Big East Titles or a Final Four

[jibsey]

Hurley and the team want the BE season and tourney title, they talk about it all the time but they are stopping points to the real prize , the tourney, the Final Four. St. John’s won both last season. You think they wouldn’t trade it for what we did?

 

[Trudy Gay]

St. John’s fans will tell you big east titles are more important than an NBA title at this point.

 

[MrDownunder]

Not even a legit question. The Final Four extends the season for three more weeks.

 

[jibsey]

Yeah, we all remember Marquette’s 2023 great season because they won the BE tourney.

 

[XLCenterFan]

Let these loser SJU fans sing and dance about back-to-back BE Tourneys. For us, it’s a trial run.

 

[LStudfellow]

St. John’s fans will tell you big east titles are more important than an NBA title at this point.

Yeah... and that is because they just made their first - FIRST - Sweet 16 since 1999. They haven't got anything else! 🤣

They would give up all of their Big East championships for just 1 National Championship, in a heartbeat. We have 6. 6! (Ask Pitino, and he would take about a tenth of a second to answer that question for you).

Any of them saying otherwise are completely lying... or totally delusional.

No one is having a discussion of whether or not St. John's is a Blue Blood. But they damn sure are having it all the time about us. Because we are one, and they ain't.

Case closed.

 

[Palatine]

Eastern division pennant or World Series?

Norris division championship or Stanley Cup finals?

DUH!

 

[Deepster]

I love being part of the Big East and the BE Tourney is the best.

That said....the non-conference sched, conference sched and BET are prep for the real pot of gold.

 

[Tenspro2002]

(new bball fan here, looking to learn about basketball post-season strategy; plz be kind)

it seems we don't win the big east very often, but we have made it to final fours more than conference crowns since our return.
I assume getting to final four is harder, which makes it strange to me that we haven't won the conference more.

Main Q:

• Would you trade one final four appearance (not a championship, just an appearance, with a loss in the semis or final) for 2-3 big east crowns?

other q's:

• is a conference title pretty worthless in today's college basketball?
• alternatively, has the program elected to just de-prioritize the conference tournament, saving all our chips for march madness? (ie. Dan Hurley treats it as a side-mission/nice-to-have, but does not put his best effort into it, nor does he risk his players beyond a certain level, for a victory)

Dan Hurley definitely cares about conference titles -- regular season and tournament -- but has seemingly constructed our roster and style of play to compete better nationally while allowing others to get the upper hand in the Big East.

I think the tradeoff is worthwhile.

 

[uconn_jack]

With all the realignments and Frankensteinization of conferences, I really don't care much about conference titles. They don't feel like they mean anything anymore.

 

[RuffRuff]

Dan Hurley definitely cares about conference titles -- regular season and tournament -- but has seemingly constructed our roster and style of play to compete better nationally while allowing others to get the upper hand in the Big East.

I think the tradeoff is worthwhile.

Which means he really doesn't care about BE Titles. I don't think coaches of other top teams see it as that important, and resting being more important.

I got roasted when I said BE titles meant jack here. They really don't. Let Rick bask in them. The glory last about as long as them getting beat in the round of 32, then no one cares.

 

[CL82]

it seems we don't win the big east very often

I guess. We are tied for most regular season championships, and most big east tournament championships. That despite not playing in the big east for seven years from 2013 to 2020.

Main event to answer your question I think prefer final fours, but I wouldn't mind winning one more regular season championship and one more Big East tournament championship so we are the undisputed leader in both.

 

[Inyatkin]

Easy to say now because of the run we're on, but some Big East tournament titles have been among my top memories. 96, of course, but also 98 was really fun seeing Rashamel Jones be the hero. 99 was a great team playing its best. 2011 was something we'll all remember. I definitely did not like losing to Creighton and Marquette over the years.

 

[HooperScooper]

Dan Hurley definitely cares about conference titles -- regular season and tournament -- but has seemingly constructed our roster and style of play to compete better nationally while allowing others to get the upper hand in the Big East.

I think the tradeoff is worthwhile.

I think the major reason Hurley puts emphasis on the Big East regular season and tournament is that it's a means to the goal of the NCAA Tournament. In other words if you have a really good BE season that means you're on the right track to being a really good team and will get a good seed in the NCAA Tournament. You have to control what is in front of you first before thinking about the NCAA Tournament.

 

[Excalibur]

The success of top programs is measured by Final Fours.

 

[Donyell 360]

Dan Hurley treats it as a side-mission/nice-to-have, but does not put his best effort into it, nor does he risk his players beyond a certain level, for a victory

Dan puts his best effort into everything he does. He was criticized by some for putting Demary back in the game after injuring himself. I don't think Danny thinks about saving his players for the more important NCAAT. That does not mean the NCAAT is not more important, just that Danny refuses to compromise. He genuinely believes he can have it all.

