Kevin Willard not happy about our return to Big East

[Dean Wormer]

I said from the beginning that Seton Hall will become UConn's hated rival.

Nova

 

[navery12]

I'm excited for a nice mix of old/new rivalries with Nova/Seton Hall/Georgetown/Marquette/St. John's/DePaul and Creighton/Xavier/Butler

 

[Rocktheworld]

I'm excited for a nice mix of old/new rivalries with Nova/Seton Hall/Georgetown/Marquette/St. John's/DePaul and Creighton/Xavier/Butler

I love the omission

 

[UConnJim]

Until the early 1950s, the NIT was considered the most prestigious or equivalent college basketball tournament to the NCAA tournament. By the mid 1950s, the NCAA was more prestigious than the NIT and eventually the NIT became a second tier tournament.

Generally, the top Northeastern teams would choose the NIT over the NCAA tournament, although some played in both until the NCAA prohibited it. In 1953, Seton Hall won the NIT and Indiana won the NCAA. In the final AP poll, Indiana was ranked 1 and Seton Hall was ranked 2.

So, NC State competed in 2 NITs when they were prestigious (before 1960) and Seton Hall competed in 7 and won one.

As for cherry picking the stats, NC State has not won an ACC Conference Tournament since 1987 or 33 years ago! Honestly, I really don't see any real difference between NC State and Seton Hall. Since 1987, the last year NC State won the ACC Tournament, here are the stats for NC State and Seton Hall:

Record:

NC State: 627-474 0.569 winning %

Seton Hall: 616-456 0.574 winning %

Post season:

NC State - 14 NCAA Tournaments, record of 13-14. Sweet 16s = 4, Final 4s = 0.

Seton Hall - 13 NCAA Tournaments, record of 16-13. Sweet 16s = 4, Final 4s = 1.

As for NIT bids. since 1987, NC State has had 7 bids and Seton Hall has had 8 bids.

Conference Championships:

NC State: Regular season = 1, Tournament = 1

Seton Hall: Regular season = 3, Tournament = 3.

AP All-Americans:

NC State: 2 second team, 1 third team

Seton Hall: 1 first team, 1 second team

 

[Ts5034]

Now this is one of the things we’ve been missing! Some good ol’ trash talk that gets us fans hyped for the upcoming season!! Let’s go Huskies!!

This is exactly how I feel about the situation. One of the main things that we sorely missed while in the AAC was a regional rivalry. As much as we like to pile on them, and laugh at them for their lack of NCAA Tournament success, I want Seton Hall, Providence, and St John's to be good.

 

[gwhuskyfan]

In case anyone wants video/sound on the Willard comments

 

[TheChamps990411]

Have to agree with him. Seton Hall was just getting going and now we're probably going to put a stop to all that -- Exhibit A, Sanogo. If I were him, I would've voted against us too. Will make for a nice rivalry if they can keep their success going tho.

"It sucks for us to be honest with you"
"No one in this league listens to me"
"its not like im used to getting my way anyway"
Way to instill confidence. This guy has a loser mentality. He`ll never make that school an elite program. Could you imagine DH talking like this? This forum would have an absolute meltdown.
Way to show confidence and leadership. Seton Hall wont get going as a program and itll have nothing to do with Uconn coming to the big east and everything to do with their weak willed cowardly coach.

 

[Hallfan]

I think he was mostly joking - he didn’t have a vote.

Of course he was joking. Only Presidents had a vote. Seton Hall was 100% supportive.

 

[Hallfan]

I actually laughed about the post, didn't take it seriously! thought it was meant as a JOKE.

Correct

 

[87Xfer]

Until the early 1950s...

Ahuh.

 

[District-Husky]

In case anyone wants video/sound on the Willard comments

That was pretty funny.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Look, Seton Hall was a huge UConn rival back in the mid 80s. In Soccer. They had these Irish guys who were awesome. And they loved playing in Storrs because of the North Goal Gang, which made them feel right at home. I recall their last game, they came over and it was a mutual admiration event for sure.

In basketball? Aside from a couple or good seasons, Seton Hall isn’t a factor. I suspect that what Willard really hates most is UConn, in the Big East, with a NJ royalty Hurley at the helm. That can’t be good for their recruiting.

 

[seeya27]

Willard is a good guy and good coach. But after watching that clip, it is obvious he wasn't joking. It's hardly the strategy I would be taking though.

 

[Dean Wormer]

Look, Seton Hall was a huge UConn rival back in the mid 80s. In Soccer. They had these Irish guys who were awesome. And they loved playing in Storrs because of the North Goal Gang, which made them feel right at home. I recall their last game, they came over and it was a mutual admiration event for sure.

In basketball? Aside from a couple or good seasons, Seton Hall isn’t a factor. I suspect that what Willard really hates most is UConn, in the Big East, with a NJ royalty Hurley at the helm. That can’t be good for their recruiting.

And let’s not forget that Coach H is a Seton Hall alum. That probably gets his goat too.

 

[CL82]

Willard is a good guy and good coach. But after watching that clip, it is obvious he wasn't joking. It's hardly the strategy I would be taking though.

I thought just the opposite.

 

[Bobol]

Is anyone disappointed that UConn bolted from the AAC ?

I don’t think so.

 

[CL82]

Is anyone disappointed that UConn bolted from the AAC ?

This guy probably is...

... but he’s definitely “not mad.”

 

[jibsey]

From a winning, competing, attention, recruiting standpoint? Making the league profile better should benefit all, right?

 

[Waquoit]

Is anyone disappointed that UConn bolted from the AAC ?
I don’t think so.

I was gonna say, I thought you were. Until I reread your name and it didn't say Butch.

 

[87Xfer]

I thought just the opposite.

Same here. "I voted against it"...not serious.

 

[freescooter]

"Legacy League." Interesting term. Saying they benefited from the label, Big East, without having the mojo of the teams in the old Big East.

So by analogy, it is like you are the great, great, great (ad infinitum) grandson of President Woodrow Wilson who graduated from Princeton. Your academics would barely get you into Community College, but based on "legacy," you get admitted to Princeton.

Precisely. You might have to do better than Community College but a NBE school with a losing record won’t get a bid either. As the dean of admissions at one Ivy school told us, if there is a building named after one of your ancestors, you’re in. The dean of admissions at another pretty competitive though not Ivy school told us the exact same thing.

 

[navery12]

 

[Travelman6]

Boohoo, cry my a river man.

 

[Chief00]

I thought just the opposite.

He doesn’t exactly like Chief. Not a very pleasant guy.