The Varsity Game

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The Varsity Game
The Varsity Game 100 Years.jpg
Contested by
Coat of arms of the University of Oxford.svg Cambridge University Crest.svg
Oxford University Cambridge University
First Varsity Game1921
Current championOxford University
Biggest VictoryOxford University, 2010 (117-64)
TrophyThe Varsity Cup
Number of wins (since 1949)
Oxford University Cambridge University
5520
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

No.DateVenueWinnerScoreMargin of victory[ citation needed ]Oxford total winsCambridge total wins
1 25 March 1921
1922–1949 no known games
Muswell Hill
2 11 June 1949RAF HaltonOxford47-113610
3 11 March 1950Culham College GymnasiumOxford37-221520
4 10 March 1951LondonOxford31-23830
5 21 May 1952USAF Gymnasium, Upper HeyfordOxford65-40240
6 7 March 1953Cambridge Corn ExchangeOxford42-202250
7 11 June 1954RAF Upper HeyfordOxford39-30960
8 6 March 1955USAF Arena RAF Upper HeyfordOxford73-413270
9 11 June 1956RAF Lakenheath / USAF MildenhallCambridge56-59371
10 7 March 1957Cowley BarracksOxford5-43881
11 1958Oxford91
12 1959Cambridge34-3629
13 1960Cambridge52-651393
14 1961High school gym near CambridgeCambridge42-44294
15 1962Cambridge38-683095
16 1963Cambridge39-45696
17 29 February 1964RAF LakenheathOxford72-4923106
18 1965Oxford75-5817116
19 5 March 1966Lakenheath American High SchoolOxford76-648126
20 4 March 1967Iffley Road Sports CentreOxford71-5912136
21 9 March 1968RAF LakenheathOxford78-5622146
22 1 March 1969Iffley Road Sports CentreOxford67-2641156
23 29 February 1970USAF LakenheathOxford79-4039166
24 27 February 1971Iffley Road Sports CentreOxford88-4048176
25 1972Oxford101-6041186
26 3 March 1973Crystal Palace National Sports CentreOxford84-6816196
27 16 March 1974Crystal Palace National Sports CentreOxford87-4839206
28 8 March 1975Crystal Palace National Sports CentreOxford87-6720216
29 6 March 1976Crystal Palace National Sports CentreOxford92-5933226
30 5 March 1977Crystal Palace National Sports CentreOxford104-6440236
31 4 March 1978Crystal Palace National Sports CentreOxford102-6537246
32 8 March 1979Crystal Palace National Sports CentreOxford83-785256
33 7 March 1980Crystal Palace National Sports CentreOxford103-949266
34 1 March 1981Crystal Palace National Sports CentreOxford276
35 7 March 1982Crystal Palace National Sports CentreOxford79-763286
36 1983Oxford296
37 February 1984Iffley Road Sports CentreOxford94-7222306
38 9 March 1985Cambridge62-631307
39 1 March 1986Iffley Road Sports CentreOxford90-7614317
40 1987Cambridge67-9427318
41 27 February 1988Iffley Road Sports CentreOxford104-8717328
42 5 March 1989Kelsey Kerridge Sports HallOxford83-785338
43 4 March 1990Oxford87-5730348
44 1991Oxford59-545358
45 1 March 1992Oxford75-4629368
46 14 February 1993Kelsey Kerridge Hall, CambridgeCambridge64-8622369
47 19 February 1994Oxford91-847379
48 18 February 1995Cambridge58-6463710
49 17 February 1996Iffley Road Sports Centre, OxfordCambridge97-108113711
50 1997Oxford65-6323811
51 21 February 1998Iffley Road Sports Centre, OxfordOxford88-54333911
52 21 February 1999Oxford98-59394011
53 19 February 2000Oxford118-71474111
54 2001Oxford118-86324211
55 24 February 2002Oxford115-90254311
56 14 February 2003Oxford96-77194411
57 29 February 2004Iffley Road Sports Centre, OxfordCambridge69-79104412
58 12 February 2005Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, CambridgeCambridge50-5994413
59 19 February 2006Iffley Road Sports Centre, OxfordOxford75-7144513
60 18 February 2007Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, CambridgeOxford68-6534613
61 24 February 2008Iffley Road Sports Centre, OxfordOxford73-61124713
62 21 February 2009Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, CambridgeOxford93-59344813
63 21 February 2010Iffley Road Sports Centre, OxfordOxford117-64534913
64 26 February 2011Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, CambridgeOxford96-63335013
65 4 March 2012Iffley Road Sports Centre, OxfordOxford91-66255113
66 23 February 2013Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, CambridgeCambridge68-93255114
67 1 March 2014Iffley Road Sports Centre, OxfordOxford67-5985214
68 28 February 2015University of Cambridge Sports Centre, CambridgeCambridge66-91255215
69 27 February 2016Oxford Brookes Centre for Sport, OxfordOxford66-54125315
70 26 February 2017University of Cambridge Sports Centre, CambridgeCambridge69-81125316
71 24 February 2018Iffley Road Sports Centre, OxfordOxford65-5965416
72 23 February 2019University of Cambridge Sports, Cambridge CentreCambridge69-81125417
73 15 February 2020Iffley Road Sports Centre, OxfordCambridge65-7165418
74 19 June 2021Iffley Road Sports Centre, OxfordCambridge72-7425419
75 6 March 2022Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, CambridgeCambridge67-7255420
76 11 March 2023Iffley Road Sports Centre, OxfordOxford84-74105520
77 2 March 2024Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, CambridgeCambridge67-88215521

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

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References

  1. 1 2 "West Point Association of Graduates". www.westpointaog.org. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  2. 1 2 "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.