The "Battle of the East" is a college basketball rivalry between the University of the East Red Warriors and Far Eastern University Tamaraws. Others would refer to it as the Battle of Morayta, because of the street that runs between these universities. They have a combined 38 UAAP Basketball titles.
FEU left the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 1936 and later on to form the University Athletic Association of the Philippines along with University of Santo Tomas, National University and the University of the Philippines in 1938. UE was part of the first UAAP expansion with Adamson University in 1952. It did not take long for the Warriors to dominate since joining the league as it holds the longest finals appearance with 16 from 1957 to 1972, including a seven straight title run from 1965 to 1971(1967 title to be shared with UST),[1] with FEU winning the title in 1961 and 1972.[2]
UE stormed back from 81-75 with three minutes left to play at the half to complete an upset, 87-86 taking the El Oro trophy home in front of a crowded Rizal Memorial Coliseum. A run started with Norman de Vera's two free throws after being fouled by Rohimust Santos to cut the lead, while sophomore Rizaldo Pabillore came up with two interceptions all within the last three minutes of the second half to earn their third title.
UE subdued FEU, 78-74 in the second round of the UAAP basketball series at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. But the jam-packed crowd of 9,000 (over maximum capacity of the coliseum) got an unexpected show after the final buzzer when cagers from both teams engaged in an impromptu brawl on the floor. The fight was triggered off by a last-second scuffle for the ball between Tamaraw Romy Diaz and Warrior Carlos Quitzon. Quitzon had the ball and was being harassed by Diaz when the buzzer sounded and hell broke loose. Searing blast by lanky Jimmy Mariano and clutch baskets by Jose Sison and Wenceslao Olaguera at the homestretch saved the Warriors after they were behind by six points. Mariano scored twice on a twisting shot to regain the lead for UE, 63-60, with five minutes left in the game. The two schools met again in the finals with FEU winning the championship.
With the game on the line, University of the East rookie Allan Caidic, with the chance of beating the rival FEU to win the championship, missed both free throws and let the Tamaraws led by Glenn Capacio steal the 1981 title. Caidic, with the rest of UE squad, won the championship the following year after beating the University of the Philippines.
Holding a twice to beat advantage, the second-seeded Tamaraws fell short during the Game 1 of the series, 74-84, without their sophomore guard Mark Barroca, who was accused of game-fixing prior to his performance on the team's last stretch of the elimination. Going on to the second game of the series, a much favored FEU, despite a 49-39 lead at the half, once again took the beating as Paul Lee and the Warriors pulled an upset and entered the finals with the score of 72-78 to face Ateneo.
FEU victories are colored
██ green. UE victories are colored ██ red.| width=20 | Season | width=120 | Date | width=95 | Location | width=50 | Winner | width=40 | Score | width=85 | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 63 | July 29, 2000 | Ninoy Aquino Stadium | FEU | 74 - 62 | FEU 1-0 | ||||||
| 63 | September 16, 2000 | Araneta Coliseum | UE | 67 - 65OT | tied 1-1 | ||||||
| 64 | August 5, 2001 | Loyola Center | FEU | 78 - 67 | FEU 2-1 | ||||||
| 64 | August 26, 2001 | Loyola Center | UE | 68 - 63 | tied 2-2 | ||||||
| 65 | August 3, 2002 | Makati Coliseum | UE | 65 - 58 | UE 3-2 | ||||||
| 65 | August 29, 2002 | Makati Coliseum | UE | 80 - 75 | UE 4-2 | ||||||
| 66 | August 3, 2003 | Blue Eagle Gym | FEU | 64 - 62 | UE 4-3 | ||||||
| 66 | August 30, 2003 | Araneta Coliseum | UE | 77 - 72 | UE 5-3 | ||||||
| 66** | September 20, 2003 | Araneta Coliseum | FEU | 80 - 75 | UE 5-4 | ||||||
