The names are synonymous with college basketball. Smith and Rupp. Jordan, Worthy, Jamison, and Hansbrough. Givens, Mashburn, Delk, and Davis. Williams and Calipari. The Four Corners and The Untouchables. Tar Heels and Wildcats.
Two of the three winningest programs in college basketball will meet on Saturday for the 40th time. Along with Kansas and UCLA, the teams from Lexington and Chapel Hill lay claim to being the sport’s original blue bloods. From the days of Adolph Rupp and Frank McGuire, these teams have been at the very pinnacle of college basketball and their on-again off-again rivalry has had some classic (and occasionally season-defining) games.