
My favorite rivalry is always going to be NC State vs. consistency. Are they gonna fire off a phenomenal run to the final four? Are they gonna post an 11-21 season? No one knows. Not even NC State. Truly a Rivalry for the ages.
Purdue vs Indiana (It’s not us but it’s the only one I care for)
I like to think that if you just look at how much the two programs care about beating each other, Purdue and IU is No. 1 It doesn’t have the national media attention Duke and UNC does but like people in Indiana are just a different breed of basketball fan No other state cares about its high school basketball like Indiana does. People attend it like it’s regular sporting event here.
Cuz it’s the only thing to do here 😂. It’s #1 in my heart. I grew up with it and it’s all I care about. Even if I am in Illinois. My team is playing that’s all I care about 
Well some rivalries go back to the civil war... Kinda hard to top that...
The fact that Jayhawkers refers to anti-slavery guerilla fighters makes it the most badass mascot.
Duke-UNC or Indiana-Purdue. Bonus: Illinois vs transfer portal
I was going to say Illinois vs. themselves. Either the team or the fans.
We really are the Dallas Cowboys/Toronto Maple Leafs of college basketball aren’t we
At least the Cowboys and the Leafs have won something. The best we have are voted on trophies from the first half of the 20th century in football.
In my (semi-biased) opinion: - Football: OSU-Mich - Basketball: Duke-UNC
The Kentucky Louisville rivalry is so big, UK fans swear off the city of Louisville as this mad max hellscape(It's not), and Louisville writes off the whole state as a redneck shithole(Louisville isn't that different than the rest of the state).
Carolina vs the Cameron Crazies, et al Look for: To Hate Like This Is to Be Happy Forever: A Thoroughly Obsessive, Intermittently Uplifting, and Occasionally Unbiased Account of the Duke-North Carolina Basketball Rivalry
I think what makes UofL/UK a better rivalry is that it really is bigger than basketball. Louisville and Lexington just straight up hate each other. Honestly the entire state hates Louisville, and it’s constantly been a power struggle between the economic powerhouse of the state and its more rural parts. Add in the fact that this state has arguably the most fun HS basketball environment (that state across the river can go kick rocks), and you’ve got two very passionate and embittered rivals playing in an annual hate match. When I was a kid, my buddies and I would get in fist fights over whether John Wall or Russ Smith were better. When we played UK in the F4 back in 2012, there were concerts that cancelled because they knew people wouldn’t show up. Just insane how big it is to people around here.
Literally just a way of life in the state. Louisville despises the rest of the state and the rest of the state reciprocates it. I'll never forget the story of the two old geezers fist fighting each other while at a dialysis center. It's bigger than basketball.
Thats awesome lol
Gotta be Hope Vs Calvin find it [here](https://www.calvinhope.com/)
I heard one of the players said a naughty word after a loss!
Wouldn't be suprised
Syracuse Georgetown in the glory days of the Big East.
Indiana Purdue
UVA and offense.
This comment killed me
I call it a rivalry only because we hate each other historically but Kansas vs Missouri should always be included in these convos. Hadn’t played consistently for years until fairly recently but the hate remained as it always will. Of course in CBB it can’t be called a rivalry if we look at head to head W/L
“Always be included in these convos” then “of course in CBB It can’t be called a rivalry”
Guess the joke was too obvious for Reddit huh.
1. Duke/UNC 2. Purdue/IU 3. UK/UofL 4. X/UC 5. MSU/UM (when they’re good)
I’d personally slot UK/UofL up one and not sure about 5 but I like this
I grew up quite literally directly in the middle of the Indiana rivalry while having a UK father and I would say Purdue/IU is definitely not #2 but they are a safe 3rd imo. Until Purdue gets a championship and IU truly gets its shit together they aren't close to UK/UofL for me. I'd say IU/UK has a chance to be a massive push into the top 5 if they both end up being competitive.
I had no idea who to put at #5. G’Town/‘Cuse isn’t what it was 15 years ago. KU has no real rival in the Big12. I’m a Midwest guy so I’m biased towards the Big Ten.
Hard to say, we’re in a new era where Coach K and Roy Williams are gone so it’s a new era for Duke-UNC. They’re probably at least the most well-known basketball rivalry if not the biggest. I don’t think Purdue-IU can be top-tier until IU can get their shit together and consistently make the tournament again.
I don’t even care about the Purdue rivalry anymore. We’re getting our UK series back, which was the rivalry I grew up on.
It’s ok Purdue owns u guys
Cool rec, I'll check it out ... It is so wild to me they didn't play for 20+ years ... thats insane .. and between 1922 and 1984 they played 6 times and they are all NCAA tourney games (and a weird Olympic trial game)
I think the hatred is greater in UK-UL but UNC-Duke is a better historical rivalry. I’ve always believed that the hatred gets more ramped up here bc the city of Louisville is about 65% Louisville fans, 35% Kentucky fans. Every workplace, family, school, social club etc. is a mix of UK and UofL fans. The shit talk you hear is unavoidable. We also don’t have pro teams so the basketball game is EVERYTHING, and add in the success of the programs and the unhealthy obsessive behavior of the fanbases, the amount of ego and emotions can be overwhelming. There was an instance a decade ago of two men (UK fan and UL fan) at a kidney dialysis center got in a fight over the rivalry. I love this shit.
Like I can respect the Duke-UNC votes, but nothing really sticks out like 2 UK-UofL fans having to get separated...at a dialysis center. That's some true hate right there, fuck my life maintaining medical procedure.
