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The Varsity Game

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The Varsity Game
Contested by
Oxford University Cambridge University
First Varsity Game 1921
Current champion Oxford University
Biggest Victory Oxford University, 2010 (117-64)
Trophy The Varsity Cup
Number of wins (since 1949)
Oxford University Cambridge University
55 20
Official website
thevarsitygame.org

The Varsity Game is an annual basketball fixture played between the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge which dates back to 1921.[1][2] The first post-war Varsity Game was played on 11 June 1949 at RAF Halton and resulted in a 47-11 Oxford win. It has remained an annual event ever since.[1]

In the 1950s, The Varsity Game between Oxford and Cambridge was one of the highlights of the British basketball calendar. The game was of national interest and was held at the Empire Pool and Indoor Arena, Wembley. Uncommon for basketball in the United Kingdom, the Oxford-Cambridge rivalry basketball game received coverage from the national press.[3][4]

The Varsity Game holds a special reverence for the basketball teams at Oxford and Cambridge. Traditionally, it is the final game of the season for both teams and is the highlight of the basketball season.[2] In the 14 March 1966 edition of Sports Illustrated, NBA Hall-of-famer Bill Bradley said in reference to The Varsity Game: "'This game,' remarked Bradley, who flew back from playing with the Italian Simmenthal team in Milan the morning of the event, 'is the only one I care about.'"[5]










The Varsity Game Results

[edit]
No. Date Venue Winner Score Margin of victory[citation needed] Oxford total wins Cambridge total wins
1 25 March 1921†
1922–1949 no known games 		Muswell Hill 0
2 11 June 1949 RAF Halton Oxford 47-11 36 1 0
3 11 March 1950 Culham College Gymnasium Oxford 37-22 15 2 0
4 10 March 1951 London Oxford 31-23 8 3 0
5 21 May 1952 USAF Gymnasium, Upper Heyford Oxford 65-40 2 4 0
6 7 March 1953 Cambridge Corn Exchange Oxford 42-20 22 5 0
7 11 June 1954 RAF Upper Heyford Oxford 39-30 9 6 0
8 6 March 1955 USAF Arena RAF Upper Heyford Oxford 73-41 32 7 0
9 11 June 1956 RAF Lakenheath / USAF Mildenhall Cambridge 56-59 3 7 1
10 7 March 1957 Cowley Barracks Oxford 5-43 8 8 1
11 1958 Oxford 9 1
12 1959 Cambridge 34-36 2 9
13 1960 Cambridge 52-65 13 9 3
14 1961 High school gym near Cambridge Cambridge 42-44 2 9 4
15 1962 Cambridge 38-68 30 9 5
16 1963 Cambridge 39-45 6 9 6
17 29 February 1964 RAF Lakenheath Oxford 72-49 23 10 6
18 1965 Oxford 75-58 17 11 6
19 5 March 1966 Lakenheath American High School Oxford 76-64 8 12 6
20 4 March 1967 Iffley Road Sports Centre Oxford 71-59 12 13 6
21 9 March 1968 RAF Lakenheath Oxford 78-56 22 14 6
22 1 March 1969 Iffley Road Sports Centre Oxford 67-26 41 15 6
23 29 February 1970 USAF Lakenheath Oxford 79-40 39 16 6
24 27 February 1971 Iffley Road Sports Centre Oxford 88-40 48 17 6
25 1972 Oxford 101-60 41 18 6
26 3 March 1973 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 84-68 16 19 6
27 16 March 1974 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 87-48 39 20 6
28 8 March 1975 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 87-67 20 21 6
29 6 March 1976 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 92-59 33 22 6
30 5 March 1977 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 104-64 40 23 6
31 4 March 1978 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 102-65 37 24 6
32 8 March 1979 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 83-78 5 25 6
33 7 March 1980 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 103-94 9 26 6
34 1 March 1981 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 27 6
35 7 March 1982 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 79-76 3 28 6
36 1983 Oxford 29 6
37 February 1984 Iffley Road Sports Centre Oxford 94-72 22 30 6
38 9 March 1985 Cambridge 62-63 1 30 7
39 1 March 1986 Iffley Road Sports Centre Oxford 90-76 14 31 7
40 1987 Cambridge 67-94 27 31 8
41 27 February 1988 Iffley Road Sports Centre Oxford 104-87 17 32 8
42 5 March 1989 Kelsey Kerridge Sports Hall Oxford 83-78 5 33 8
43 4 March 1990 Oxford 87-57 30 34 8
44 1991 Oxford 59-54 5 35 8
45 1 March 1992 Oxford 75-46 29 36 8
46 14 February 1993 Kelsey Kerridge Hall, Cambridge Cambridge 64-86 22 36 9
47 19 February 1994 Oxford 91-84 7 37 9
48 18 February 1995 Cambridge 58-64 6 37 10
49 17 February 1996 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Cambridge 97-108 11 37 11
50 1997 Oxford 65-63 2 38 11
51 21 February 1998 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 88-54 33 39 11
52 21 February 1999 Oxford 98-59 39 40 11
53 19 February 2000 Oxford 118-71 47 41 11
54 2001 Oxford 118-86 32 42 11
55 24 February 2002 Oxford 115-90 25 43 11
56 14 February 2003 Oxford 96-77 19 44 11
57 29 February 2004 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Cambridge 69-79 10 44 12
58 12 February 2005 Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Cambridge 50-59 9 44 13
59 19 February 2006 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 75-71 4 45 13
60 18 February 2007 Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Oxford 68-65 3 46 13
61 24 February 2008 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 73-61 12 47 13
62 21 February 2009 Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Oxford 93-59 34 48 13
63 21 February 2010 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 117-64 53 49 13
64 26 February 2011 Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Oxford 96-63 33 50 13
65 4 March 2012 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 91-66 25 51 13
66 23 February 2013 Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Cambridge 68-93 25 51 14
67 1 March 2014 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 67-59 8 52 14
68 28 February 2015 University of Cambridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Cambridge 66-91 25 52 15
69 27 February 2016 Oxford Brookes Centre for Sport, Oxford Oxford 66-54 12 53 15
70 26 February 2017 University of Cambridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Cambridge 69-81 12 53 16
71 24 February 2018 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 65-59 6 54 16
72 23 February 2019 University of Cambridge Sports, Cambridge Centre Cambridge 69-81 12 54 17
73 15 February 2020 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Cambridge 65-71 6 54 18
74 19 June 2021 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Cambridge 72-74 2 54 19
75 6 March 2022 Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Cambridge 67-72 5 54 20
76 11 March 2023 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 84-74 10 55 20
77 2 March 2024 Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Cambridge 67-88 21 55 21

† – Score and result of the first Varsity Game is unknown.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "West Point Association of Graduates". www.westpointaog.org. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Men's". OXFORD UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL CLUB. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  3. ^ "Basketball At Wembley". The Times. 31 May 1952.
  4. ^ "Basketball". The Times. 1 June 1953.
  5. ^ Lovesey, John (14 March 1966). "A Bit Too Much For Blighty". Sports Illustrated.
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