Annual “Big 5” tournament but a New England version (an idea)

[McLovin]

I was thinking about an idea for this the other day, as I really like the new format of Phillys “Big 5” title since they moved to 6 teams.

They split up the 6 schools into 2 pods and then play a triple header based on the records in the 2 pod games for first / third / fifth place.

The Yankee Cup would feature all 6 flagship state schools (UConn, UMass, URI, UNH, UVM and Maine) and follow the same pod format the Big 5 Classic uses with the championship taking place at TD Garden in early / mid December.

My idea for this would not be to replace the annual MTEs or other high profile OOC games UConn plays in, but rather replace 3 of the “cupcake” games we play every year (Stonehill, Manhattan, Arkansas Pine Bluff, etc.) but with a fun format that goes back to the historical roots of New England college basketball and old Yankee Conference founding members.

Just a little outside the box thought exercise on how to improve the non-con games we all hate… curious what others think.

 

[McLovin]

For example replace

Stonehill (H)
New Hampshire (H)
Manhattan (H)

With

UMass (A)
New Hampshire (H)
URI or maybe UVM (N - “championship” game in Boston)

 

[auror]

It's pretty much all downside for UConn.

You can see this downside this season for Villanova. If the Big 5 didn't exist, they'd be like an 8 seed in the tournament projections right now. The upside is... bragging rights we already claim by default?

We're never going on the road to any of these teams. You don't get money and If you lose (and you can pretty much lose to anyone on the road, check the Big12 and Pac12 vs. the SWAC last season), your resume takes a huge hit. If you win, you get nothing.

 

[Tyler2Rings]

UConn, UMass, URI, UNH, UVM and Maine

One of these things is not like the other.

It's an interesting concept but we are just so far ahead of these guys it doesn't make sense in 2024. This is basically 3 U-games a year with worse teams than those old UMass teams

 

[diggerfoot]

Intriguing idea, except that schools in the same conference would not want to compete against each other. We would need to be in with one school only for different conferences.

The strategy would then be past rivalries more than the Yankee Conference of the past. It would have to be either URI or UMass, then maybe Yale, Holy Cross, BC and only one between Maine, Vermont or New Hampshire.

 

[McLovin]

It's pretty much all downside for UConn.

You can see this downside this season for Villanova. If the Big 5 didn't exist, they'd be like an 8 seed in the tournament projections right now. The upside is... bragging rights we already claim by default?

We're never going on the road to any of these teams. You don't get money and If you lose (and you can pretty much lose to anyone on the road, check the Big12 and Pac12 vs. the SWAC last season), your resume takes a huge hit. If you win, you get nothing.

Yeah, obviously it’s something Hurley would probably hate (he schedules the 350+ cupcakes over better, local schools for a reason).

Purely from a fan’s perspective though, I’d rather see UConn play a few more historical local rival over teams from from the Mississippi delta or back woods of Arkansas.

 

[superjohn]

Yeah, obviously it’s something Hurley would probably hate (he schedules the 350+ cupcakes over better, local schools for a reason).

Purely from a fan’s perspective though, I’d rather see UConn play a few more historical local rival over teams from from the Mississippi delta or back woods of Arkansas.

I'm with Auror, there's no benefit for UConn and there's potential for a terrible loss.

Hurley likes supporting the Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

 

[ThabeetDown]

They should do this but with regular season champ from the previous year of the top 6 conferences. Like a mini champions league. Would be fun.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I have found memories of the old Yankee conference and the New England HS tournament held in the Boston Garden
but I have no interest in this tournament
It reminds a bit of the old Cup Cake classic holiday tournament we had back in the day .

 

[gsmooth]

They should do this but with regular season champ from the previous year of the top 6 conferences. Like a mini champions league. Would be fun.

That would be an interesting tournament. It's like Community Shield where the FA Cup winner plays the Premier League champion.

 

[AJR2626]

Nothing would get me more excited then playing trash teams from our conference in 1947. Mclovin don’t tempt me with a good time.

 

[Travelman6]

It's pretty much all downside for UConn.

