A Brief History of the IU-Purdue Basketball Rivalry
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A look at the history of the rivalry between the IU Hoosiers and the Purdue Boilermakers two of the biggest basketball programs in the state of Indiana.
A brief history of the IU-Purdue Basketball rivalry
While the history of the IU-Purdue Basketball rivalry dates back to the early days of the sport, it was not until the 1950s that the two schools began to develop a competitive rivalry on the court. In recent years the rivalry has been one of the most competitive and evenly matched in all of college basketball with each team winning six of the last twelve meetings.
The 1950s saw the beginning of a heated rivalry between the two schools, as they began to regularly compete for conference and National Championships In 1953, Purdue won the first of their five NCAA Championships while Indiana captured their first title in 1940. The two teams would meet in back-to-back NCAA Finals in 1969 and 1980, with Indiana winning both times.
Since then, the two teams have met just twice in the NCAA tournament with Purdue coming out on top in both games. The most recent meeting came in 2016, when Purdue defeated Indiana en route to their eleventh Sweet Sixteen appearance.
The 2017-18 Season will mark the 106th meeting between IU and Purdue, withIndiana currently holding a 58-47 lead in the all-time series. The two teams will meet twice duringthe regular season with their first matchup set for December 16 at Mackey Arena.
The origins of the rivalry
The origins of the rivalry between Indiana University and Purdue University’s men’s basketball teams date back to 1896, when the two schools first met on the hardwood. The Hoosiers would win that first matchup, and the two teams would meet sporadically over the next few years. It wouldn’t be until 1906 that they began playing each other on a regular basis, which they’ve done every year since.
The rivalry really heated up in the 1920s, when both teams were national powers. Purdue won the first eight meetings between the two schools during that decade, but Indiana would get revenge by winning eight in a row from 1929-1936.
The 1950s belonged to Purdue, as they went 13-5 against the Hoosiers during that decade. But Indiana would once again turn things around in the 1960s, as they won 12 of 17 meetings against their rivals from West Lafayette.
The 1970s were dominated by IU, as they posted a streak of 14 consecutive wins against Purdue from 1974-1977. The Boilermakers did have some success in the 1980s, however, as they won 13 of 20 matchups against IU during that decade.
In recent years it’s been Indiana who has had the upper hand in the rivalry. The Hoosiers have won 23 of their last 28 meetings against Purdue, including 11 of 12 during Tom Crean’s tenure as Head Coach
The early years of the rivalry
In the early years of the rivalry, both schools were part of the Big Ten Conference. The first game between the two teams was played in 1896, with Purdue winning by a score of 32-10. The two teams met every year from 1896 to 1909, with Purdue winning eight of the fourteen games.
The rivalry took a break for several years after 1909, but was renewed in 1916. The two teams met annually from 1916 to 1922, with Purdue winning six of the seven games.
The rivalry was put on hold again after 1922, but was resumed in 1929. The two schools have met every year since 1929, making it one of the longest-running rivalries in college basketball
The height of the rivalry
In the 1970s and 1980s, the IU-Purdue Basketball rivalry was one of the best in the country. The two teams were often ranked in the top 25, and they met in the NCAA Tournament four times during that period. The height of the rivalry came in 1980, when they met in the Sweet Sixteen Indiana won that game, but Purdue got revenge two years later when they beat IU in the 1982 NCAA tournament The two teams also met in the Elite Eight in 1989, with Indiana coming out on top again.
The decline of the rivalry
While the roots of the rivalry date back to the early days of both programs, the heyday of the IU-Purdue basketball rivalry was undoubtedly during the 1980s and early 1990s. A combination of great teams, passionate fans, and national media attention made for some unforgettable games and intense feelings between the two fan bases.
However, in recent years the rivalry has declined in both importance and intensity. While there are still plenty of hard feelings between IU and Purdue fans, the games have lost some of their luster. Part of this is due to the fact that neither team has been as good as they once were. But even more significantly, the decline of the rivalry can be traced to the fact that Indiana and Purdue are now part of different conferences.
In 2013, after more than a century in the same conference (the Big Ten), Indiana left to join the newly formed Big Ten Conference Purdue followed suit a year later. This meant that IU and Purdue would no longer play each other twice a year like they had for over 100 years. While they still play each other once a year, it’s not nearly enough to maintain the intensity of a true rivalry.
