The Varsity Game Contested by Oxford University Cambridge UniversityFirst Varsity Game1921Current championOxford UniversityBiggest VictoryOxford University, 2010 (117-64)TrophyThe Varsity CupNumber of wins (since 1949) Oxford University Cambridge University 55 21Official website The Varsity Game is an annual basketball fixture played between the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge which dates back to 1921. 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.
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.
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. 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.'"
The Varsity Game Results No. Date Venue Winner Score Margin of victory Oxford total wins Cambridge total wins 1 1922–1949 no known games Muswell Hill 0 2 RAF Halton Oxford 47-113610 3 Culham College Gymnasium Oxford 37-221520 4 London Oxford 31-23830 5 USAF Gymnasium, Upper Heyford Oxford 65-40240 6 Cambridge Corn Exchange Oxford 42-202250 7 RAF Upper Heyford Oxford 39-30960 8 USAF Arena RAF Upper Heyford Oxford 73-413270 9 RAF Lakenheath / USAF Mildenhall Cambridge 56-59371 10 Cowley Barracks Oxford 5-43881 11 Oxford 91 12 Cambridge 34-3629 13 Cambridge 52-6513 93 14 High school gym near Cambridge Cambridge 42-44294 15 Cambridge 38-683095 16 Cambridge 39-45696 17 RAF Lakenheath Oxford 72-4923106 18 Oxford 75-5817116 19 Lakenheath American High School Oxford 76-648126 20 Iffley Road Sports Centre Oxford 71-5912136 21 RAF Lakenheath Oxford 78-5622146 22 Iffley Road Sports Centre Oxford 67-2641156 23 USAF Lakenheath Oxford 79-4039166 24 Iffley Road Sports Centre Oxford 88-4048176 25 Oxford 101-6041186 26 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 84-6816196 27 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 87-4839206 28 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 87-6720216 29 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 92-5933226 30 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 104-6440236 31 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 102-6537246 32 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 83-785256 33 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 103-949266 34 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 276 35 Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Oxford 79-763286 36 Oxford 296 37 Iffley Road Sports Centre Oxford 94-7222306 38 Cambridge 62-631307 39 Iffley Road Sports Centre Oxford 90-7614317 40 Cambridge 67-9427318 41 Iffley Road Sports Centre Oxford 104-8717328 42 Kelsey Kerridge Sports Hall Oxford 83-785338 43 Oxford 87-5730348 44 Oxford 59-545358 45 Oxford 75-4629368 46 Kelsey Kerridge Hall, Cambridge Cambridge 64-86 22 369 47 Oxford 91-847379 48 Cambridge58-6463710 49 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Cambridge 97-108113711 50 Oxford 65-6323811 51 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 88-54333911 52 Oxford 98-59394011 53 Oxford 118-71474111 54 Oxford 118-86324211 55 Oxford 115-90254311 56 Oxford 96-77194411 57 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Cambridge 69-79104412 58 Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Cambridge 50-5994413 59 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 75-7144513 60 Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Oxford 68-6534613 61 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 73-61124713 62 Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Oxford 93-59344813 63 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 117-64534913 64 Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Oxford 96-63335013 65 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 91-66255113 66 Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Cambridge 68-93255114 67 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 67-5985214 68 University of Cambridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Cambridge 66-91255215 69 Oxford Brookes Centre for Sport, Oxford Oxford 66-54125315 70 University of Cambridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Cambridge 69-81125316 71 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 65-5965416 72 University of Cambridge Sports, Cambridge Centre Cambridge 69-81125417 73 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Cambridge 65-7165418 74 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Cambridge 72-7425419 75 University of Cambridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Cambridge 67-7255420 76 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 84-74105520 77 University of Cambridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Cambridge 67-88215521 78 Iffley Road Sports Centre, Oxford Oxford 87-69185621 79 University of Cambridge Sports Centre, Cambridge Cambridge 55-71165622
– Score and result of the first Varsity Game is unknown.
See also
BUCS Basketball League List of British and Irish varsity matches
References