Your Big Ten Basketball Dislike Rankings

#1      
Slow time of the offseason and slow day for me (boss is on PTO and I am way ahead on work!), so I wanted to pose a fun question to the fans. How would you rank the current Big Ten basketball programs as far as the animosity you, as an Illini fan, have for them? Feel free to just rank them in order, use the tiers I used or simply provide an anecdotal feeling, haha. I like the tiers, but I tried to roughly put them in order, too. Here is a brief description of my categories for context:

Genuinely Dislike/Rivals: Teams we have had historical animosity with for decades and most Illini fans get excited to beat. The matchups generally remain "exciting" even if one or both teams are down.
"Historic" Animosity: Teams I have disliked more or less at certain points over the years, but I generally find a matchup with them especially "relevant" to Illini basketball.
"Specific" Animosity: Teams that I dislike for more specific and/or recent reasons (e.g., Northwestern treating TSJ like crap or Maryland being a royal pain in our !!!).
Generally Relevant: Teams we have a real history with for one reason or another, but they generally don't spark the same level of animosity for me as the teams above here.
Very Little Feeling: Teams I of course want to beat (and might even dislike during the game), but they don't stir up too many emotions from me.
Begrudgingly Like: Teams that I, for one reason or another, am at least mildly fond of. Since this category is just Rutgers for me, I will explain that I kind of like them due to their similar dynamic as us (big state university between two pro sports metros that they rely on and are constantly battling for fan engagement), the RAC atmosphere and RU being the birthplace of the Pizza Hut Parking Lot legend.

GENUINELY DISLIKE/RIVALS
Iowa
Indiana

"HISTORIC" ANIMOSITY
Michigan
Purdue

"SPECIFIC" ANIMOSITY
Maryland
Northwestern
Penn State

GENERALLY RELEVANT
Michigan State
Ohio State
Wisconsin

VERY LITTLE FEELING
Minnesota
Nebraska
UCLA
Oregon
USC
Washington

BEGRUDGINGLY LIKE
Rutgers

One interesting note for me is that I never would have put Purdue in that tier until recently. A combination of two related factors - the shared hatred we both have for Indiana and my sister living in Indianapolis as a Butler grad and bonding with Purdue fans over how annoying the IU fan base is - actually always kind of led me to have zero ill will toward Purdue. However, with the great teams they have had recently (props to them), our current losing streak vs. them (again, props!) and the marked change in their fans' arrogance level lately, I have developed a distaste, haha.
 
#2      
I have a feeling I will love this thread, and want to hear the other fans' thoughts. I suspect some of the answers will be a function of when the individual became a diehard.

For example, I became a fan just prior to the IDKWTI years, so Indiana is my most hated, and has remained so. I want them to lose every game all the time, no exception. Similarly, I don't have much specific dislike for Iowa, beyond them being just another big ten team (please don't throw me off the board for saying this haha). I know that rivalry picked up during recent years, but it just doesn't have the same level of excitement for me. So I'll just leave it with my two!

Passionately despise
Indiana - see above
Purdue (only recently, because of their newly obnoxious post-FDU fanbase that took a real turn)
 
#3      
fun thread!

Hate to admit it, but I'd probably move Purdue to generally relevant. Just think Matt Painter is a stand up dude. Always honest, respectful whether a win or loss, and never spiteful and irrational like a lot of coaches. And the teams generally are similar (with occasional exceptions). I might even do begrudgingly like except for the fan base.
 
#5      
I agree with @OnlyOrange that when you started following the Illini, will have a lot to do with where you put them. For example, I really started following College Basketball in 1979, and my first memory of the Illini was Eddie Johnson beating Michigan St and Ervin Johnson. So here is my list.

