UI Basketball's Biggest Rival(s)

[Illwinsagain]

Caveat: IMHO, we don't have a natural rival, so it shifts depending on the landscape.

I'm an outlier, but I voted Northwestern. I think they poked the bear when they claimed they were Chicago's BIG team (according to an NYT survey, it's actually more Notre Dame than anything). On top of that, we're historically a much better program that has had a down cycle, while they're the exact opposite. With our new coach, new arena, and renewed interest, I think this sets up well for some nice years of rivalry as we reassert ourselves.

I may be in the minority here, but one good year (their best ever), when they lost to us twice. A year so bad for us, we fired our coach. Does not make a rivalry. I don't study the other teams much, with people putting NW in the top 25 this year, I don't see it. If you want to say in Football that they are a rivalry, I would still disagree, but certainly see your point.

 

[Illinimobile]

I may be in the minority here, but one good year (their best ever), when they lost to us twice. A year so bad for us, we fired our coach. Does not make a rivalry. I don't study the other teams much, with people putting NW in the top 25 this year, I don't see it. If you want to say in Football that they are a rivalry, I would still disagree, but certainly see your point.

I agree on the Basketball side, but I do think they are our biggest rival in football.

 

[IlliniJim20]

My sister lives in Indianapolis (went to Butler, works at Chase now), and she has had different experiences. She said that a lot of hardcore (and disproportionately male) IU fans take some strange pride in pointing out (over and over and over) that Kentucky is their biggest rival and Purdue is second and Illinois doesn't touch either ... but the more casual IU fans absolutely see UI-IU as "rivalry #3," and people in Indiana absolutely hate the Illini.

Anectodal evidence, but when I was younger, it seemed much of the Iowa hatred of Illinois was from Illinois students who could not get into Illinois.

Recently, I have noticed a trend of Illinois students attending Indiana. Again anecdotally, but it seems maybe they will end up hating Illinois in similar fashion?

 

[TCTORNADO]

Anectodal evidence, but when I was younger, it seemed much of the Iowa hatred of Illinois was from Illinois students who could not get into Illinois.

Recently, I have noticed a trend of Illinois students attending Indiana. Again anecdotally, but it seems maybe they will end up hating Illinois in similar fashion?

IU was doing an in state tuition for Illinois students for awhile to try and attract better and brighter students from beyond their borders. They have a tough time competing with a smaller instate student base because of two fairly large student populations.

 

[ChiefIllini]

IU was doing an in state tuition for Illinois students for awhile to try and attract better and brighter students from beyond their borders. They have a tough time competing with a smaller instate student base because of two fairly large student populations.

I believe Minny does this for Wisconsin based students.

Still, I know probably 6 or 7 people who applied to UI as their first choice and when they didn't get in, shifted to Iowa. Iowa was by far the largest backup plan, followed by NIU and ISU.

 

[cornfed2]

What do you mean?

Laughed out loud when this picture of Fran popped up. It is literally one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Had to vote Indiana, as I have too many relatives just south of Bloomington, IN and they despise us just as much as we despise them in basketball.

 

[IlliniSaluki]

I could see Indiana, Iowa, or Wisky being the answer for those from other parts of the state. But if you grew up anywhere south of Springfield in or close to the STL media market as I did, then I can't imagine you'd answer other than Miznoz.

I'm in the Metro East and I still answered Indiana. Maybe it's my age of growing up in The Lou Do Era, Henson vs Knight.

 

[Illini_1979]

It has always been, and shall forever be..........Indiana

 

[UpstateRusty]

Well I picked Miznoz for personal reasons. My 1st college hoops memories were rooting for that Stipo Sunvold Frazier Mizzou team, how embarrassing... my dad figured out what was happening when I was like 8 or 9 and staged a full blown intervention... started taking me to games in Champaign and everything to wash the Norm Stewart foulness off me. Still there will always be a special dark place in my heart for Michigan that goes way beyond "conference hatred" due to 1989.

^^^ THIS. 1989!!

 

[Illini B-Ball Fan]

Growing up near the Quad Cities, working there, and watching Illini-basketball for many years, the primary rival during the 1980s & 1990s was always Iowa, especially during the Deon Thomas-era that led to the NCAA leveling infractions against the Illini. For those that can recall - remember a person called Bruce (snake) Pearl? That further brings back lots of memories of the Illini going to the Final Four in 1989 and the mantra was, "Kenny Battle went to Seattle, but Roy Marble didn't." Pressing forward to today, I would make it Indiana as the primary rival, Wisconsin as a close second, and Iowa as third.

 

[Fighter of the Nightman]

What look to be the final(ish) results:

1. Indiana Hoosiers (66.67%)
2. Missouri Tigers (17.90%)
3. Iowa Hawkeyes (6.79%)

I wonder what a county map of IL would look like for the results of this question. Would be super interesting.