Doesn't have to be if those games replaced the random sub 300 cupcakes.

 

[CTBasketball]

A nice idea but we’d be sacrificing crucial home 300+ KenPom blowout wins.

 

[Blue Blood]

I would love this but it would mean sacrificing two home games for an extra road and neutral site it will not happen

 

[Kitaman]

I would like to see UMass or one of the non-Harvard Boston teams on our annual schedule. Sure I'm nostalgic, but playing in Mass helps everyone recruiting Northeast players (improving NE bball talent), plus you will get a sellout.

Over history the greatest Kings always gave peasants and 'pee-ons' some positive attention, acknowledging that they are not invisible.

Perhaps use the HOF for a mini NE Basketball Tourney.

 

[my2cents]

As long as BC is not part of this. What happened to Fairfield, Central CT and Quinnipiac ? Rather see them than Arkansas Valley St or whomever.

 

[huskeynut]

Interesting concept but not for UConn.

Simple reason - the teams you mention cannot compete at UConn's level.

 

[Ha Who]

I was thinking about an idea for this the other day, as I really like the new format of Phillys “Big 5” title since they moved to 6 teams.

They split up the 6 schools into 2 pods and then play a triple header based on the records in the 2 pod games for first / third / fifth place.

The Yankee Cup would feature all 6 flagship state schools (UConn, UMass, URI, UNH, UVM and Maine) and follow the same pod format the Big 5 Classic uses with the championship taking place at TD Garden in early / mid December.

My idea for this would not be to replace the annual MTEs or other high profile OOC games UConn plays in, but rather replace 3 of the “cupcake” games we play every year (Stonehill, Manhattan, Arkansas Pine Bluff, etc.) but with a fun format that goes back to the historical roots of New England college basketball and old Yankee Conference founding members.

Just a little outside the box thought exercise on how to improve the non-con games we all hate… curious what others think.

Let’s just downgrade everything and reboot the Yankee Conference. Maybe Freescooter can call it the Newbie Yankee

 

[Palatine]

UHa, Trinity, Eastern and Central. maybe add St Joe's in a couple of years. Nice little tourney. The Capital Cup.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Just schedule those teams as buy games as opposed to Cow Dick State and the awful HBCUs.

 

[Drame]

I like it. I hate playing the trash teams we played this year. Its not interesting, the program spends money. So what if we lose one game every few years. Im not afraid of playing these games, not while we have Hurley and not KO.

 

[Waquoit]

No to UMass or BCU. Too bad UHar isn't still D-1 so we can snub them, too.

 

[OceanDoggie]

Only way for this to work:
Uconn
Providence
Chestnut Hill
U. Vermont
URI
Three of the following: (UMass, Yale, Harvard, Fairfield, Quinnipiac, Holly Cross, North Eastern, Central Conn?)

 

[navery12]

 

[MexicoHusky]

I was thinking about an idea for this the other day, as I really like the new format of Phillys “Big 5” title since they moved to 6 teams.

They split up the 6 schools into 2 pods and then play a triple header based on the records in the 2 pod games for first / third / fifth place.

The Yankee Cup would feature all 6 flagship state schools (UConn, UMass, URI, UNH, UVM and Maine) and follow the same pod format the Big 5 Classic uses with the championship taking place at TD Garden in early / mid December.

My idea for this would not be to replace the annual MTEs or other high profile OOC games UConn plays in, but rather replace 3 of the “cupcake” games we play every year (Stonehill, Manhattan, Arkansas Pine Bluff, etc.) but with a fun format that goes back to the historical roots of New England college basketball and old Yankee Conference founding members.

Just a little outside the box thought exercise on how to improve the non-con games we all hate… curious what others think.

Like the idea in place of cupcakes. And I dont agree with others who think it can hurt us... obviously if we lose it hurts, but I dont see how beating a bad UMASS/Maine/etc.. is any worse for our metrics than beating cupcakes from Mississippi... or wherever. I mean... whatever we did this year with our early season weaker opponents should be avoided at all costs in the future. We pass all eye tests and many of the metric tests. By all rights we should be above Houston... but somehow we are not.