| 66* | September 24, 2003 | Araneta Coliseum | FEU | 67 - 63 | tied 5-5 | ||||||
| PCCL | November 26, 2003 | Makati Coliseum | UE | 82 - 58 | UE 6-5 | ||||||
| PCCL | November 27, 2003 | Makati Coliseum | UE | 57 - 55 | UE 7-5 | ||||||
| 67 | July 10, 2004 | Araneta Coliseum | FEU | 89 - 61 | UE 7-6 | ||||||
| 67 | August 21, 2004 | Cuneta Astrodome | FEU | 64 - 62 | tied 7-7 | ||||||
| 67* | September 16, 2004 | PhilSports Arena | FEU | 71 - 64 | FEU 8-7 | ||||||
| PCCL | February 27, 2005 | Makati Coliseum | FEU | 69 - 49 | FEU 9-7 | ||||||
| 68 | July 9, 2005 | Araneta Coliseum | FEU | 82 - 66 | FEU 10-7 | ||||||
| 68 | August 14, 2005 | Araneta Coliseum | UE | 62 - 57 | FEU 10-8 | ||||||
| 68* | September 25, 2005 | Araneta Coliseum | FEU | 78 - 57 | FEU 11-8 | ||||||
| 69 | July 15, 2006 | Ninoy Aquino Stadium | UE | 84 - 92OT | FEU 11-9 | ||||||
| 69 | August 20, 2006 | Araneta Coliseum | UE | 76 - 63 | FEU 11-10 | ||||||
| 70 | August 2, 2007 | Ninoy Aquino Stadium | UE | 89 - 60 | tied 11-11 | ||||||
| 70 | September 1, 2007 | Cuneta Astrodome | UE | 79 - 72 | UE 12-11 | ||||||
| 71 | July 26, 2008 | PhilSports Arena | FEU | 71 - 69 | tied 12-12 | ||||||
| 71 | September 4, 2008 | Araneta Coliseum | UE | 73 - 61 | UE 13-12 | ||||||
| 72 | August 9, 2009 | Araneta Coliseum | FEU | 72 - 76 | tied 13-13 | ||||||
| 72 | August 23, 2009 | Araneta Coliseum | UE | 72 - 87 | UE 14-13 | ||||||
| 72* | September 19, 2009 | Araneta Coliseum | UE | 74 - 84 | UE 15-13 | ||||||
| 72* | September 24, 2009 | Araneta Coliseum | UE | 72 - 78 | UE 16-13 | ||||||
| PCCL | December 2, 2009 | Ynares Sports Arena | FEU | 85 - 86 | UE 16-14 | ||||||
| 73 | July 22, 2010 | Araneta Coliseum | FEU | 91 - 81 | UE 16-15 | ||||||
| 73 | August 15, 2010 | PhilSports Arena | FEU | 83 - 77OT | tied 16-16 | ||||||
| 74 | July 21, 2011 | Araneta Coliseum | FEU | 66 - 47 | FEU 17-16 | ||||||
| 74 | September 4, 2011 | Smart Araneta Coliseum | FEU | 69 - 78 | FEU 18-16 | ||||||
| 75 | July 29, 2012 | Mall of Asia Arena | FEU | 92 - 66 | FEU 19-16 | ||||||
| width=20 | Season | width=120 | Date | width=85 | Location | width=50 | Winner | width=40 | Score | width=85 | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75 | September 8, 2012 | Mall of Asia Arena | FEU | 83 - 78 | FEU 20-16 | ||||||
| 76 | June 29, 2013 | Mall of Asia Arena | FEU | 89 - 78 | FEU 21-16 | ||||||
| 76 | August 25, 2013 | Smart Araneta Coliseum | FEU | 98 - 94 2OT | FEU 22-16 | ||||||
| 77 | July 30, 2014 | Mall of Asia Arena | FEU | 73 - 63 | FEU 23-16 | ||||||
| -align=center | 77 | September 7, 2014 | Smart Araneta Coliseum | UE | 94 - 71 | FEU 23-17 | |||||
| 78 | September 23, 2015 | Mall of Asia Arena | FEU | 92 - 81 | FEU 24-17 | ||||||
| 78 | October 24, 2015 | Smart Araneta Coliseum | FEU | 71 - 67 | FEU 25-17 | ||||||
| 79 | September 18, 2016 | Smart Araneta Coliseum | FEU | 67 - 59 | FEU 26-17 | ||||||
| 79 | November 16, 2016 | Mall of Asia Arena | FEU | 64 - 61 | FEU 27-17 | ||||||
| 80 | September 13, 2017 | Smart Araneta Coliseum | FEU | 90 - 83 | FEU 28-17 | ||||||
| 80 | November 5, 2017 | Smart Araneta Coliseum | FEU | 79 - 63 | FEU 29-17 | ||||||
| 81 | September 30, 2018 | Mall of Asia Arena | UE | 90 - 65 | FEU 29-18 | ||||||
| 81 | November 4, 2018 | Ynares Center | FEU | 80 - 61 | FEU 30-18 | ||||||
| 82 | September 8, 2019 | Smart Araneta Coliseum | FEU | 81 - 65 | FEU 31-18 | ||||||
| 82 | October 27, 2019 | Ynares Center | FEU | 82 - 58 | FEU 32-18 | ||||||
| 84 | April 5, 2022 | Mall of Asia Arena | FEU | 88 - 74 | FEU 33-18 | ||||||
| 84 | April 23, 2022 | Mall of Asia Arena | FEU | 91 - 61 | FEU 34-18 | ||||||
| 85 | October 5, 2022 | PhilSports Arena | UE | 76 - 66 | FEU 34-19 | ||||||
| 85 | October 30, 2022 | Smart Araneta Coliseum | FEU | 75 - 68 | FEU 35-19 | ||||||
| 86 | October 7, 2023 | Smart Araneta Coliseum | UE | 65 - 58 | FEU 35-20 | ||||||
| 86 | November 5, 2023 | Mall of Asia Arena | UE | 87 - 86 OT | FEU 35-21 |