Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Basketball: The 5 most hated rivals in UNC history

By Alec Lasley

CHAPEL HILL, NC - NOVEMBER 29: The mascot of the North Carolina Tar Heels in action against the Michigan Wolverines during their game at Dean Smith Center on November 29, 2017 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - NOVEMBER 29: The mascot of the North Carolina Tar Heels in action against the Michigan Wolverines during their game at Dean Smith Center on November 29, 2017 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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UNC Basketball
LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 17: Nate Britt #0 of the North Carolina Tar Heels and Wenyen Gabriel #32 of the Kentucky Wildcats dive after a loose ball during the CBS Sports Classic at T-Mobile Arena on December 17, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Kentucky Wildcats

Another storied program that has a tremendous history with the Tar Heels is the Kentucky Wildcats.

I’m not sure if it’s their fan base and how so many “fans” have decided to jump on the bandwagon, or the swagger of John Calipari that gets opposing fan bases going. Either way, their program is far and away the second-most hated rival when it comes to the UNC basketball program.

Despite not being in the same conference, and not even playing every year, their rivalry is one of the best in all of college basketball. Playing 37 times in their history, the Tar Heels hold a 21-16 lead.

It should go no further than looking at two of their most recent games, arguably two of the best basketball games in the past couple of seasons.  Playing in the Elite Eight in the 2017 NCAA Tournament, Luke Maye hit one of the biggest shots in Carolina history with 0.3 seconds left, defeating Kentucky 75-73. That got revenge on the Wildcats from earlier in the season when Kentucky took the matchup, 103-100.

Both programs are great, and though there is a mutual respect for Duke, there isn’t a lot of respect for the Wildcats.

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