NCAA Basketball: Ranking the 8 matchups for 2021 Gavitt Tip-off Games

Among the several relatively new NCAA Basketball conference battles is the Gavitt Tip-Off Games, a set of annual non-conference games between Big East and Big Ten programs, Considering the relative proximity between many of the individual programs, it makes sense to have some matchups formed out of this.

The Gavitt Tip-Off Games is a series of eight games between the leagues each year, with four teams from each side hosting. It started in 2015 and in the first three years of this series, the result was a 4-4 draw. And in the next two seasons, the Big Ten Conference prevailed, 5 games to 3.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see this last season, as the shortened season and non-conference overall prevented the Gavitt Tip-Off Games from occurring. Based on how the two leagues performed overall, odds were good that the Big Ten would’ve had an edge again.

The Big East is looking for their first outright series win and with the Big Ten losing so much production this offseason, this could be their best chance to do so. They won’t have their best team Villanova to help get them a win but Maryland and Purdue, two projected preseason top-25 teams for next season, are out on the Big Ten’s side.

So will the Big East Conference finally get a series win? And which games will be the most anticipated to watch next season? Here’s a ranking of the games from 8-1, along with an early prediction of who’ll win them.