Thread: Kentucky's Biggest Rival?

Who do you consider to be UK's biggest basketball rival?

I wish Duke was our biggest rival but we dont play them enough, same goes with KU. I.m not sure but I think this is last year with the unc series and its hasnt been renewed. For me it comes down to Louisville and Florida. My vote goes to the gators

Originally Posted by BlueKnight

I wish Duke was our biggest rival but we dont play them enough, same goes with KU. I.m not sure but I think this is last year with the unc series and its hasnt been renewed. For me it comes down to Louisville and Florida. My vote goes to the gators

North Carolina gets my vote. I consider Duke a basketball rival although we don't play them that often. I consider Louisville a big rival, but not our biggest when it comes to basketball.

Personally I despise Carolina the most. But the Cards are by far our biggest enemy.

Originally Posted by KMSBball

Personally I despise Carolina the most. But the Cards are by far our biggest enemy.

I consider a rival someone who has an equal chance at winning. I don't see that with Louisville.

I thought Florida would get more votes than they have, we play them twice a year. After thinking about this for a minute I have changed my vote to Duke. We don't play them very often but when we do there is no team I want to beat more.

I love beating UL just to shut them up every year I cannot stand when they win.The 2 losses to UL by Billy Clyde was more than enough to fire him. NC is a great rivalry due to how close numbers are between the 2 schools and it will be a sad day if UK ever loses the most all time wins title. After 8 years of mediocrity under Tubby and Billy Clyde it gave NC the opportunity to catch back up. Duke, NC, Florida are all in the same boat to me. I keep hoping they sink.

I know it's UofL, but I had to vote for UNC, because that's the game I get the most amped for every year. My brother is a UNC fan, so it makes for a fun day.

It's hard to say 100% who Kentucky's biggest rival would be today. In my era (Joe B. Hall,) it was Indiana and Tennessee. The Cat's did not play Louisville back then. North Carolina developed into a rival due to the Dean Smith "Four-corner offense" which just killed me to see or listen to if Caywood & Ralph were calling the game.

I really don't understand the Louisville rivalry as I always thought that the Cardinals had a respectable program, inspite of the Rick Pitino defection to the NBA and return. From the looks of the poll, that puts me in the minority opinion.

But, if I had to choose the "archrival" today, I think that it would be the Tar-Heels of North Carolina. Sure, there are other schools that were listed on the poll that might also qualify, but there will always be an interesting contrast of love, hate, & respect for North Carolina. You could include Duke in the contrast too because of the connection of Christian Laettner's "death shot" which still burns in my mind like a hot ember.

After watching the Cat's struggle on the gridiron this year, I am pleased to see the beginning of Hoops-season. Coach Cal has a lot of talent, and the bench will be deep this year. I can't wait !

Best to all, & Go Wildcats !

I think the Louisville rivalry comes largely from the fact that it's a major program that's in-state.

Duke is definitely the biggest rival for me

there was a time it was Indiana

Indiana has always been Kentucky's biggest rival. Ask the three Freshmen..

While out of conference scheduling has it's share of rivals, to me the conference schedule takes the cake.

Favorite Conference Rivals:

1. Florida
2. Arkansas (this more-so goes back to the Nolan Richardson days)
3. Miss St.
4. Tennessee (Big game for me as I live in Johnson City)
5. Vanderbilt

Non-Conference:

1. Indiana
2. Louisville
3. UNC

Teams I wish we played more often:

1. d"UK"e
2. Memphis
3. Ohio St

Its hard to have a conference rival in a conference that we totally dominate... If I had to choose one it would be Tennesee, It has the most history and it is a border state. Yeah Florida has given us more competition in some recent years, thats probably why they tend to be the last game of the regular season, because for a few seasons there, it seemed to come to last game in winning the SEC. I live in Florida and, I know, they just dont take basketball seriously. Of course they, (like many others) would love to say they beat UK but its just something to pass the time until Football season. I dont know if you have ever been to the O'Connel center but it's a joke. holds about 12,000 I am guessing, and the worse venue in the SEC. That being said FLorida is probably going to give us the most compition in the SEC once again this year. Does that make it a rivalry? I dont know, but hopefully it makes for a good game. I think if you can find a true blue Florida Basketball fan out there? They would most likely tell you that Kentucky is thier biggest rival. Wouldnt just about every other SEC team out there say aproximately the same thing? with the exceptiong maybe of Alabama- Arkansas.

I wouldnt call Duke a rival either.... I hate them, Honestly cant stand them for a whole list of reasons not to mention the one at the begining of every friggn CBS brodcast! But a rival no. Whats to rival? UNC I just want to continue to leave in our wake as far as winningest program so I see some sort of rival there.

To me it is and will always be Louisville followed by Indiana. It looks like the Indiana rivalry is going to heat back up which I look forward to.

Why on earth would you want to play Ohio state or Memphis? Ohio State is always over rated in any sport. They are in one of the weakest conferances in the country. I would never justify thier existance by scheduling a game with them, just wait and run them over in the brakets and prove once again how over rated they always are. Cincy maybe (that was fun to watch when Huggins was there) but we are already locked into 2 Big East non conference games a year. Memphis why? just because coach Cal? No Memphis is going to slowly fade away again. Let Tenn or Vandy have that game. I think you are just wanting another game to go see in Tenn. Forget it bub 2 is enough besides if that game were to be scheduled it would be at Rupp.