5 Great College Basketball Rivalries Made Possible by Conference Realignment

Long live the “old” Big East.

The biggest downside of conference realignment over the past few years was the loss of traditional college basketball rivalries, especially those in the Big East—which unfolded on the grand stage of Madison Square Garden.

Gone are the days of head coaches Jim Boeheim and John Thompson Jr. battling in March.

Still, conference realignment also brought about a number of newly budding rivalries that will entertain fans for years and slowly develop their own rich histories. With that in mind, here is a look at five new conference rivalries that were made possible by the realignment.

*All stats are as of Saturday, Feb. 28.

Syracuse vs. Duke

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

You would be hard-pressed to come up with a more explosive start to a new ACC rivalry than Syracuse’s first trip to Duke last season.

Boeheim reacted to a charge call down the stretch of the game by ripping off his jacket and losing control. It was a dramatic moment that signaled what is yet to come in future battles between two of the most storied programs in all of college basketball.

Two Hall of Fame coaches, storied traditions, championship banners and even memorable mascots will be present when the Blue Devils and Orange take the floor. Future ACC titles will likely be won and lost in the battles between these two programs.

Notre Dame vs. Duke

Joe Raymond/Associated Press

Maybe it’s cheating to have Duke on here twice, but Duke vs. Notre Dame just has a nice ring to it.

These are two of the most famous athletic departments in all of sports—teams that people either love or love to hate. Hatred is the key to any rivalry, and there is plenty to go around across the country when the Blue Devils and Fighting Irish are discussed.

The two teams split their matchups this season with superstars Jerian Grant and Jahlil Okafor leading the way. Here’s to a rubber match in the ACC tournament.

Villanova vs. Xavier and Georgetown vs. Butler

David Kohl/Associated Press

The Musketeers and Bulldogs represent the new Big East, while the Hoyas and Wildcats are the bridge connecting the conference before realignment to where it stands today. Incredible games featuring these four teams will continue to take place for the foreseeable future, especially with the conference tournament in the Mecca of Basketball at Madison Square Garden.

Shannon Russell of Cincinnati.com set the stage for Saturday’s game between Xavier and Villanova: “There are big games, and then there are games that are simply huge. Xavier's Big East clash against No. 6 Villanova at 2 p.m. Saturday at Cintas Center falls in the latter category.”

This sentiment will likely ring true for years to come.

Don’t mourn the loss of the old Big East. There will still be "huge” games in the league with tournament implications as long as these programs are lacing it up.

Wisconsin vs. Maryland

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

It takes a special environment to elicit praise from the opposing players, but that is exactly what Maryland’s fans did when the Terrapins shocked Wisconsin this week.

Sam Dekker commented on the game, via ESPN.com: “Man, this place is great. I can't say enough about how great their fans were. They were into it right away. It was a pleasure playing here.”

The nail-biter of a game, the raucous crowd and the jubilant court storm after the game were a sign of things to come in this new Big Ten rivalry. Regardless of the location, these games will always feature one of the best student sections and home-court advantages in the nation and plenty of formidable players.

A Big Ten championship or two figure to be on the line in the near future when these two teams meet.

West Virginia vs. Kansas

Rod Aydelotte/Associated Press

The Big 12 is Kansas’ playground, but West Virginia represents some new blood in the challenger department.

The Mountaineers may not be a blueblood program, but they are typically a Top 25 team that will challenge the Jayhawks for years to come in the league. It may seem like the Jayhawks are never going to relinquish their chokehold on the league, but West Virginia may have something to say about that under coach Bob Huggins.

Even if West Virginia doesn't win the conference title, it could be the team that beats Kansas in a difficult environment in Morgantown and opens up the standings for a squad like Iowa State or Baylor.

For now, this rivalry has not reached its potential peak, but it is still a battle between passionate fanbases and formidable teams. The Big 12 could do much worse.