The Big East May Be Our Home For A While

[Dogdude]

This popped up..

 

[HopJim]

With so many leagues having issues with travel, tradition, and participating in end of year tournaments, it appears Geno has the right approach for today's NIL driving basketball. UConn is expanding its high profile games with Tenn, ND, and other top 10-20 teams. Similar to football, until some league approaches UCon with big money, there is little to be gained from joining a Big12, SEC or similar league.

 

[Next 12]

And Pundits say Uconn wins so much because of the weak Big East and the American Athletic Association.Yet, I would assume 50/60% of the other coaches would not want Uconn in their Leagues. Kelvin Sampson is an example.One time I had a web site that had every win/loss Uconn had from the first game Geno ever coached. Geno had a winning record on EVERY school he ever played except for one. Geno only played the school once and lost the game like Back in 85/86. I lost the website somehow and have not been able to find it again. ALL the top 25 teams have a LOSING record against Uconn and Geno Geno seems to be a Magician in some games as to how they are played and end results are over- powering wins. When I first started following Uconn and the team, there were many,many remarks from the announcers , that if opposing coaches wanted to learn how to coach BB, go to Uconn and watch them practice and learn. There is only ONE Uconn and I watch them with the greatest joy. GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ucmiami2]

And Pundits say Uconn wins so much because of the weak Big East and the American Athletic Association.Yet, I would assume 50/60% of the other coaches would not want Uconn in their Leagues. Kelvin Sampson is an example.One time I had a web site that had every win/loss Uconn had from the first game Geno ever coached. Geno had a winning record on EVERY school he ever played except for one. Geno only played the school once and lost the game like Back in 85/86. I lost the website somehow and have not been able to find it again. ALL the top 25 teams have a LOSING record against Uconn and Geno Geno seems to be a Magician in some games as to how they are played and end results are over- powering wins. When I first started following Uconn and the team, there were many,many remarks from the announcers , that if opposing coaches wanted to learn how to coach BB, go to Uconn and watch them practice and learn. There is only ONE Uconn and I watch them with the greatest joy. GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!

The Uconn Media Guide (link on the Uconn WBB page) is updated each year and has their record against every school somewhere at the back, with the list of results from every game played. The current link to the guide got broken sometime in January and I sent an email to a WBB communication person just today to notify them. The guide has tons of great history including every players stats by year, top ten single game, season, and career records for players as well as records for freshman, through senior top ten stats, and all time single game and season team records. It is my bible.

I also just discovered this Uconn web site for the team record against opponents, it list the total W/L record, but it doesn't list the games pre 1990 so which losses were pre Geno, who knows.

Women's Basketball History - University of Connecticut Athletics

Women's Basketball History - University of Connecticut Athletics

uconnhuskies.com

 

[Skeets]

And Pundits say Uconn wins so much because of the weak Big East and the American Athletic Association.Yet, I would assume 50/60% of the other coaches would not want Uconn in their Leagues. Kelvin Sampson is an example.One time I had a web site that had every win/loss Uconn had from the first game Geno ever coached. Geno had a winning record on EVERY school he ever played except for one. Geno only played the school once and lost the game like Back in 85/86. I lost the website somehow and have not been able to find it again. ALL the top 25 teams have a LOSING record against Uconn and Geno Geno seems to be a Magician in some games as to how they are played and end results are over- powering wins. When I first started following Uconn and the team, there were many,many remarks from the announcers , that if opposing coaches wanted to learn how to coach BB, go to Uconn and watch them practice and learn. There is only ONE Uconn and I watch them with the greatest joy. GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!

And let's not forget UConn is undefeated against Notre Dame in football, at their house no less. How many schools can say that? They refused to complete the home-and-home series probably because they were afraid of losing again. But you know what? Notre Dame can do whatever they want.