Despise
Indiana - Bobby Knight, need I say more
Iowa - Bruce Pearl aka Satan
Michigan - 1989 Final Four

Dislike (mostly due to being a pretty good team in my memory)
Purdue
Michigan State
Wisconsin
Ohio State

Little Brother that is annoying
Northwestern

Mostly don't care but seem like they always play us tough
Penn St.
Maryland

Meh
Minnesota
Nebraska
UCLA
Oregon
USC
Washington
Rutgers
 
#6      
@BigOnILL's list is pretty good.

i'm old enough to remember the knight-henson rivalry, so i've always thought of indiana as a rival, even if they don't reciprocate. (i think knight did have a nice retirement or going away ceremony and gift for henson, though. was it a recliner, or something?)

also old enough to remember when wisconsin was a doormat in everything. i can't stand their teams in any sport, but especially basketball. probably best college town and campus in the big ten, though, even with the new arrivals. (seattle is too big to be a college town, but the other uw is in a great setting, too.)

actually ambivalent about iowa. their history is way below ours (which is probably and rightfully what iu thinks about us).
 
#7      
Below is least disliked to most disliked. "Begrudgingly like"? Nope. And leaving former Pac 12 out for now, other than saying current-day UCLA is overrated.

- Nebraska: not a long-term history to stir emotions plus didn't they help us to win the B1G a couple years ago?
- Minnesota: only worry is that inevitable day when our championship season is derailed by a player injured falling off their floor.
- Rutgers: meh, should not even be in the B1G.
- Michigan State: dislike for Izzo offset by respect for Izzo; dislike peaked when Weber left and Izzo ranted about it.
- Wisconsin: bad feelings from long Kohl losing streak softened by recent success.
- Penn State: recent wounds, plus 38-33 is seared into my soul.
- Maryland: just had our number too many times.
- Ohio State: mostly football carry-over here, a little 'how good would we have been with EJ Liddell' too.
- Iowa: I don't dislike them as much as others here, and what dislike there is peaked with Armstrong / Marble / Horton (yes I'm old).
- Northwestern: they are supposed to be the little brother that sucks every year, and recently have not been holding up their end here.
- Indiana: Knight was long ago, not a blue blood / overrated, Gordon / Sampson, hey it's Indiana they're going to be near the top.
- Michigan: 1989...my senior year...never forgive, never forget.
- Purdue: personal family reasons I have written about on this site several times already.

EDIT to laugh at @BigOnILL and I both using "little brother" for NU, had not seen that post when I wrote mine!
 
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#10      
Who do I love to beat in basketball

1. Indiana - goes back to Bobby Knight smug attitude and their recruiting Illinois HS guys like Isiah Thomas
2. Michigan - revenge for them beating us in football. Fab5 cheaters including Juwon.
3. Iowa - Took a lot of Illinois HS players and Olson and Davis. Deon Thomas probation.
 
#11      
From the context of a guy who started watching college basketball as a kid in 2004, and doesn't have any strong feelings about people from before that time:

Current Hate
Purdue - They are the most comparable school to us; we need to start beating them already; they shouldn't have nice things

My other rivals
Iowa - Hatred has gone down in the last few years
Northwestern - I don't care what anyone here says, I can't stomach losing to these pests
Indiana - Historically its there; there just hasn't been much juice in recent years

Football school tier
Ohio State - I hate Ohio State everything
Michigan - Really liked program under Beilein, REALLY HATED them under Juwan Howard, too early to tell what it will be like under Dusty May
Wisconsin - Gone down in the last few years, but they had our number for an annoying decade and a half

You are such an annoying little pest
Penn State - STOP LOSING TO THIS JOKE OF A PROGRAM

Why are you in my conference?
Rutgers - Go anywhere else idc
Maryland - Go back to the ACC

Give it a few years
Oregon - I have a feeling they will be the most annoying of the new 4 schools
UCLA
USC
Washington - I think they will be really, really bad in basketball

Begrudging respect
Michigan State - I go back and forth on them; Izzo is probably overrated at this point, but they haven't ruined things for us too much recently

No problems there
Nebraska - we have taken care of business against them, unlike Penn State...
Minnesota - the Barn is awesome
 
#12      
I go with @BigOnILL despise list:

Despise
Indiana - Bobby Knight, need I say more
Iowa - Bruce Pearl aka Satan
Michigan - 1989 Final Four

Pretty much everyone else I don't have anything against. Just consider them as opponents.

