The Big East says “How do you like me now?”

[BRS24]

Just a wild thought. UConn basketball both men and women are now a national "brand" especially since 2-Fer and christening Storrs"The "Basketball Capital of the World". Why not "buy out" and split off from the BE and become independent? Sure, it will be difficult not belonging to a conference. How to schedule games when all of the other teams are tied down to conference schedules? Impossible? Teams would want to play UConn since we fill the venue no matter where we play. TV rights would surely be more lucrative than under the present arrangement assuming that UConn would be able to deal on a direct basis. Details. Details.

OK, let's hear all of the "you don't know how the BE Conference is set up", "totally impossible", " no way", "can't be done" "that would be dumb" "we'd be tied up in court" etc.

A few random thoughts - first, power conference teams would probably not be willing to schedule indies past January, based on Geno's comments re the SC game last week. Second, indies wouldn't have an automatic bid, and all it takes is a few ADs to decide that only "official" conferences get AQs or at large bids (based on some of the wild stuff coming out of CFB land). The BE is a competitive league for the MBB team. IMO, indies only work in CFB, and as of today, only UConn and Notre Dame are indies, and at least 5 of its games are ACC opponents, so they are kinda an indy, but have rules with the ACC as the rest of their sports are ACC members. If I had to guess, ND will be the last indy standing in CFB, as they've had a lucrative tv contract with NBC for years.

 

[Alydar]

The Big East is a tad better than the AAC, or what passed for lunch on an Allegheny Airlines flight. Those who pretend it's a strong conference are welcome to their baseless opinions.

No one said "strong". The OP used "not quite the boat anchor people thought". Don't move the goal posts.

NIL and free transfers has turned D1 essentially into a major league/minor league organization where the rest of D1 funnels their best players into the football-rich P-4. The result is that there are now maybe a dozen teams playing at a high level as opposed to maybe 3 or 4 in the past.

 

[HuskyNan]

No one said "strong". The OP used "not quite the boat anchor people thought". Don't move the goal posts.

“Boat anchor” means to me something that holds something in place; inhibits movement; drags something down; a burden. I will be more plain-spoken next time

 

[JoePgh]

To me, the mystery is that men's basketball in the Big East is very competitive with the P-4 despite the lack of football and the revenue that comes with it. It attracts top players and coaches consistently, and draws big live and TV audiences. So why can't that happen with the women?

Regarding potential TV audiences, the Big East is firmly planted in some of the largest metro areas in the East and Midwest: NYC, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Chicago, whereas many P -4 schools are state schools in relatively small college towns. That alone should make the Big East highly competitive in that dimension.

 

[ERWUC65]

To me, the mystery is that men's basketball in the Big East is very competitive with the P-4 despite the lack of football and the revenue that comes with it. It attracts top players and coaches consistently, and draws big live and TV audiences. So why can't that happen with the women?

Regarding potential TV audiences, the Big East is firmly planted in some of the largest metro areas in the East and Midwest: NYC, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Chicago, whereas many P -4 schools are state schools in relatively small college towns. That alone should make the Big East highly competitive in that dimension.

"Well there is in the proposed settlement. Big East men's basketball players will get an average of $6,700 each while Big East women's basketball players will get an average of $300 each."

 

[ConnMotors]

Instead of St. Louis, bring in USF to get the home & home with South Florida most years without divisions.

The thing with USF is that they have football as well. They would need to become an independent and that isn’t going to happen. They would need to add a basketball school that is why I picked St Louis

 

[cabbie191]

Look, the conference is comprised of perfectly lovely institutions, and if a granddaughter of mine played for any one of them I'd be the first one in the stands, wearing all the silly home-team garb I could lay my hands on, screaming lustily on their behalf.

This is a bit OT but what Pigpetunia wrote is a good opening for something I wanted to share from my being at the South Carolina game.

I had a question about South Carolina sports in general so during a break, I tapped the shoulder of the gentleman sitting in front of me who was wearing a Gamecock jacket. (BTW, where we were sitting there were more UConn fans than Gamecock fans!)