So whileIndiana-Purdue is still technically a rivalry, it’s not what it used to be. Gone are the days when this was one of the premier matchups in College Basketball These days, it’s just another game on the schedule.
The recent years of the rivalry
In the past decade, the IU-Purdue Basketball rivalry has been one of the most intense in the country. The two schools are separated by less than 50 miles, and their fans are some of the most passionate in the country.
The two teams have met every year since 1969, and the rivalry has only intensified in recent years. In the past decade, the two teams have met in the NCAA tournament four times, with Indiana winning three of those matchups.
The most recent meeting between the two teams was in the 2019 NCAA tournament when Purdue beat Indiana in a thrilling overtime game. That victory gave Purdue a 3-2 lead in the all-time series between the two schools.
The future of the rivalry
Although the games have largely been one-sided in recent years, the hope is that the future of the rivalry will be more competitive. In order for that to happen, however, both programs need to continue to improve.
The impact of the rivalry
The impact of the rivalryockey is a sport full of history and tradition, and the IU-Purdue Basketball rivalry is no exception. This heated rivalry between two of the top collegiate hockey programs in the nation has been ongoing for nearly four decades. From the early days of the two programs’ existences to the present day, this rivalry has had a significant impact on both schools and their fans.
The IU-Purdue Hockey rivalry began in the early 1980s, when both programs were in their infancy. The Purdue Boilermakers were founded in 1887, while the Indiana Hoosiers began play in 1924. Despite being relatively new to the sport, both programs quickly rose to prominence. The Boilermakers won three national championships in a row from 1930 to 1932, while the Hoosiers claimed five straight titles from 1946 to 1950.
This early success set the stage for a heated rivalry between the two schools. The two teams first met on the ice in 1978, with Purdue coming out on top 6-3. However, it was not until 1981 that the rivalry truly began to heat up. That year, Indiana captain Mike Eruzione scored a last-second goal to give the Hoosiers a 5-4 victory over Purdue in what would become known as the “Miracle on Ice.”
From that point onward, the IU-Purdue hockey rivalry has been one of the most intense in all of college sports The two teams have met nearly every year since 1981, with each team winning its fair share of games. However, it is safe to say that Indiana currently holds the upper hand in the rivalry, as they have won 28 of the 38 matchups between the two schools since 1981.
Despite their impressive record against Purdue, Indiana has not had much success against other teams in recent years. The Hoosiers have not won a National Championship since 1954 and have only made one appearance in the Frozen Four (the semifinals of the NCAA tournament) since 1999. In contrast, Purdue has won four national championships since 1998 and has made seven Frozen Four appearances since 2000.
The IU-Purdue hockey rivalry has had a significant impact on both programs over its nearly four-decade history. It is safe to say that neither program would be where it is today without this intense competition between them.
The legacy of the rivalry
The IU-Purdue basketball rivalry goes back to the early days of the sport. The two schools first met on the hardwood in 1896, with Purdue coming out on top. The two teams would meet sporadically over the next few years, but it wasn’t until 1907 that the rivalry began to take shape. That year, the two teams met three times, with each game being played at a different location. Purdue won all three contests.
The rivalry really heated up in the 1920s and 1930s. This was a golden era for both programs, as they combined to win eight national championships. The games between the two schools were always highly anticipated and often very close. In fact, during this time period, IU and Purdue had identical records against each other (17-17).
The rivalry took on a new meaning in the 1980s when the two schools began competing against each other in the same conference (the Big Ten). This made the games even more important, as they often had conference title implications. The games between IU and Purdue during this time were some of the most intense and heated in the history of the rivalry.
The 1990s saw a bit of a decline in the rivalry, as both programs struggled for much of that decade. However, the 2000s have been very good to both schools, as they have once again become two of the best programs in College Basketball As a result, the IU-Purdue rivalry has regained its place as one of college basketball’s best.
Why the rivalry matters
Since it began in 1901, the IU-Purdue Basketball rivalry has been one of the most intense in all of college sports The two schools are separated by just 60 miles, and their fan bases are some of the most passionate in the country.
The rivalry has been especially heated in recent years, as the two teams have consistently been among the best in the nation. In 2016, they even met in the NCAA National Championship game, with IU coming out on top.
There is no doubt that the IU-Purdue rivalry is one of the most important in all of college basketball It is a battle between two of the most storied programs in the sport, and one that always seems to bring out the best in both teams.