Big East Tournament Bracket

[HeGotGame]

 

[Pudge]

the "NEW" Big East

He's dreaming. Villanova was never a dominant group buying tickets.

In the old days - the Thursday afternoon games were amazing. It was like the biggest baddest Bachelor party you have seen. About 6 women in an arena of 18,000. The Wall Street and other NYC guys cut out of work at 11 to sit all afternoon for 4+ hours of games. The Street guys were from multiple schools; but large contingents from Georgetown, SJU, Pitt were noticeable. WE - my client group of about 20 would ride Amtrak south with a train load of Orange wearing yokels. Who controlled the strips of tickets? =WE got our 20 from a stockbroker who had Providence College priest connections.

Today? This new league has tilted on the magnetic pull: MORE Midwest hoop fire. Passionate crowds in our regular season games at Marquette; at Creighton; at Xavier ... tells me we have a whole different mix. They are tourists coming and staying at hotels; probably trying the steak houses we have known for decades. Not the young professionals still in suit & tie; but, neither are we any longer. Friday night will be cool. But, the good thing about Friday is you start working the crowd Thursday from the losers to gain tickets and bring more. I have no doubt about a UCONN presence coming via Metro North or otherwise. I would be surprised if Villanova is comparable. Providence? It is their year to scream. So yeah - they will be a force.

 

[Pudge]

I wish it was before my time.

I would have guessed that Storrs was closer to MSG, but I just checked and Nova is a bit closer. Interesting that if the 4 probable schools in the Thursday session, UConn is furthest from the Garden.

MSG is a great home for the conference.

Metro North from Fairfield County or Amtrak from New Haven. WTH ... are you thinking. This is the basic commute for tons of UCONN fans and family. Not so from Philly which is a pain in the Ass hop on poor Jersey Transit trains with ooodles of odd stops. Or parking on 11th Avenue.

 

[UConnDad]

Metro North from Fairfield County or Amtrak from New Haven. WTH ... are you thinking. This is the basic commute for tons of UCONN fans and family. Not so from Philly which is a pain in the Ass hop on poor Jersey Transit trains with ooodles of odd stops. Or parking on 11th Avenue.

Amtrak goes from Philly to Penn station.

 

[Kolumbo]

Yes, but Storrs is far from the population centers of the state. The biggest county in the state is inside the NYC Metro area and gets NY TV stations.

I think the advantage also comes from size. UConn is the largest school of those four (Seton Hall is tiny), and the only public. So, like most flagship State Universities, it has fans that never attended. Schools like St. Johns and Seton Hall simply don't. Villanova probably has some due to recent success, but has a lot of competition even in Philly.

Most importantly, UCONN is the CT Flagship. The entire state roots for UCONN and the state border itself is about 15 miles from the NYC border, as the crow flies.

 

[CL82]

Is this Lyman I'm Not The Rabbi I'm DePriest at the 1:12 mark? #23 throwing it down!

Hop on some of our conference colleagues fan forums and they are talking about the advantage we will have in fans. Connecticut fans in MSG is a thing of beauty, especially this time of year.

 

[Kolumbo]

Hop on some of our conference colleagues fan forums and they are talking about the advantage we will have in fans. Connecticut fans in MSG is a thing of beauty, especially this time of year.

This has been discussed and I believe Jarvis moved the St. John's - UCONN games from weekends to weekdays because MSG became a virtual home game for UCONN on weekends. I don't know if it had the intended effect or not. MSG gets loud!!!

 

[CL82]

I would have guessed that Storrs was closer to MSG, but I just checked and Nova is a bit closer.

And if all Connecticut fans lived in Storrs, that might be a valid point. Fully 1/3 of the Connecticut population, about 1 million people, live within the New York City DMA. UConn has a big population of fans in New Jersey as well. Plus, if you read the board, quite a few people are flying in and staying in the city for the tournaments. Connecticut basketball fans travel well, and our history at the Big East tournament speaks for itself.

 

[Pudge]

Amtrak goes from Philly to Penn station.

I have taken that train. It's 5 times the cost of my ticket from Stamford to Grand Central. And yet ... I don't think the snooty Villanova guys are train riders

 

[Tenspro2002]

And if all Connecticut fans lived in Storrs, that might be a valid point. Fully 1/3 of the Connecticut population, about 1 million people, live within the New York City DMA. UConn has a big population of fans in New Jersey as well. Plus, if you read the board, quite a few people are flying in and staying in the city for the tournaments. Connecticut basketball fans travel well, and our history at the Big East tournament speaks for itself.

The "center of mass" of UConn fandom is near Hartford, not Storrs, and maybe even a little closer to NYC than that.

 

[The Yakk]

Zissou is far from a troll.
He's been at this longer than you
Its always good to hear from someone representing a competitor team
No harm no foul

Nah, he followed up his first comment by arguing that Philly is closer to MSG than Storrs. That is subtle and elite trolling.

I do enjoy his comments though, and hope he sticks around.

 

[CL82]

Zissou is far from a troll.
He's been at this longer than you
Its always good to hear from someone representing a competitor team
No harm no foul

Nah, he followed up his first comment by arguing that Philly is closer to MSG than Storrs. That is subtle and elite trolling.

I do enjoy his comments though, and hope he sticks around.

Oh @Zissou is completely a troll. He’s just a good one. Overall I think he’s a net plus to the site. You just need to recognize that about 90% of what he says it’s a little tongue-in-cheek.

 

[auror]

View attachment 74091

These odds are terrible, Should find a better place.

A couple minutes ago I got Providence +500 and Xavier +2000.

