Nova is UConn’s biggest rival

[ninety-nine]

Hard to see how Nova doesn’t easily become our biggest rival after a few more years of BE basketball.

Have to think though that it won’t get too bitter due to 1) (as everyone has said) it’s tough to not have a lot of respect for Wright and how he runs the program and 2) Nova is the only other national brand in the conference. It is pretty undeniably better for both programs if the other can maintain a top level program, for the credibility of the league. A lot of us are itching for Georgetown to regain it’s status but that seems a very long way from happening. The rest of the conference has some solid programs but nothing close to an absolute top level program this century.

Agreed. As long as nothing happens that's outside the bounds of good sportsmanship between these two programs, you have to think UConn and Villanova are the favorites for setting the Big East basketball rivalry standard over the next few years, and in a way that won't be cynical or frustrated. Both programs have won multiple NCs in the recent past and are considered basketball blue bloods at this point, so the fanbases are playing with house money as they enjoy their programs' legacies. It benefits both, and the Big East overall, if they can achieve competitive parity on the court and stay near the top of the league year in and year out.

There may be other in-conference rivals specific to each school (say, Seton Hall for VU and Providence for UConn) that have a little different feel and intensity because of other dynamics like extreme geographic closeness and one program having outshone the other on the national stage, but a top-shelf UConn-Villanova rivalry seems like a very strong bet, and a good thing for all of us fans. (Plus, their women's program ended our women's program's incredible conference winning streak, so you can add that to the bonfire as well.)

 

[elmcityboy]

i saw this -- cool picture and stat, but does anyone else find it funny that the picture they used is of a miss? polley's only makes the other night were from 3.

 

[Rocktheworld]

@freescooter come on down

 

[uconnblueinky]

Got the powerball numbers for tomorrow?! Good call my man, you deserve more than a like for that premonition.

I was looking for this post for 3 hours after the game !! Called a classic !! Well done

They will be after tonight. I think this game will be a classic