The guy answered my question, then smiled, and said "I need to show you something." He proceeded to take off his jacket to reveal his Huskies t-shirt.

Turns out he's a UConn fan who lives in New York City but his daughter is a business major at South Carolina, and is the official statistician for Dawn's team. Hence his attire.

If you ever get a chance to go to a game in Columbia, I recommend it. Colonial Life Arena is a drop dead gorgeous facility and the folks are really nice.

 

[Kat]

It's a weak conference but the schools have the names of storied college BB programs. That really helps.

 

[Stagnant]

The one thing I will give the big east credit for? We actually still haven’t won the conference. There are two games left and we haven’t clinched the conference yet. That impresses me.

 

[Zonepress]

Creighton has the #69, 82, 91 ranked players coming in 2025. Let's hope their success continues.

On edit - and yes, I know that HS rankings aren't necessarily a predictor of future performance at the college level, however the fact that they have 3 ranked players is still impressive iMHO.

Unfortunately the core of the team that went to elite eight game two years ago will be completely gone
It seems they have recruited very well this year, but it will be surprising if next year’s team which will be very inexperienced, will struggle to be at the top of the league
Coach Flannery system is one that takes a while to perfect
Perhaps with the loss of so many players, they will go to transfer route ( they have not done so previously)to match some experience players with their incoming freshmen

 

[Skeets]

The thing with USF is that they have football as well. They would need to become an independent and that isn’t going to happen. They would need to add a basketball school that is why I picked St Louis

The BE would probably gravitate towards a Catholic school (not Gonzaga). Who did UConn replace when the BE first formed? Sacred Heart?

 

[Plebe]

It's a weak conference but the schools have the names of storied college BB programs. That really helps.

Who is “storied” in WBB other than UConn? There's some storiedness on the men's side to be sure, but I haven't seen much carryover to the women's programs, and I'm curious as to how it's helping.

 

[Kat]

Who is “storied” in WBB other than UConn? There's some storiedness on the men's side to be sure, but I haven't seen much carryover to the women's programs, and I'm curious as to how it's helping.

"Storied" as I wrote, in basketball, not just women's basketball. The names of those schools have some history behind them in this game. People who follow BB closely, or for a long period of time, are aware of this, and I think it influences the choices for ranking teams.

 

[BBallF]

“Boat anchor” means to me something that holds something in place; inhibits movement; drags something down; a burden. I will be more plain-spoken next time

Pretty plain to me. We played a very, very tough OOC schedule. Now, while these other teams will be eliminating each other in their conference as top seeds, we will slide right in. "Bravo Big East", to quote an old famous New York headline.

 

[uconnfan68]

The BE would probably gravitate towards a Catholic school (not Gonzaga). Who did UConn replace when the BE first formed? Sacred Heart?

Holy Cross declined, we accepted.

 

[HuskyNan]

Geno front loads his schedule knowing the Big East is a weaker conference. Having survived the early season gauntlet mostly intact, the Huskies can cruise into the BEast tournament without the land mines the SEC and Big 10 have. Additionally, he can give his starters more breathers, not wearing them out before the postseason. Geno has managed to make the conference affiliation work for the team

 

[DefenseBB]

It's a weak conference but the schools have the names of storied college BB programs. That really helps.

Ok, I'll bite, let's say I agree with your premise (I don't and add in the fact we are talking about Women's basketball) how does it help?

Even from the Men's side, the school's try to posture they have "storied names" but very few really do. Does 2 Final 4 appearances in 1973 and 1987 make PC storied? What has Butler's men's team truly achieved? Yes Ray Meyer had DePaul in the national consciousness in the ....1980's but where have they been in the last 35 years? I think you are waxing too poetically on this. None of what you think is name recognition puts money in the coffers or strengthen's the bottom line of WCBB in the Big East. So help me understand how it "really helps"?