ESPN.com looks at today's best rivalries, along with the traditional rivalries that still rank among the best.

Today's Best Rivalries

The Teams	The History	Why It's Hot
Duke vs. Maryland	Duke leads, 96-55	What's not to like? From dramatic comebacks to Final Four meetings, just when Duke-UNC was losing its luster, Maryland stepped up to challenge Duke for not only ACC supremacy, but also on the national level.
Pepperdine vs. Gonzaga	Pepperdine leads, 31-22	While the Zags have owned the rest of the WCC while bursting onto the national scene, the Waves had played 'em all but even until the past two years -- having beaten Gonzaga at least once from 1997 to 2000. Gonzaga has won seven of the past nine games, but the two have met in the WCC tournament final twice over the past three seasons.
Kentucky vs. Florida	Kentucky leads, 78-24	Florida had lost 10 straight to Kentucky until 1998. And while UK still holds 6-4 advantage over the past 10 games, they've shared the past three SEC East titles are are separated by a single SEC win (45-44) over the last four years.
Kansas vs. Oklahoma	Kansas leads, 128-62	The former Big Eight rivals have taken their rivalry to a new level in the Big 12. While Kansas went a perfect 16-0 during the Big 12 season, OU beat KU the Big 12 tourney title game. Since the Big 12 was formed in '86, the two have combined to win five of the six conference titles. Oh, and both reached the Final Four in 2002.
Marquette vs. Cincinnati	Cincinnati leads, 21-13	Another case of a team rising up to challenge the established conference power. Marquette has been the biggest challenge to Cincinnati's hold on C-USA, and while it has yet to dethrone the Bearcats in the regular season, the Golden Eagles have won four of the past six games.

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Traditional Rivalries That Still Sizzle

The Teams	The History	Why It's Hot
Cincinnati vs. Xavier	Cincinnati leads, 45-24	They've met only once a year since 1958 and it's the hottest week in the Queen City each season. No matter how the teams may fair the rest of the year, this game brings out the best in each. Both have come in as favorites, gone on to NCAA success, but left this game with a loss. It's a game that is seldom predictable.
Kentucky vs. Louisville	Kentucky leads, 23-11	Why this game wasn't an annual event for so many decades is a mystery. Today's story lines, however, more than make up for lost time. When a coach leads one team to the national championship, leaves for the NBA, and then returns to revive the rival's program ... well, that's all you need to know. Oh, and the games haven't been bad either since the rivalry was renewed in 1983.
Indiana vs. Purdue	Purdue leads, 106-77	It may not be among today's best rivalries, but even the Big Ten couldn't keep the fans from demanding two games a year. These two played a non-conference game before the Big Ten clash. After four straight wins by IU, the teams split this year's games. Look for this rivalry to get back to where it was just a few years ago.
Illinois vs. Missouri	Illinois leads, 21-12	Don't let the numbers fool you, these teams started playing back in 1932, but like Louisville-Kentucky, didn't start playing on an annual basis until 1976. As non-conference games go, they don't get much more heated than the "Braggin' Rights Game."
Kentucky vs. Indiana	Kentucky leads, 25-21	Even before Mike Davis turned this game into his personal proving ground, the Hoosiers and 'Cats didn't see eye-to-eye in the The Boarder War. Kentucky is 8-2 over the last 10 games, but the intensity has never been higher.

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