A 50 year old rivalry reignites this Tuesday, October 27 when the UBC Thunderbirds men's basketball team and the SFU Clan meet for first time since March 6, 2010.

Since the two teams first faced off on the hardwood on November 26, 1965, UBC and SFU have been the ultimate rivals. No matter how the T-Birds or Clan have fared in their own seasons, whenever these two teams meet, they push each other to the absolute limit.

There's a new layer of competition with the upcoming matchup, as it marks the first time that UBC and SFU will have squared off since the Clan left CIS and signed up to play NCAA Division II basketball ahead of the 2010-2011 campaign.

Now, questions arise. Which league is better? Who reigns supreme this crosstown rivalry?

After a five-year wait, we're about to get some answers.

Since 2010

UBC
UBC has been consistently competitive over the past five seasons, with a couple of dominant campaigns sprinkled in. Under the watchful eye of long-time head coach Kevin Hanson, the T-Birds have racked up an impressive 115-50 record over that stretch, making two appearances in the CIS Men's Basketball Final 8 (2011, 2013), and never once missing the Canada West playoffs.

The 'Birds finished off their 2014-15 season in disappointing fashion, as they were knocked out of the Canada West playoffs in the final four, dropping an 81-75 decision to the Saskatchewan Huskies. The T-Birds' overall record of 20-12 was solid, but they'll be looking for more, in one of the most important seasons in the modern history of the program.

This March, UBC will host the CIS Men's Basketball Final 8, a tournament featuring the top teams from Canada as they vie for the national title. As the hosts, the Thunderbirds are guaranteed a post in the tournament. However, the Blue and Gold are fully intending on winning, not just competing, so they'll need to be at their best when March rolls around. Playing SFU just ahead of the Canada West season should give them a little extra jump heading into the campaign.

SFU

SFU comes into the season with a new coach, Virgil Hill, an SFU alum and former Clan assistant coach under Jay Triano in the early 1990s. Hill will look to revitalize the organization, as the Clan have posted a record of 30-98 over their first five seasons in the NCAA Div. II. 

Last year, SFU guard Sango Niang capped off his senior season with a Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Second Team All-Star selection after leading the Clan with 22.0 points per game. The T-Birds won't have to worry about Niang at the Buchanan cup; he's recently signed a professional contract with the Estudianes Concordia of the Liga Nacional de Basquet (National Basketball League), the top Argentinian basketball league. 

The Clan are coming off their best season since joining the GNAC in 2010, finishing with a 6-12 record, and topping the GNAC in scoring, with an average of just under 105 points per contest. 

UBC and SFU tip-off at 7 p.m. at War Memorial Gym on Tuesday, October 27. This is a match-up you won't want to miss. Get your tickets now.