No border rivalries in hoops like football

Iowa and Wisconsin could have the most equal rivalry in college athletics.

The Hawkeyes lead the football series 42-41-2, and Iowa leads the men's basketball series 77-74 entering tonight's game in Madison.

In football, the Big Ten guarantees Iowa and Wisconsin compete annually. No such guarantee exists for home-and-home games in basketball, and some coaches want that changed.

“Would I like to see it? Absolutely,” Wisconsin Coach Bo Ryan said. “I would love to play each team in the conference on their court and have them plays us on ours. But I've said that for a long, long time.”

As part of the Big Ten's 18-game schedule, two opponents are considered single-plays for a two-year cycle. Iowa plays Wisconsin and Penn State once annually on the current cycle. In football, the Big Ten designates two rivalries as permanent.

Big Ten officials have discussed slapping permanent status on basketball rivalries, but the topic hasn't gained much traction.

“That comes up ... from time to time,” Big Ten Associate Commissioner Mark Rudner said. “We don't protect rivalries in basketball like we do in football. It's something our athletic directors haven't wanted to do. Everybody comes off the schedule.

“For instance, in football Indiana and Purdue say we've got to play each other. Ohio State and Michigan we've got to play each other every year. Michigan and Michigan State ... it's a different discussion, football vis-a-vis basketball.”

Indiana-Purdue is perhaps the league's most intense basketball rivalry. In 2002, the schools staged a non-conference game in Indianapolis when they were on a single-play cycle. Indiana Coach Tom Crean said the league should protect that rivalry as it does the schools' football version.

“(Rivalries are) made for the fans, they're made for television. They're good for the game,” Crean said. “Indiana-Purdue is a rivalry that's been there for decade-upon-decade. I think it's definitely something that should be a two-game series every year.”

Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter agrees with Crean that the league should consider preserving some rivalries so the teams play home-and-home every year.

“It makes a lot of sense,” Lickliter said. “Purdue and Indiana, it seems to me they should probably play home-and-home. Possibly the ones closer to us, too.”