UConn men's basketball rivalry with Providence moves to Madison Square Garden for Big East Tournament

[UConnSwag11]

“Arrogant fans." Jim Calhoun's Ryan Gomes rant. A tiff over a girlfriend. A chilly welcome back to Big East. $2 beer night. Lotta UConn, PC drama over years, very little of it at MSG, and not in 25 years.

It will be on Thursday. And it will be spectacular

UConn's rivalry with Providence moves to Big East Tournament

The Huskies' rivalry with the Friars has grown since their return to the Big East, exacerbated by some interesting comments by PC coach Ed Cooley.

www.ctinsider.com

 

[UConnSwag11]

Didn’t realize how catty Cooley is.

 

[NowInStorrs]

I don't really consider Providence a rival. I get the Rhode Island connection with Hurley makes a storyline if you want and they're close to us but eh.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I don't really consider Providence a rival. I get the Rhode Island connection with Hurley makes a storyline if you want and they're close to us but eh.

It’s their fanbase. They’re insufferable. Second only to Cuse

 

[aburks41]

It’s their fanbase. They’re insufferable. Second only to Cuse

Yup. Providence fans are absolutely vile on twitter. The best to describe them is the sewer rat version of Philadelphia fans.

 

[CTBasketball]

Yup. Providence fans are absolutely vile on twitter. The best to describe them is the sewer rat version of Philadelphia fans.

One shoved my friend into a urinal last year at the XL Center while he pissing, then offered him cocaine at the Horse after the game to bury the hatchet.

 

[August_West]

One shoved my friend into a urinal last year at the XL Center while he pissing, then offered him cocaine at the Horse after the game to bury the hatchet.

Kinda sounds like the man to be honest

 

[CTBasketball]

Kinda sounds like the man to be honest

He accepted the offering of course. Buy the ticket, take the ride.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The day that a win over them means remotely as much to us as a win over us means to them this matchup can be considered a rivalry.

Until then,.......

 

[XLCenterFan]

I never felt like PC was our rival. I’m starting to feel it. I’m starting to really dislike them. They are not even our little brother, they are our little cousins, but a rival is a rival.

 

[caw]

PC is a rival, perhaps UConn's only current conference rival. I just can't view Creighton, X, or Marquette as rivals because of location. They are the only good program in close proximity in the the conference.

Nova should be UConn's in conference rival, but they need to figure out if their coach is good or not.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Providence has to earn its rivalry with UConn be winning something, anything.

 

[ElGreco]

It’s their fanbase. They’re insufferable. Second only to Cuse

Exactly - envy and hate are not good attributes

 

[ElGreco]

PC is a rival, perhaps UConn's only current conference rival. I just can't view Creighton, X, or Marquette as rivals because of location. They are the only good program in close proximity in the the conference.

Nova should be UConn's in conference rival, but they need to figure out if their coach is good or not.

UConn / Villanova is now the premier made for TV matchup.

 

[August_West]

He accepted the offering of course. Buy the ticket, take the ride.

It' would be bad manners to decline. We must observe our social graces.

Plus Providence people still get the fire fish scale from the mafia, none of this cut with fentanyl crap

 

[Son of Robert]

Seriously folks, it's 2023 and Providence is most definitely one of our main rivals. It's a a real thing; we don't like each other, they are just across the border in Rhode Island, we're in the same conference, and this will be our third meeting this year. This rivalry is dirty, lots of venom in both of our fan bases, both teams are playing great basketball this year, and both of us ranked most of the year.

This rivalry is good for us; it brings out the unwanted, underlying grudging respect we have for each other. We don't like you, and we really want to beat you. We're tied up 1 and 1, and this game matters the most. Madison Square Garden will be rocking!

 

[John]

I can't believe we're even in a conference with Providence, that's what I think of Providence.

 

[dogpause]

I might be alone, but I'm glad that PC is now a competitive program. I think Cooley's a good coach and a strong team in Providence is good for the BE. I want every BE game to be a challenge -- good for UConn and good for the BE.

 

[Palatine]

Pee Cee doesn't matter enough to be a rival. No one is really emotionally invested in the game more than any other. Can you remember any game with the Friars that was meaningful to a Huskies season or championship? In fact, I don't think we have a true rival in the Big East.

A contest with Syracuse still holds more importance in Huskies fandom than any BE foe. There is real history there, the six overtime classic, losing three times to SU and still winning the NC. It is one match up that people outside the conference would watch with interest. It could fill up the garden. I still fear Preston Shumpert.

 

[Deepster]

Here's why Providence is our supposed "rival". Same exact recipe as the 27 days when UMass was any good.

1) They're located right in our back yard.
2) They're insanely jealous of our success.
3) They think that if they tug on Superman's cape, they'll get to feel what it's like to be a superhero.

End of the day, they're not our rival and never will be. Fans have been born, lived and graduated from UConn never knowing anything but UConn being the King to PC's jester.

 

[huskyjawz]

I might be alone, but I'm glad that PC is now a competitive program. I think Cooley's a good coach and a strong team in Providence is good for the BE. I want every BE game to be a challenge -- good for UConn and good for the BE.

I wish St. John's could be good too for the same reasons. Matchups at the Garden are a lot more fun when they are good.

 

[JB75]

UConn / Villanova is now the premier made for TV matchup.

It would definitely be, but Jay Wright leaving took a little, luster off that

 

[Palatine]

Long ago, Yankee Conference days 50s, 60s, URI was our rival. Both schools had good teams and vied for the conference crown every season.

As we moved into the 70s UMess became our main rival. They were good, Jack Leeman was a very good coach and they had Dr J. We battled with them for spots in the NIT.

There was a minute or so when Boston College was a pretty big rival. Concurrent with the UMess period before Calhoun made then irrelevant.

Into the original Big East, Syracuse was pretty much our measuring stick. We were not their rivals, Georgetown was. Eventually though, UConn/Syracuse became a big national game. They really hated us which made the fire burn hotter.

Providence has some every good players and teams through the 60 and 70s. They were the New England flag bearer. I don't think they considered us a rival during that period. By the time the Big East was created, they were more a middle of the pack team and our games didn't mean anything extra.

 

[Kenny11]

I consider Providence is a rival because when we lose to them it feels devastating.

 

[Palatine]

I consider Providence is a rival because when we lose to them it feels devastating.

And when we lose to other teams? It's not devastating?

Were you devaststed more by losing to the Friars or St John's? For me, the St John's loss was much worse.