In a more civilized version of the Hatfields vs. the McCoys, the Ottawa Gee-Gees, the No. 2 men’s college basketball team in the country, didn’t get punched, kicked or shot, but they sure as shootin’ got their tails kicked up one side and down the other.

Ouch. And in front of 6,604 witnesses, wearing the colours of their teams.

With one side of their buttocks still bruised from a 94-73 ass kicking a bit less than two months ago, the Gee-Gees lifted up and exposed the other side in an 82-58 loss to Canada’s No. 1-ranked Carleton Ravens in the late game of the MBNA Capital Hoops Classic Tuesday night at Canadian Tire Centre.

The Gee-Gees didn’t roll over and play dead. They were great in the third quarter. They fought back. Those are the good things.

But what the H-E-L-L happened in that first half when it was 48-23? Twenty-freaking-three points for the Gee-Gees? Nine-of-36 from the floor? #Unfreakingbelievable! #Unacceptable

The severity of the beating, the lopsidedness of the score was shocking. Blocked shots, throwing up bricks, shot-clock violations — they’re all deadly sins when you’re facing the precision-like Ravens, whose throttling defence has suffocated opponents for what seems like forever.

“I’m confused,” said Gee-Gees coach James Derouin, who wondered aloud what was going on in a halftime address to his troops. “This is a team that returned 12 or 13 guys from a team that played at national championships last year. We’ve got guys who’ve played in big games. We just came out shaky. We were missing layups, missing free throws, turning it over. Maybe that’s what Carleton does to you. Credit to them for taking us out of our game.

“Our adrenaline and fight was something we wanted to improve on. We took it a little too far, I think, and were too amped up for this game.”

The Gee-Gees scored the first two buckets of the second half and awakened from their half-long snooze, kept it going. They scored 23 points in that third quarter, trailing 61-46 going into the fourth.

Fact is since the Gee-Gees won the first Capital Hoops Classic 64-62 in 2007, the Ravens have made life miserable for them — winning six straight heading into Tuesday. That is a lot of bragging rights.

Philip Scrubb had 19 points for Carleton, while Tyson Hinz and Thomas Scrubb each had 15. Terry Thomas had 13 for Ottawa U.

The Ravens are no strangers to Canadian championships, winning 9-of-the-last-11. It’s a legacy the Gee-Gees have to both admire, yet despise. It’s that national championship that both teams are pushing toward.

Of course, you wouldn’t know Tuesday’s showdown was just another game. Not with the intensity in the crowd, on the court or on the sidelines.

Ravens coach Dave Smart was as animated as ever — gyrating, twisting, turning, voice rising and getting shriller by the moment, eyebrows arched, eyeballs popping out, arms flailing. At the other end of the court, Derouin stood with his arms crossed, wondering why and how this could happen on such a big day, such a big proving ground.

“We did a decent job defensively, but they’ll shoot a lot better the next time we play them,” said Smart.

There will be questions and maybe some answers in Ottawa U-land. On this same arena hardwood floor a couple of months down the road, Ottawa may get one more chance — one more opportunity — to take Carleton down. They’ll have to hope getting beaten down and humiliated twice is motivation. And they will go in hoping that the bruised buttocks have healed, hoping once and for all, they can move the immovable force.

Twitter: @timcbaines