Will add that I recently have found some Purdue fans to be getting on my nerves, but I do respect that they didn't run Paint out of town after losing to three consecutive double digit seeds in the NCAA tourney. Can't imagine our fan base if our coach had lost to a 13, 15 and 16 seeds consecutively as a top 4 seed.
 
#13      
I was in the house for the Eric Gordon game so Indiana will always be up there for me. The Michigan fiasco in 2021 pushed them up a tier for me too.

And I'll probably be in the minority here but Wisconsin is probably close to #1 in hate for me recently, simply due to the fact that in the 2010s they acted like they're some historical basketball program and Illinois is trash and will always be, when in reality they were an effing doormat before Bo. They'll continue to slide into irrelevance with Gard so that hate for me will probably dissipate with time. I rooted so hard against them in 2015 because I don't know if I could've handled the fact that Wisconsin would be winning a Natty before Illinois.

1. Indiana
2. Wisconsin
3. Michigan

4. Iowa (hard to hate them as much since we've whooped them and they've consistently failed to achieve anything even with some amazing players the last couple years. Garza and the Murray twins and all you have to show for it is just one B1G tourney title? LMFAO)
 
#14      
I agree with @OnlyOrange that when you started following the Illini, will have a lot to do with where you put them. For example, I really started following College Basketball in 1979, and my first memory of the Illini was Eddie Johnson beating Michigan St and Ervin Johnson. So here is my list.

Despise
Indiana - Bobby Knight, need I say more
Iowa - Bruce Pearl aka Satan
Michigan - 1989 Final Four

Dislike (mostly due to being a pretty good team in my memory)
Purdue
Michigan State
Wisconsin
Ohio State

Little Brother that is annoying
Northwestern

Mostly don't care but seem like they always play us tough
Penn St.
Maryland

Meh
Minnesota
Nebraska
UCLA
Oregon
USC
Washington
Rutgers
This but I have to put Ped St into the "Dislike" category at this point given recent history.
 
#15      
I agree with @BigOnILL too, especially the Despise list.

Indiana - not just Knight but those fugly clown pants too.
Bruce Pearl - not only do I hate Iowa because of him, I also hate Tennessee and Auburn
Michigan - I started at U of I in '85 and hated them immediately. The '89 Final Four is only part of it. Muck Fichigan.
 
#18      
Me looking at a list of every B1G team besides Illinois.

angry the grinch GIF


*But FTR, Indiana is #1 in my hate standings by a wide margin.
 
#21      
*But FTR, Indiana is #1 in my hate standings by a wide margin.
This is about where I'm at. I hate Indiana with a passion. About 5 rungs down are some teams that get on my nerves from time to time...Michigan, Iowa and Purdue. I don't have quite the hatred for Iowa, although to this day I will root against any Bruce Pearl coached team with the passion that I hate Indiana.
 
#23      
GENUINELY DISLIKE AND WANT TO CRUSH
Iowa
Indiana
Michigan

"HISTORIC" RIVALS THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO PLAYING
Purdue
Wisconsin
Northwestern
Michigan State
Ohio State

VERY LITTLE FEELING FOR
Minnesota
Penn State
Maryland
Rutgers
UCLA
Oregon
USC
Washington

BEGRUDGINGLY LIKE
Nebraska
 
#25      
GENUINELY DISLIKE/RIVALS
Iowa
Indiana
Michigan

"HISTORIC" ANIMOSITY
Purdue

"SPECIFIC" ANIMOSITY
Northwestern
Michigan State
Ohio State

GENERALLY RELEVANT
Wisconsin

VERY LITTLE FEELING
Nebraska
Maryland
UCLA
Penn State
USC
Washington
Rutgers

BEGRUDGINGLY LIKE
Oregon
Minnesota
 
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