Top 10 Current Rivalries in College Basketball
By Jacob Rude
3. UCLA-Arizona
Who says the West coast never gets love? UCLA and their tradition of dominance against Arizona and it’s recent surge into national prominence.
The record tells a very slanted story. At 54-37 in favor of UCLA, it seems like this isn’t a top 3 rivalry. However, the Bruins dominated in the 70s and 80s, winning 23 of the first 25 meetings between the two sides. Looking at the record since then, Arizona actually leads the series 35-31.
Regardless, these two sides are typically the best of the Pac-12 and seemingly always are conference title contenders. Their duels over the best recruits in the West often help fuel this rivalry, with Arizona bringing in the 7th best recruiting class and UCLA bringing in the 10th (according to ESPN).
On the court, we’ve been treated to many memorable moments, like UCLA’s win over Arizona in the Pac-12 tourney last season, or upsetting the top 15 ranked Wildcats twice the season before.
Whenever these two sides meet, you can expect exciting action.