The Athletic (NYT) ranks the biggest MBB rivalries

[kmmk]

I really think that's why that made the list! I'd even accept the UK "rivalry" over UMD, though in my experience UK fans hate us way more than we hate them.

-c

I agree with you. It's like we always say "Duke is everyone's Super Bowl" so Duke will end up on a rivalry list with a lot of other teams even if we only have one true rival.

 

[arnie]

Yeah and it wasn't like Maryland had a long history of rivalry with Duke even when they WERE in the ACC. In the early years, Maryland beat us like a drum. Then once Coach K really got going, we beat them like a drum.

It was basically just a brief stretch from 2000-2007 when Duke vs Maryland was a truly competitive rivalry. During that stretch, Duke won 11 and lost 9. And after that, we went right back to beating them like a drum, winning 13 of the final 16 against them before the series ended.

If that 8-year stretch (from 20+ years ago!) is enough to be one of the top-50 rivalries in college basketball, then I feel bad for college basketball.

In the VERY early years before Lefty, we beat them consistently.

 

[CDu]

In the VERY early years before Lefty, we beat them consistently.

Yeah, good point. I was looking back only to the late-60s. Basically, though, it was never a real rivalry (either way) until a very brief stretch from 2000-2007. And even then, it was more of a "rivalry" on the Maryland side, in that they were tired of being treated like an after-thought up through 1999. And then after 2007, we went back to smacking them around until they left.

 

[budwom]

Yeah, good point. I was looking back only to the late-60s. Basically, though, it was never a real rivalry (either way) until a very brief stretch from 2000-2007. And even then, it was more of a "rivalry" on the Maryland side, in that they were tired of being treated like an after-thought up through 1999. And then after 2007, we went back to smacking them around until they left.

Fond memories of that early 2000s run....I was lucky enough to attend five ACC tournaments and we won them all...accompanied by DBR hall of famers Stray Gator (ticket procurer extraordinaire), Carlos and others. Got to know JWill's mom pretty well...and an especially fond memory one year in which we beat Merlin and I was afterwards on the Hertz bus with big turtle fan Bob Novak (points if you remember him) who was whining big time about the officiating (aka Terping) which allowed me to mock Bob rather unrelentingly, to the amusement of other Duke fans on board. Fun. (Bob was an Illinois grad, FWIW)

 

[rthomas]

Given that we play NC State and unc this week, I found this Athletic article ranking the top 50 NCAA MBB rivalries interesting. Apparently Duke v NCSU doesn't even rank even though my younger GenX self definitely remembered that as super heated. As a Furman alum, I was surprised that FU/Wofford ranked, though based on my attendance at last years SoCon tourney championship game, I should not have been. I thought this deserved its own thread rather than something in either of the game threads, but mods feel free to disagree.

-c

I remember the shoe game from back in the Valvano days. I would say that was a pretty big rivalry statement.

 

[Matches]

I might be in the minority but I’d like to play them. 1st meeting in 12+ years, lots of history there, and we’ve got 2 kids of a 2001 team member. It would be an event, and we would beat them like they stole something.

 

[Rich]

How's Maryland still listed as a rivalry?

-jk

In defense of The Athletic, they clarify the point at the top of the article...

On the decline: Duke-Maryland. When these teams were ACC foes, this arguably was a top-12 rivalry. Now going on a decade-plus without a game, the series has almost completely vanished.

 

[MChambers]

In defense of The Athletic, they clarify the point at the top of the article...

Except for the word “almost”

 

[Lurkingdukedog]

Except for the word “almost”

I think, while it has been infrequent, we've have a pretty nice rivalry with Arizona on and off through the decades. Even the last home and home we did with them was pretty intense and pretty even. And if they play this year, it's likely to be a pretty compelling game.