The Commonwealth Classic, also known as Commonwealth CupUniversity of Massachusetts Media Guide (PDF) or Governor's Cup (for the trophy awarded to the victor of the game), is the title of a basketball rivalry between Boston College and the University of Massachusetts. The name refers to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the New England state in which both universities are located. The game has been played a total of 48 times, with BC leading the series 26-22.

History The first game between the two schools occurred December 8, 1905. Since then, UMass and BC have played each other irregularly over the course of their in-state rivalry. In 1995, the basketball rivalry was officially designated as the "Commonwealth Classic" by then-Massachusetts Governor William Weld and members of the Massachusetts General Court who were among the nearly 20,000 spectators to watch the game at the new FleetCenter (now the TD Garden). It was the first college basketball game played in the new arena. The first game holds the record for college basketball attendance in New England. The series had been held annually since 1995, until Boston College suspended the series in 2012.

UMass dominance in the 1990s The 1990s were the best decade of UMass Minutemen Basketball as the Minutemen went to the 1996 Final Four and went 6–0 in the decade against Boston College. Their longest winning streak ever against their cross-state rivals.

BC dominance in the 2000s After going 0–6 against UMass in the 90's, BC has bounced back and won the first seven games in the 2000s, going 7–0. This streak was snapped on December 12, 2007 when UMass edged BC 83–80.

UMass dominance cut short in 2010s The 2010 game, won by Boston College, was played at the TD Garden at a part of the Boston Tip-Off Classic.College Basketball at Boston TD Banknorth Garden | Tip off Classic After UMass routed Boston College 82–46 in 2011 in Chestnut Hill, BC ended the annual series in 2012. After a year hiatus, the rivalry was renewed in 2013 as a part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Boston Tip-Off. UMass won the 2013 game by a score 86–73 and the 2014 game by a score of 71–62.

Rivalry renewed in 2020s After more than a decade without a game, UMass and Boston College renewed their rivalry with a December 2025 neutral site game at the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in Springfield, Massachusetts.. In the first meeting since November 2014, UMass defeated Boston College 76-74.

Results Boston College victories UMass victories Date Location Winner Score Notes BC UM December 8, 1905 Amherst, MA UMass 15 20 February 26, 1951 Curry Hicks CageAmherst, MA Boston College 59 43 December 10, 1951 Boston GardenBoston, MA Boston College 76 52 December 19, 1955 Boston GardenBoston, MA UMass 73 91 January 30, 1957 Curry Hicks CageAmherst, MA Boston College 68 66 January 28, 1958 Roberts CenterChestnut Hill, MA Boston College 71 67 February 19, 1959 Curry Hicks CageAmherst, MA UMass 65 68 January 28, 1960 Roberts CenterChestnut Hill, MA Boston College 74 51 December 12, 1963 Roberts CenterChestnut Hill, MA UMass 74 93 February 2, 1965 Curry Hicks CageAmherst, MA Boston College 109 97 February 8, 1966 Roberts CenterChestnut Hill, MA Boston College 101 80 December 3, 1966 Curry Hicks CageAmherst, MA Boston College 86 63 December 21, 1966 Boston GardenBoston, MA Boston College 75 67 Boston Garden Christmas Basketball Tournament February 6, 1968 Roberts CenterChestnut Hill, MA Boston College 94 70 February 5, 1969 Curry Hicks CageAmherst, MA Boston College 78 67 February 3, 1970 Roberts CenterChestnut Hill, MA Boston College 83 76 February 9, 1971 Curry Hicks CageAmherst, MA UMass 77 85 February 9, 1972 Roberts CenterChestnut Hill, MA Boston College 75 74 February 7, 1973 Springfield Civic CenterSpringfield, MA UMass 52 76 February 6, 1974 Roberts CenterChestnut Hill, MA Boston College 78 74 Overtime February 5, 1975 Curry Hicks CageAmherst, MA UMass 71 80 February 4, 1976 Roberts CenterChestnut Hill, MA UMass 70 77 December 12, 1976 Boston GardenBoston, MA UMass 71 94 Colonial Classic Tournament February 2, 1977 Curry Hicks CageAmherst, MA UMass 69 85 January 27, 1978 Boston GardenBoston, MA UMass 64 88 Colonial Classic Tournament January 26, 1979 Boston GardenBoston, MA Boston College 82 70 Colonial Classic Tournament December 29, 1990 Springfield Civic CenterSpringfield, MA UMass 81 83 Abdow's Classic December 9, 1995 FleetCenterBoston, MA #3 UMass 57 65 January 18, 1997 FleetCenterBoston, MA UMass 78 90 December 14, 1997 FleetCenterBoston, MA UMass 57 65 December 12, 1998 Centrum CentreWorcester, MA UMass 45 75 December 4, 1999 Conte ForumChestnut Hill, MA UMass 67 74 December 23, 1999 Bayamon, PR Boston College 83 59 Puerto Rico Holiday Classic December 17, 2000 Mullins CenterAmherst, MA Boston College 74 65 December 8, 2001 Conte ForumChestnut Hill, MA #13 Boston College 80 78 December 7, 2002 Mullins CenterAmherst, MA Boston College 80 62 December 6, 2003 Conte ForumChestnut Hill, MA Boston College 76 75 January 2, 2005 Mullins CenterAmherst, MA Boston College 67 48 January 3, 2006 Conte ForumChestnut Hill, MA #11 Boston College 91 62 December 2, 2006 Mullins CenterAmherst, MA Boston College 84 73 December 12, 2007 Conte ForumChestnut Hill, MA UMass 80 83 December 6, 2008 Mullins CenterAmherst, MA Boston College 85 81 December 23, 2009 Conte ForumChestnut Hill, MA Boston College 79 67 December 4, 2010 TD GardenBoston, MA Boston College 76 71 November 21, 2011 Conte ForumChestnut Hill, MA UMass 46 82 November 10, 2013 TD GardenBoston, MA UMass 73 86 Coaches vs. Cancer Tripleheader November 16, 2014 TD GardenBoston, MA UMass 62 71 Coaches vs. Cancer Tripleheader December 10, 2025 MassMutual CenterSpringfield, MA UMass 74 76 Basketball Hall of Fame Classic November 6, 2026 TD GardenBoston, MA Basketball Hall of Fame Series

See also Boston College–UMass football rivalry

References