 

[Deleted member 16340]

For me, there a few prerequisites to claim rivalry status. First, over the long term, there needs to be a minimum level of competitiveness. Short term streaks aside, there needs to be the expectation that either side can rise to the occasion any year. A part of this is that the fan base should be energized regardless of the immediate status of either program. For me, this eliminates the Kitties. These requirements need to be drivers for both major sports. The acrimony needs to transcend one or two historic events. For me this eliminates Iowa. My first thought was IU but I chose Ohio State. Upon reflection, while we have had some spirited encounters and our fan base seems to rise to the occasion, I don't think that it has the seem level of intensity of say Miss or OH. Based on the level of intensity in both fan bases, the historical events and the fact that we don't play Mo consistently in football, I would like to change my vote to IU.

 

[Ransom Stoddard]

If you didn't put Indiana, you're either very young or so old your memory is gone.

 

[Old Number 51]

I had to vote for the Hawkeye's. I can never forgive the underhanded dealings of Lute and his evil minion Pearl.


To have our Illini beat Pearl/UMW and Lute/AZ in the 2005 NCAA's was SWEET revenge!!


The look on Lute's face was priceless )

 

[IlliniinIowa]

Growing up near the Quad Cities, working there, and watching Illini-basketball for many years, the primary rival during the 1980s & 1990s was always Iowa, especially during the Deon Thomas-era that led to the NCAA leveling infractions against the Illini. For those that can recall - remember a person called Bruce (snake) Pearl? That further brings back lots of memories of the Illini going to the Final Four in 1989 and the mantra was, "Kenny Battle went to Seattle, but Roy Marble didn't." Pressing forward to today, I would make it Indiana as the primary rival, Wisconsin as a close second, and Iowa as third.

You've got it wrong there, man

It's Bruce (Satan) Pearl.

 

[Illini B-Ball Fan]

You've got it wrong there, man

It's Bruce (Satan) Pearl.

Not sure if you're being facetious or not, but here's a reference found in Wikipedia: In 2006, when asked in an interview about forgiving Pearl, (Deon) Thomas said, "It's hard to forgive a snake".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deon_Thomas

 

[NJILLINI]

It's weird that Wisky never amounted to more of a rivalry over the years. I lived up there for a year and, man, do they hate them some Illinoisans.

I learned:
FIB = F'ing Illinois Bastard
FIBWOB = " " With a Boat

My favorite one I've heard from folks up there is similar to one of yours.

FISHTAB = F'ing Illinois S-Head Towing A Boat

Pretty creative, I thought.

 

[IlliniJim20]

Not sure if you're being facetious or not, but here's a reference found in Wikipedia: In 2006, when asked in an interview about forgiving Pearl, (Deon) Thomas said, "It's hard to forgive a snake".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deon_Thomas

You've got it wrong there, man

It's Bruce (Satan) Pearl.

I believe snake came first, Sagan was later added by Illini fans.

Both are appropropriate :thumb:

 

[brindelin]

Where I grew up, which is well south of Springfield (but on the other side of the state) I'd say Indiana is the most common rival.

 

[illiniguy24]

I'll hate UNC forever, more than any B1G team


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[jmilt7]

Originally Posted by illiniguy24 View Post
I'll hate UNC forever, more than any B1G team

+eternity

For me it is Duke. In fact, it seems as if there were a few years, probably back in the 90s or 2000s that we were playing them, well not often since they weren't in our conference, but a few times and those games were electric. I thought Duke could make a good rival but then Illinois went south and we became irrelevant to them. Also, Duke seems to steal "our" players more than UNC. But my memory isn't what it used to be so maybe we didn't play them as often as I remember.

 

[Serious Late]

This thread is about BIGGEST rivals.

1.) No clue how that could be out of conference. Eliminates Miznoz, Duke, UNC and Arizona.

2.) To me, geographic proximity is required. This would leave only IU, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Northwestern.

3.) Since NW has traditionally sucked, they are out.

That leaves Iowa, Wiscy, and Indiana. Of those three, I imagine it would be preference on who we hate more.

But, I harken back to the chair-thrower vs. the Lou-do. So, to me it will always be the beloved vs. the stupid clown pants. The biggest reason of all is how arrogant these fans are even when their team sucks.

I am not sure how a team you play every single year, on a neutral site court, in a game labeled "bragging rights", in a city you consistently battle over recruits for, could automatically be disqualified from consideration solely because of conference affiliation...

 

[itsJUPITER]

I just really wish it wasn't 5 to 0

 

[Deleted member 8213]

Fair point...

I just never saw Miznoz as a basketball team worthy of consideration. Plus, our biggest rival has never once been to a final four?

Its a fair point but is it worse to consider a team who hasn't been to a final four your main rival or one who might not put you in the top 3 of their own rivals? A great rivalry has to work both ways at least to some extent thats my biased opinion.

 

[Serious Late]

IU might put Purdon't first, maybe. MSU 2nd? UI wouldn't be worse than 3rd, I'd think. Hopefully with BU we can get back to national relevance and be a better rival.

Purdue and Kentucky are landslides for Indiana's top 2 rivals. I don't know who is 3rd, but it's easily Purdue & Kentucky and then everyone else. I doubt we would currently land at #3 if they were conducting the same poll, but maybe.

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