You’re gonna hear about UNC-Duke, Xavier-Cincinnati, and UCLA-USC – but these nine NCAA Basketball rivalries, some of the most intense in the country, don’t get the attention they deserve.
Philadelphia Big 5/City 6
The Big 5 has lost some buzz in recent years with the dominance of Villanova, but make no mistake: the Big 5 is one of the greatest traditions in college basketball. Nowhere else do this many teams play in such close proximity, are there so many fan bases packed into a single city. There are seven national championships between Big 5 schools, four are among the 50 winningest programs in college basketball history, and all of the madness is centered around the Palestra, the greatest venue in basketball’s history. Big 5 schools find room in their schedule to play the other four every season (along with Drexel being included more and more in recent seasons), and these are still the biggest games of the year for most Philadelphia basketball fans.
Next meeting: La Salle @ Temple, November 6th
UTEP – New Mexico State
The Battle of I-10 is huge for these schools, and they’ve been competing athletically since UTEP first came into existence as the Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy in 1914. Although the trophies are handed out during football season (a shovel and a spittoon, to my understanding), the meetings on the hardwood are no less intense for these schools with strong hoops traditions. They play each other twice a year, every year during non-conference play, each team visiting the other’s campus during the season. UTEP hasn’t won a contest between the two since 2014.
All-time series: New Mexico State 113 – 101 UTEP
Next meeting: November 9th
VCU – Old Dominion
VCU and Old Dominion have been meeting on the court since before either school competed at the division one level. Richmond, where VCU is located, and Old Dominion’s home city of Norfolk are separated by 90 miles, and the two teams often met multiple times a year as co-members of the Sun Belt and CAA. VCU and ODU went in different directions to pursue different goals (VCU sought better basketball competition in the A10, and Old Dominion is trying to establish themselves as a bona fide FBS school in Conference USA), but they never miss the chance to renew their rivalry. They still meet every year, alternating campuses.