 

[willie99]

Final Four, it receives national attention, it's in a league of it's own

And we have plenty of conference banners too

WE ARE UCONN, and nobody else is

 

[Kolumbo]

Big East titles are nice but breeding says not on my watch. So we'll settle for runs for the rings.

 

[jibsey]

Dan puts his best effort into everything he does. He was criticized by some for putting Demary back in the game after injuring himself. I don't think Danny thinks about saving his players for the more important NCAAT. That does not mean the NCAAT is not more important, just that Danny refuses to compromise. He genuinely believes he can have it all.

We don’t and probably will never know the exact extent of Silas’ injury or any threat to his future that existed. Unless he tells us and he’s not the type to make excuses,

 

[Dooch]

Final Four. Period. Unless you're a St. John's fan....

 

[Matrim55]

I would strongly consider a Big East regular-season + tournament title, along with a run to the Sweet 16, in trade for a Final Four appearance.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

Certain Big East tournament titles are memorable and valued - 5 wins in 5 days in 2011 with Kemba, 1996 Ray over Iverson, and so on.

But success in the Big Dance is a whole other animal. Sweet 16 is a baseline good tournament, probably equal to a BET title. Playing in the Elite 8 with a chance at the final four is well above a BET title. Final Four? No contest.

 

[ninety-nine]

Certain Big East tournament titles are memorable and valued - 5 wins in 5 days in 2011 with Kemba, 1996 Ray over Iverson, and so on.

But success in the Big Dance is a whole other animal. Sweet 16 is a baseline good tournament, probably equal to a BET title. Playing in the Elite 8 with a chance at the final four is well above a BET title. Final Four? No contest.

Can you imagine trading away UConn's wins over MSU and then Duke in the regionals (plus Illinois in the Final Four) for a sweep of St. John's last season, which would have given us the Big East regular season and tournament titles, rather than leaving us as the runner-up? And then St. John's makes it to the NCAA title game instead of UConn? Yikes. No way. Those banners would actually seem bittersweet next season, like a consolation prize.

 

[jibsey]

I do not value the BE tourney championship as much as many do here. By the time you get thru the rugby wars of the BE the focus now has to be keeping everyone healthy for what really matters. Remind me again how Silas got hurt? Ejifor crashed him to the floor on what should have been a charge. Silas got the blocking foul plus the injury.

 

[JB75]

Yes to the first question. I don’t care about the Final Four if you don’t win the title. Hurley said it best. They don’t hang banners for Final Fours. Cuse has been to 6 and I’d be making fun of them (more than I already do) if they had never cut down the nets. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice. But I like trophies and rings

Cmon. Final 4 is a huge accomplishment. Stop

 

[bigdog1002]

Cmon. Final 4 is a huge accomplishment. Stop

I never said it wasn’t an accomplishment. I’d still rather win a CHAMPIONSHIP. I have no idea who’s in the Final Four from year to year. I can tell you who cut down the nets tho. That’s all I care about. Now if you ask if I’d trade a conference title for a chance to PLAY in the Final Four (not knowing the outcome) then sure. All day. But I wouldn’t trade a championship for just a trip knowing that I won’t win the title.

 

[UC0NN]

You do realize how big the elite 8 game is right? You cut down the nets, it was total jubilation in DC. Confetti flying while we are the champions is played. Go watch Brad Underwood press conference when he made the final 4 for the first time. It means everything. Go watch Hasheem Thabeet making the final 4, and his reaction.

Don't get me wrong, Big East tournament championships are hugely important. And you absolutely want to win that one too. Because like SJ in 2025 you never know how far you will make it in the NCAA. At least they had their moment.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Conference championships are for the Providences and SJUs of the world.

For us, it’s about being one of the last teams playing, having already vanquished 4+ foes consecutively, on the national stage, while everyone else watches. For us, the important part of the season doesn't even really start until after conference championships.

Ask a Chiefs fan a similar question regarding Super Bowl appearances and Divisional Championships. I personally would be fine with never winning a conference championship if it guaranteed a final four run every third year.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

At the time winning the Big East seems huge , but awhile back I was looking up some info on the 1996 team . I had forgotten that team won the Big East regular season and tournament.
The main thing you remember is the loss to Miss State .
So nothing compares to the what you do in March Madness . Especially the runs or the huge disappointments.
That’s sad in a way

 

[Jetskies]

You do realize how big the elite 8 game is right? You cut down the nets, it was total jubilation in DC. Confetti flying while we are the champions is played. Go watch Brad Underwood press conference when he made the final 4 for the first time. It means everything. Go watch Hasheem Thabeet making the final 4, and his reaction.

Don't get me wrong, Big East tournament championships are hugely important. And you absolutely want to win that one too. Because like SJ in 2025 you never know how far you will make it in the NCAA. At least they had their moment.

pardon my ignorance, as I've never watched postgame on any elite eight game, and due to my newness idk what trophies exists - is the elite eight a formally recognized "championship"?