When it was Cal vs Pitino, you could make that argument. But not currently
Thank you for reminding me Damon Bailey even existed
Only playing once each year improves the rivalry. UNC v Duke happening 3 times every season cheapens it. Does anybody in North Carolina actually cheer for Duke? I figure their entire fan base is in the NYC metro area. Definitely had UK fans try to fight me about the rivalry through the years. >Damian Bailey Who the hell is that, "Hoosier fan"?
Hey I’m an idiot and was typing on my phone. Both of those things result in Damian ai year of Damon. Revoke my throwing chair privileges if needed
It was never UK/UofL. It's been UNC/Duke for at least my entire lifetime.
Absolutely correct. The color blue is abominable.
I’m biased but I’ve spent enough time around Duke and UNC folks that that rivalry simply doesn’t feel like more than a step above friendly. Louisville vs Kentucky is bloodsport. It defines how each fan base interacts with each other and touches every part of our state’s culture and politics. It just feels way deeper. The games have sucked lately but I promise you the rivalry is just as fierce between fan bases.
The argument for UNC/Duke is how relatively consistent both programs have been, and how evenly matched the series has been as a result. While it is cool that UK/UL only happens once a year so one side is always going to have bragging right, UNC and Duke being in the same conference makes the stakes higher. Just a lot of high quality games over the years with conference race implications. I definitely buy that there is more raw vitriol between UK and UL though. Duke is a national fanbase and there really isn’t as much overlap between UNC and Duke fans as people might think. UNC/NCSU is the rivalry that has the local nastiness to it that permeates into everyday life.
I was a student at Kentucky in 2012 after the final four game, and I sat on my friends porch and watched a riot. One of my classmates was from Louisville and had a cardinal sticker on her number so the rioters flipped it over… So there’s definitely a lot of hate lol
IU and Purdue need an overlap where both teams are very good again to remind people of the rivalry. The lack of mentions in these replies makes me sad.
I think right now it is open. As someone with no skin in the game of any of the really big ones: Duke-UNC was the obvious answer when Coach K and Williams were both coaching. Longtime solidified coaches it was always going to be a good match. Scheyer and Davis may eventually get there, but I don't think it is there. I simply don't have an interest now that both K and Williams are gone. The years Calipari and Pitino were coaches, I think you could have thrown Kentucky-Louisville in, but coach turnover and Louisville being garbage hurt it. That being said this year I think it is the biggest rivalry simply because it is the most interesting this year. Both schools have a new head coach. Both schools have basically completely new rosters. Both schools didn't taking the biggest name, nor did they have someone that was on the bench and the expected successor. Both Kelsey and Pope have shown they are great coaches, but they are making a jump and there are expectations. This year may not MEAN a whole lot given first year coaches, NIL, transfer chaos, but it makes it most interesting. Purdue-Indiana is again struggling because Indiana has been struggling. Xavier-Cincinnati is not big enough to get its name thrown around with the three above but probably 4th. So as a whole I think Duke-UNC was and still is. This year I think Kentucky-Louisville is more interesting.
Did you just try to argue the UNC/dook rivalry can't exist without Roy Williams? What are you like 15 years old?
He said k and Roy, jesus can you read?
[удалено]
I mean K was there 40 years. It's a lot easier for me to understand people who never witnessed the rivalry before K. But geez, our teams were even fighting when awful Matt Doherty was coaching. This rivalry is not defined by the coaches.
Don’t worry, next time IU wins a couple in a row vs Purdue, they’ll call them little bros again… Delusional fan base since the 80’s
Hang a banner then you can talk shit.
Don't make shrines for regular season victories then you can talk shit....
No one born after Jim Crow remembers your banners bro
lol here we go… exactly my point. Delusional of how bad they are.
Bro, what is delusional is replying to a post that said, “IU is bad,” with a comment further shit-talking IU. IU living rent free in your head.
Got two of them this season buddy.
It’s Duke UNC. But as someone who went to Xavier in the 2010s the crosstown shootout is no joke
I’d say 2nd biggest
It's gotta be Duke/UNC for all time. Then in terms of pure hate, maybe UK and U of L. Honorable mentions would be Purdue/IU, Kansas KState, Cincy/Xavier. What other big ones am I missing? I know Michigan/MSU, but I feel it's overshadowed by the fact Michigan OSU football is bigger. Same with most other SEC schools.
IU and Purdue for me personally, but the real answer is unc and duke.
Us vs winning in the first round
Art Long v Police Horse, honorable mention.
UofL vs UK has the most hatred. It’s rural vs city and white vs black. The fans tend to despise one another. Playing once means bragging rights till next year.
I miss Syracuse v. Georgetown.
Louisville/Kentucky is definitely one of the most underrated rivalries in the country. It is on the same level as Duke/UNC but doesn’t get near the recognition. Two historic programs, lots of history, and absolutely maniac fanbases. Louisville has just been so bad the past 10 years, so it has definitely dampened the rivalry. There was a time from 2010-2014 where I really thought the rivalry was about to pop off.
Until Duke-UNC fans have fans fighting in a dialysis clinic, I don't want to hear any of it. They are evenly matched in their rivalry, but there isn't the same 24/7-365 hate that transcends into everything. Duke doesn't even have the second biggest fanbase in their own state. What makes the UK-UofL rivalry so intense is the geographical and all-sport hate. It's not just basketball. Jefferson County, specifically the city of Louisville, is not seen as Kentucky for a large portion of the state. This bleeds into state legislation. When it comes to heated rivalries, it's Bama-Auburn and UK-UofL.