 

[SCHuskiedad]

And let's not forget UConn is undefeated against Notre Dame in football, at their house no less. How many schools can say that? They refused to complete the home-and-home series probably because they were afraid of losing again. But you know what? Notre Dame can do whatever they want.

I think what’s left of my long term memory of this is because the UConn stadium was too small or something like that?

 

[Skeets]

I think what’s left of my long term memory of this is because the UConn stadium was too small or something like that?

Yeah, but I prefer to think that they were just afraid 😊 They didn't know how big the Rent was when they agreed to the home-and-home?

 

[ucmiami2]

The Uconn Media Guide (link on the Uconn WBB page) is updated each year and has their record against every school somewhere at the back, with the list of results from every game played. The current link to the guide got broken sometime in January and I sent an email to a WBB communication person just today to notify them. The guide has tons of great history including every players stats by year, top ten single game, season, and career records for players as well as records for freshman, through senior top ten stats, and all time single game and season team records. It is my bible.

I also just discovered this Uconn web site for the team record against opponents, it list the total W/L record, but it doesn't list the games pre 1990 so which losses were pre Geno, who knows.

Women's Basketball History - University of Connecticut Athletics

Women's Basketball History - University of Connecticut Athletics

uconnhuskies.com

Just an FYI - the Media Guide link has been repaired and is working again (it is a new link so if you had saved the link earlier in the season it is not functional):

2025 26 UConn WBB Media Guide - University of Connecticut Athletics

2025 26 UConn WBB Media Guide

uconnhuskies.com

 

[uconnfan68]

I think what’s left of my long term memory of this is because the UConn stadium was too small or something like that?

Michigan came here... and The Big House is MUCH larger than ND's stadium. ND wanted to play at Foxboro or the Meadowlands, and SPLIT the take.

 

[fireford]

As a fan, of course I'd like to see the UConn men and women compete in a Power 4 conference. However, such a move does not always work out economically. Below is one of several examples of the grass (or the money) not always being greener:

<<Rutgers University athletics reported a record $78 million operating deficit for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, driven by $193.8 million in expenses against $146.6 million in revenue. Since joining the Big Ten in 2014, the department has accumulated over $516 million in deficits, with expenditures increasing by roughly 175%. >>

 

[towerman]

Get over it. Nothing is going to happen until football is competitive at some level. Consistently beating the Power 4 teams we are able to schedule.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Get over it. Nothing is going to happen until football is competitive at some level. Consistently beating the Power 4 teams we are able to schedule.

Tired of the football excuse. ND football is independent and their women's basketball is in the ACC.

 

[Dogdude]

As a fan, of course I'd like to see the UConn men and women compete in a Power 4 conference. However, such a move does not always work out economically. Below is one of several examples of the grass (or the money) not always being greener:

<<Rutgers University athletics reported a record $78 million operating deficit for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, driven by $193.8 million in expenses against $146.6 million in revenue. Since joining the Big Ten in 2014, the department has accumulated over $516 million in deficits, with expenditures increasing by roughly 175%. >>

Glad you found this. It's always a good reminder that where we are isn't all that bad. I fear the deficits will grow worse for many colleges and universities with the whole NIL and portal thing. Attendance at 4 year universities isn't exactly booming, either, and colleges lose money in all departments save since research, and even the n grants are drying up. We're in a happy place, whether or not we want to admit it..

 

[ed4ourgirls]

Tired of the football excuse. ND football is independent and their women's basketball is in the ACC.

ND football is not entirely independent. I believe I read somewhere that they are contractually obligated to
play at least five ACC teams each year.

 

[GG]

This popped up..View attachment 116806

Coaches have almost no say in these things. That being said, I think it will likely be the ACC for us eventually, but it may not be until they lose a number of key football teams to the SEC and/or the BIg 10.

 

[uconnfan68]

Coaches have almost no say in these things. That being said, I think it will likely be the ACC for us eventually, but it may not be until they lose a number of key football teams to the SEC and/or the BIg 10.

