So, go UNC?

[ElmCity40th]

Kansas for me… Titles are so far apart for one and they choke on the regular. I live in NC so I’m hating on any ACC team off the rip. Nova good for the league but I want the spot back.

 

[Huskymagic]

This is a simple one. Root for North Carolina. It doesn't hurt UCONN at all to see Carolina win it all.
Second, in the pecking order would be Kansas. All-time people/media will always view Kansas better than us as a program. It doesn't hurt us much if they win.

I could care less about North Carolina having fake classes and Kansas paying players. Every university pretty much has BS classes for student athletes. As for Kansas, with NIL, the corrupt NCAA already has notarized pay to play. It's not like Kansas and Bill Self would have had a tough time getting top recruits. All the media publicity, hype, and promotion they get, makes its easy to get recruits. They were pay to play before the NCAA notarized it and made it official. It's the same nonsense that got Kelvin Sampson in trouble at Indiana for over-texting recruits, which later was OK'd and approved by the NCAA.

I would not want to see Duke or Nova win it all. Villanova would tie us, and Wright would tie Jim Calhoun. No real UCONN fans wants to see that.

PS: We need UCONN to be back at the top level immediately.

 

[tentoes4rings]

I don’t see how anybody but Nova is the choice here:

 

[Chin Diesel]

I'm I'm a pool for the Tourney. No brackets, we just drew teams.

Only team I have left is Kansas. Without UConn in the Tourney my allegiances are zero.

I don't want dook to win. I don't see Nova winning without Moore. I'm totally meh about UNC.

 

[uconn_jack]

Covid outbreak all teams, rest of tournament cancelled.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Nova. Easy choice. Good for the conference = good for us.

 

[methodology]

cheering for nova is like a yankee fan cheering for the Red Sox to win a World Series or vice versa

The only thing UConn gains is money and what’s the share anyway they would get… it’s probably minimal in the total picture and then it also gives Nova a huge advantage recruiting wise when going head to head

UNC or Kansas does not adversely affect the UConn basketball program going forward. Nova winning could prevent a couple recruits from choosing UConn and going to nova instead

 

[Dogdeacon]

Coach K's 'look at ME' plan for this season was to make the final four and to possibly cement his legacy as the greatest college coach in history (or at least get firmly planted in the conversation) by going out on top just like John Wooden did. The three other programs/teams in the FF have to know they are fighting against this legacy moment that would give Dook recognition and publicity for the foreseeable future. Anybody but Dook is the clear mandate.

 

[Kolumbo]

Guess I gotta go with Nova. It's good for our conference, period. Nova is also the most respectable program out of the lot. Check that. The only respectable program. I hope K gets embarrassed whether it's the semi's or the finals. That said, my prediction is kansas over unc in the finals.

 

[Hurleyman216]

cheering for nova is like a yankee fan cheering for the Red Sox to win a World Series or vice versa

The only thing UConn gains is money and what’s the share anyway they would get… it’s probably minimal in the total picture and then it also gives Nova a huge advantage recruiting wise when going head to head

UNC or Kansas does not adversely affect the UConn basketball program going forward. Nova winning could prevent a couple recruits from choosing UConn and going to nova instead

This would be true if all teams were paying players and had equal opportunity to bring in stars. This isn't professional sports. I hate Nova as much as anyone, but what's good for us is them winning again. It'll mean more conference $$, a better TV deal with more $$, etc. At this point in time UConn needs to bring in every dollar it can because if we continue to operate in the red our programs could go down the drain quickly. The Big East was one of the best basketball conferences this year, and bringing home a national championship would further cement that and help bring in more top recruits to the league.

 

[navery12]

The only thing UConn gains is money and what’s the share anyway they would get… it’s probably minimal in the total picture and then it also gives Nova a huge advantage recruiting wise when going head to head

Last year a win was worth $337K per year for the conference. But you don't get a unit for the championship game so all that matters is winning their Final Four matchup

 

[methodology]

Last year a win was worth $337K per year for the conference. But you don't get a unit for the championship game so all that matters is winning their Final Four matchup

Exactly my point. And 337k is a drop in the bucket. People are acting like they are getting millions

 

[UConnDad]

Let’s go Nova. And if they can do it with the huge loss of Moore all the better.