 

[Kolumbo]

Oh @Zissou is completely a troll. He’s just a good one. Overall I think he’s a net plus to the site. You just need to recognize that about 90% of what he says it’s a little tongue-in-cheek.

Zissou is fine. He makes a lot of solid points worthy of debate about UCONN and the Big East and throws some jabs along the way, nothing wrong with that. Definitely a plus to the site. trolls have no place here.

 

[UConnDad]

I have taken that train. It's 5 times the cost of my ticket from Stamford to Grand Central. And yet ... I don't think the snooty Villanova guys are train riders

Metro North price is fixed.(currently off peak all the time). Amtrak prices similar to airlines (book far in advance or during specials for the lowest fares). I paid $38 round trip from Bridgeport to DC this year. This train stops at New York and Philly.

 

[HeGotGame]

These odds are terrible, Should find a better place.

A couple minutes ago I got Providence +500 and Xavier +2000.

When you live in a state without legalized gambling you are at the mercy of the bookie. Although since I posted there has been movement, we are down to +250 and PC is up to +500.

 

[HooperScooper]

As the 3 seed the Huskies are getting a lot of love from the CBSports.com crew.

March Madness 2022: College basketball conference tournament predictions, picks, odds

Conference tournaments get underway this week for the top leagues and our experts pick who will be cutting down the nets

www.cbssports.com

I was watching the Iowa-Illinois game last night on FS1 and Casey Jacobson spent a minute or two on the Big East Tournament and talked mostly about UConn. I don't think he actually made a prediction though.

We are so dooooomed!

 

[Pudge]

Metro North price is fixed.(currently off peak all the time). Amtrak prices similar to airlines (book far in advance or during specials for the lowest fares). I paid $38 round trip from Bridgeport to DC this year. This train stops at New York and Philly.

$99 roundtrip Phila to Penn Station Thursday; which is what I remember paying often a year ago. $178 Acela RT

 

[PChoops]

I agree that UConn in the past has taken over MSG, but doesn't this UConn team and coaching staff have to earn that. This current group of players and coaches haven't experienced the BET and what it brings(cancel last yr, no fans) I get the MSG is UConn second home, but you guys were in the AAC and it's been a while(fan wise). Right now I hate to say it but Nova owns MSG. PC has gotten to a couple title games and won it the first yr vs Creighton......but as its all Nova.

 

[BGesus4]

As the 3 seed the Huskies are getting a lot of love from the CBSports.com crew.

March Madness 2022: College basketball conference tournament predictions, picks, odds

Conference tournaments get underway this week for the top leagues and our experts pick who will be cutting down the nets

www.cbssports.com

I was watching the Iowa-Illinois game last night on FS1 and Casey Jacobson spent a minute or two on the Big East Tournament and talked mostly about UConn. I don't think he actually made a prediction though.

We are so dooooomed!

Norlander picked us over Marquette in the final on their podcast today

 

[ecasadoSBU]

All I know is that St. John's had very low attendance at MSG against UConn. I was there. For all the hype of UConn being the 6th boro here at the boneyard, that was a terrible showing for what was supposed to be UConn's return to MSG as a Big East member. It was like 75/25 proportion with 6,500 there overall. not impressive at all

So lets cut the crap and show up to games this week in droves. I'll be there with my all-session pass supporting UConn. But all this arrogance from UConn fans with nothing to show for YET is really tiring.

 

[CL82]

I agree that UConn in the past has taken over MSG, but doesn't this UConn team and coaching staff have to earn that. This current group of players and coaches haven't experienced the BET and what it brings(cancel last yr, no fans) I get the MSG is UConn second home, but you guys were in the AAC and it's been a while(fan wise). Right now I hate to say it but Nova owns MSG. PC has gotten to a couple title games and won it the first yr vs Creighton......but as its all Nova.

Lol, okay.

 

[SubbaBub]

the "NEW" Big East

He's dreaming. Villanova was never a dominant group buying tickets.

In the old days - the Thursday afternoon games were amazing. It was like the biggest baddest Bachelor party you have seen. About 6 women in an arena of 18,000. The Wall Street and other NYC guys cut out of work at 11 to sit all afternoon for 4+ hours of games. The Street guys were from multiple schools; but large contingents from Georgetown, SJU, Pitt were noticeable. WE - my client group of about 20 would ride Amtrak south with a train load of Orange wearing yokels. Who controlled the strips of tickets? =WE got our 20 from a stockbroker who had Providence College priest connections.

Today? This new league has tilted on the magnetic pull: MORE Midwest hoop fire. Passionate crowds in our regular season games at Marquette; at Creighton; at Xavier ... tells me we have a whole different mix. They are tourists coming and staying at hotels; probably trying the steak houses we have known for decades. Not the young professionals still in suit & tie; but, neither are we any longer. Friday night will be cool. But, the good thing about Friday is you start working the crowd Thursday from the losers to gain tickets and bring more. I have no doubt about a UCONN presence coming via Metro North or otherwise. I would be surprised if Villanova is comparable. Providence? It is their year to scream. So yeah - they will be a force.

It's 2022, they have two championships since we left. This won't be a Michigan State situation, Nova, STJ, will have a presence, a few others might as well. The semis/finals might be a different story.

 

[HeGotGame]

I agree that UConn in the past has taken over MSG, but doesn't this UConn team and coaching staff have to earn that. This current group of players and coaches haven't experienced the BET and what it brings(cancel last yr, no fans) I get the MSG is UConn second home, but you guys were in the AAC and it's been a while(fan wise). Right now I hate to say it but Nova owns MSG. PC has gotten to a couple title games and won it the first yr vs Creighton......but as its all Nova.

Yea because we weren't there. Glad Nova fans could keep our seats warm for us.