No one wants to expand and water down their own share of the $$. You have to be able to show your worth.

 

[meyers7]

Tired of the football excuse. ND football is independent and their women's basketball is in the ACC.

Really? You're comparing ND football with UCONN? ND football has their own TV contract with NBC for $50 mil a season.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

ND football is not entirely independent. I believe I read somewhere that they are contractually obligated to
play at least five ACC teams each year.

Well then they violated the contract last year and will in 2026 per their schedule.

 

[bigfive]

All time UConn football record vs current big ten teams 14-31, vs current big twelve 10-32, vs current acc 22-50-2, vs current sec 2-8, vs Notre Dame 1-0.

UConn men’s basketball all time vs current big ten 66-39, vs current big twelve 63-42, vs current acc 206-188, vs current sec 43-19.

UConn women’s basketball all time vs current big ten 105-21, vs current big twelve 95-8, vs current acc 293-83, vs current sec 90-24.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Really? You're comparing ND football with UCONN? ND football has their own TV contract with NBC for $50 mil a season.

UM…yea. They are both independents. No? Point is…this is an example of basketball and football not being in the same conference.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

No one wants to expand and water down their own share of the $$. You have to be able to show your worth.

They also don’t want a team in their conference that dominates like UCONN women. UCONN would have more visibility and be even more attractive to recruits that want more visibility in a stronger conference. They already think we get ALL the recruits. It’s funny how other conferences brag about their strength, but in all the maneuverings around college sports can’t figure out how to include a DYNASTY in their conference. SO…they scream football.

 

[uconnfan68]

They also don’t want a team in their conference that dominates like UCONN women. UCONN would have more visibility and be even more attractive to recruits that want more visibility in a stronger conference. They already think we get ALL the recruits. It’s funny how other conferences brag about their strength, but in all the maneuverings around college sports can’t figure out how to include a DYNASTY in their conference. SO…they scream football.

They know that when Geno leaves it will be a whole new deal. And he is 70, so it's not going to be all that long. And conferences really don't care one iota about women's sports. Or men's sports, except football.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

Well then they violated the contract last year and will in 2026 per their schedule.

Last season ND played 6 ACC teams (Miami, NC St., BC, Pitt, Syracuse, and Stanford)

Next year they will play 6 ACC teams (UNC, Stanford, Miami, BC, SMU, and Syracuse)

Not sure whose schedules you were looking at.

 

[HuskyNan]

As a fan, of course I'd like to see the UConn men and women compete in a Power 4 conference. However, such a move does not always work out economically. Below is one of several examples of the grass (or the money) not always being greener:

<<Rutgers University athletics reported a record $78 million operating deficit for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, driven by $193.8 million in expenses against $146.6 million in revenue. Since joining the Big Ten in 2014, the department has accumulated over $516 million in deficits, with expenditures increasing by roughly 175%. >>

 

[GG]

They also don’t want a team in their conference that dominates like UCONN women. UCONN would have more visibility and be even more attractive to recruits that want more visibility in a stronger conference. They already think we get ALL the recruits. It’s funny how other conferences brag about their strength, but in all the maneuverings around college sports can’t figure out how to include a DYNASTY in their conference. SO…they scream football.

UConn’s dominance in women’s basketball is not going to be a reason we’re excluded from a conference. That’s just not how conference realignment works.

Football drives the bus. Full stop. Conference decisions are based on football performance (far more than basketball), overall athletic investment, attendance, TV viewership, media markets, the value a school adds, and, yes, politics and relationships.

Women’s basketball excellence is part of our brand, but it isn’t a negative. If private equity ever seriously enters the space, it could even come down to a major investor insisting UConn be included because of the total value we bring.

The path forward is pretty straightforward: football has to improve, and basketball has to at least maintain its national relevance. If Geno eventually retires, the program must make a top-tier hire to preserve that brand.

Basketball is who we are, but football is what gives us a real shot at conference inclusion.