 

[Dogdeacon]

cheering for nova is like a yankee fan cheering for the Red Sox to win a World Series or vice versa

The only thing UConn gains is money and what’s the share anyway they would get… it’s probably minimal in the total picture and then it also gives Nova a huge advantage recruiting wise when going head to head

UNC or Kansas does not adversely affect the UConn basketball program going forward. Nova winning could prevent a couple recruits from choosing UConn and going to nova instead

The UConn-Nova rivalry just isn't anywhere near the Yanks-Red Sox even by today's watered down standards.
Have we ever had consensus on who UConn's biggest rival is?
It likely is consensus to think/plan/hope its Villanova going forward, but I don't think that's true at this point. UConn first has to contend for multiple regular season BE titles with them and regularly play in the BE tournament (so this year's semis definitely a start).
Likewise, pretty certain Villanova would not currently cite UConn as their biggest rival.

I remember posting something on the 'yard in Jay Wright's early years at Nova about a game in Gampel where he took the air out of the ball & created a rock fight. Half the boneyard railed that I dare criticize the golden boy. Wright remains universally respected if not liked. Boeheim is a villain (Syracuse may have been our biggest rival (but they always thought of Georgetown as theirs, obv now out of sight & mostly out of mind), Pitt was a rival when we had multiple coincident good years (also now gone) and various other NE teams want to be our rival but have never been consistently on UConn's level in hoops (BCE, Providence, UMass). Anyway, I just don't feel like UConn hates Villanova.

 

[navery12]

Exactly my point. And 337k is a drop in the bucket. People are acting like they are getting millions

Yeah the payments last 6 years so UConn is probably looking at another $200K at best

 

[Get a Job]

cheering for nova is like a yankee fan cheering for the Red Sox to win a World Series or vice versa

The only thing UConn gains is money and what’s the share anyway they would get… it’s probably minimal in the total picture and then it also gives Nova a huge advantage recruiting wise when going head to head

UNC or Kansas does not adversely affect the UConn basketball program going forward. Nova winning could prevent a couple recruits from choosing UConn and going to nova instead

If we're going to use unprovable hypotheticals, could one not just as easily argue that Nova winning will raise the profile of the conference, allowing us to attract a recruit that we would not have gotten otherwise?

 

[Dooch]

My daughter is a freshman at UNC. I never cared for them before she went there, so I want them to beat Duke obviously. The thought of K getting the fairy tale ending is nauseating. As others have said, I don't want Nova or Kansas tying us for NCs. If it's UNC-Nova, I'd be completely torn, lol

 

[methodology]

If we're going to use unprovable hypotheticals, could one not just as easily argue that Nova winning will raise the profile of the conference, allowing us to attract a recruit that we would not have gotten otherwise?

UConn 98% of the time isn’t winning a recruiting battle vs Kansas, Duke, UNC. That’s not a hypothetical

Nova winning 3 titles in a 6 year period, with arguably the best coach in the biz, would undoubtedly create a recruiting hurdle for UConn going head to head with them

Nova winning doesn’t guarantee better recruits playing in the big east. Especially in this day and age with paying recruits

 

[Get a Job]

UConn 98% of the time isn’t winning a recruiting battle vs Kansas, Duke, UNC. That’s not a hypothetical

Nova winning 3 titles in a 6 year period, with arguably the best coach in the biz, would undoubtedly create a recruiting hurdle for UConn going head to head with them

Nova winning doesn’t guarantee better recruits playing in the big east. Especially in this day and age with paying recruits

I'm sure there are aspects of Villanova winning this year that would help and hurt UConn. My only contention is that it is far from obvious that the net effect would be negative.

Aside: Literally any future scenario about which you declare a predicted outcome is, by definition, hypothetical, regardless of how likely or unlikely it might be.

 

[beakumhawks]

Why all the Ku hate?

