Coaches, players, cheerleaders, fans – it’s time for Battle of the Boulevard. Nov. 9 marks the 131st rivalry game between the Lipscomb Bisons and Belmont Bruins men’s basketball teams. The game takes place Friday night in Allen Arena at 6:30 p.m.
There’s a lot of history between the two schools, dating back to Dec. 11, 1953 – the first time the schools faced off. However, it wasn’t until the 1980s that an actual rivalry was born with coaches Don Meyer (Lipscomb) and Rick Byrd (Belmont). Lipscomb currently leads Belmont 73-57 in the series.
Louis Nelms, the director of student involvement, has been to eight “battles” so far.
“My favorite part of the Battle of the Boulevard would be the environment,” Nelms said. “As a small school, our athletic teams often don’t get the kind of support or attention that other schools that are maybe in bigger conferences do. The Battle of the Boulevard is one of the few experiences where Lipscomb gets to feel a little bit different than usual.”
Nelms said that while this specific game may not be as big of an event as other collegiate sporting rivalries, the Battle of the Boulevard still deserves national attention.
“We are playing a team that is consistently getting national attention, and it is fun to have a real rival,” Nelms said. “It’s not Duke vs. UNC or Alabama vs. Auburn, but it is one of the best sporting events in the country because it is one of those games where the records are thrown out and anyone can win.”
How deep is the rivalry now compared to years before? Since being in two different conferences, the rivalry may no longer weigh down or build up how the season ends for either team, but Nelms said he hopes the series will continue to boast its competitive spirit.
“I hope that that hatred and competitiveness stay there, but the jury is still out on that one.”