 

[BugsyCT]

The UConn-Nova rivalry just isn't anywhere near the Yanks-Red Sox even by today's watered down standards.
Have we ever had consensus on who UConn's biggest rival is?
It likely is consensus to think/plan/hope its Villanova going forward, but I don't think that's true at this point. UConn first has to contend for multiple regular season BE titles with them and regularly play in the BE tournament (so this year's semis definitely a start).
Likewise, pretty certain Villanova would not currently cite UConn as their biggest rival.

I remember posting something on the 'yard in Jay Wright's early years at Nova about a game in Gampel where he took the air out of the ball & created a rock fight. Half the boneyard railed that I dare criticize the golden boy. Wright remains universally respected if not liked. Boeheim is a villain (Syracuse may have been our biggest rival (but they always thought of Georgetown as theirs, obv now out of sight & mostly out of mind), Pitt was a rival when we had multiple coincident good years (also now gone) and various other NE teams want to be our rival but have never been consistently on UConn's level in hoops (BCE, Providence, UMass). Anyway, I just don't feel like UConn hates Villanova.

I never hated Nova except for the Kerry Kittles year when they whooped us twice. In '85 I rooted hard for them in their Cinderella championship run. In 2009 I was happy they beat Pitt in the regional final. We may be competing with them yearly again now, but to me they've always been part of classic Big East (part of our neighborhood) and will remain that way, even through this era of Jay Wright dominance, however long that lasts.

Just can't hate conference rivals the same way I hate OOC bluebloods like Duke & UNC. To me, they're the establishment. The snotty Gentlemen's club. Always hated 'em & always will.

 

[Huskymagic]

UConn 98% of the time isn’t winning a recruiting battle vs Kansas, Duke, UNC. That’s not a hypothetical

Nova winning 3 titles in a 6 year period, with arguably the best coach in the biz, would undoubtedly create a recruiting hurdle for UConn going head to head with them

Nova winning doesn’t guarantee better recruits playing in the big east. Especially in this day and age with paying recruits

Exactly. We have fallen so far that we are rooting for an in-conference rival to match us in titles and Jay Wright to match Jim Calhoun in titles.

North Carolina and Kansas are the easy picks for rooting interests in the Final Four.

PS: The money for winning a game in the NCAA tournament while great is not some huge amount for any school to make some huge difference. Nova has appeared in 4 games for the Big East meaning 4 units. Providence has appeared in 3 games meaning 3 units. Creighton appeared in 2 games meaning 2 units. UCONN, Hall, and Marquette in one game meaning 1 unit apiece or 3 total units for the conference. Altogether the Big East has earned 12 credits this tournament.

The NCAA does NOT give tourney credits in the Final Four.

Each 2022 unit is worth $338,887 paid to the conference of the participating school. Each unit has a six-year shelf life, meaning one unit this season is worth $2,033,322 overall.

UCONN will earn $369,694.91 each year for the next 6 years based on this year's results.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I don’t think the conference money is much different. . The final two shares are equal
rooting for your conferences is a moot point financially.
So picking between UNC, NOVA , Kansas , and Duke . Is like picking what caliber round you want the firing squad to use.
The result is going to be the same. Someone is going to win that will make you Unhappy.
Frankly as someone whose hated Duke for 32 years another K win probably wouldn’t bother me as Duke is a one coach fluke. The other three have won championships with multiple coaches and are real established programs. Duke can go back to being the third best program in the State and dwell on the greatness that was K.

 

[Lynyrd]

UNC ... they will continue to be a blue blood regardless and Hubert is a good guy. Watching them spoil K's party is enough for me to root for them this year without UCONN in it.

Nova ... Wright is a great coach and his players are easy to root for since they play the game as a team. BUT let's be clear, no way do I want them to have as many NC's as our Huskies. Conference representation in the Final Four is enough.

KU ... stay more popular on the national scale and continue to have 1 less championship than UCONN

Duke ... NEVER

 

[UCTitleTown]

Kansas has gone the longest without winning a national championship (2008) of the Final Four teams. Villanova can't get another one (third since 2016....). I'm going with Kansas because the others have won it more recently. UNC would be my second choice. I'll be ok as long as Nova or Duke don't win.