UConn St John's rivalry | Page 2 | The Boneyard

UConn St John's rivalry

Meh, I don't see it as a rivalry, but it could ultimately become one if St. John's can get some postseason success and sustain it. I'm looking forward to the game this year. As long as Rick Pitino (and Repole) is there it will be interesting.

There's history there.

We've both been good at the same time very rarely. But when we're both good, it gets pretty heated! In fact, I bet everybody here will have a pavlovian response to this photo:

portrait_70_376.jpg
 
PositionUConnSt John'sAdvantage
PGSilas Demary JrIan JacksonUConn
SGSolo BallOziyah SellersUConn
SFJaylin StewartJoson SanonSt John's
PFAlex KarabanBryce HopkinsUConn
CTarris Reed JrZuby EjioforSt John's
Bench
GMalachi SmithDylan DarlingUConn
GBraylon MullinsLefteris LiotopoulosUConn
FJayden RossSadiku Ibine AyoEven
FJacob FurphyDillon MitchellSt John's
CEric ReibeRuben PreyUConn

These are definitely 2 of the top 5 teams in the country, but I think UConn has the advantage and matches up pretty well. Maybe a slight advantage to St John's for the starting 5 even though I have it as 3-2 UConn because the gap between Sanon and Stewart is larger than any of the gaps at the other 4 spots. I think our bench is where the advantage comes from, I'm not sold on most of the guys St John's has coming off the bench
 
We never had a true rivalry. We had a lot of great games between UConn and Syracuse when both teams were really good and the fanbases didn't like each other. Same with Pitt. Same with Duke on a national level. Now it's St. John's.

If UConn Syracuse basketball wasn't a rivalry in your book, I think you need to revisit the definition.
 
There's history there.

We've both been good at the same time very rarely. But when we're both good, it gets pretty heated! In fact, I bet everybody here will have a pavlovian response to this photo:

portrait_70_376.jpg
They weren't good under Satan. He was just annoying. At least that's how I remember it.
 
When st. John's was decent, I thought the rivalry with them was the best. The fans were more into it than any other game, and the players seemed to really dislike each other.

1997 to 2003 was pretty intense between the two schools, and I know the Syracuse and Pitt games were really big during this era, but there was special hatred for St. John's.

Syracuse and Pitt were higher ranked back then so they grabbed more attention, but I thought the total package against St. John's (fans, players, coaches) was the most intense one.
 
I went to the St John's board a couple of years ago. I was genuinely nice and wished them good luck. I said absolutely nothing wrong

I was banned because I was a UConn fan

No joke
 
They weren't good under Satan. He was just annoying. At least that's how I remember it.

Putting aside how much credit should be given to him, SJU went 28-9 and 25-8 in his first two seasons (1998-99 and 1999-2000). And they beat us to win the BET in 2000. I remember watching the championship game at Park Avenue Country Club (huge sports bar with gigantic screens) and that place was POPPIN'. New York's a big city and there's only one real CBB team, so SJU has a lot of fair weather fans.

They tailed off after that, and got sanctioned. And then he flamed out at FAU. But there's a reason we called Jarvis "Satan" here, and it wasn't just because he was unlikeable.
 
If UConn Syracuse basketball wasn't a rivalry in your book, I think you need to revisit the definition.
Georgetown is Cuse's rival. Some of those years UConn and Cuse were top national teams and the two best Big East teams which made it rivalry adjacent, other years Pitt was our "rival." It's about the best teams with the most juice that dictate the rivalry when it comes to UConn. If Seton Hall was coached by Pitino currently and they were a top 3 team in the country who we were fighting it out with for Big East Championships that would be our current "rival." It wouldn't have quite the same juice because no MSG.
 
Georgetown is Cuse's rival. Some of those years UConn and Cuse were top national teams and the two best Big East teams which made it rivalry adjacent, other years Pitt was our "rival." It's about the best teams with the most juice that dictate the rivalry when it comes to UConn. If Seton Hall was coached by Pitino currently and they were a top 3 team in the country who we were fighting it out with for Big East Championships that would be our current "rival." It wouldn't have quite the same juice because no MSG.
I agree that Gtown is their rival, but for a time we certainly were too. Their fans hate us and for good reason because UConn became what Cuse and Gtown couldn’t. Now both schools have become teams of yesteryear like UNLV. However, lately if you scroll their board, I’ve noticed they’ve excepted how far behind us they are.
 
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PositionUConnSt John'sAdvantage
PGSilas Demary JrIan JacksonUConn
SGSolo BallOziyah SellersUConn
SFJaylin StewartJoson SanonSt John's
PFAlex KarabanBryce HopkinsUConn
CTarris Reed JrZuby EjioforSt John's
Bench
GMalachi SmithDylan DarlingUConn
GBraylon MullinsLefteris LiotopoulosUConn
FJayden RossSadiku Ibine AyoEven
FJacob FurphyDillon MitchellSt John's
CEric ReibeRuben PreyUConn

These are definitely 2 of the top 5 teams in the country, but I think UConn has the advantage and matches up pretty well. Maybe a slight advantage to St John's for the starting 5 even though I have it as 3-2 UConn because the gap between Sanon and Stewart is larger than any of the gaps at the other 4 spots. I think our bench is where the advantage comes from, I'm not sold on most of the guys St John's has coming off the bench
Depending on Hopkins' recovery, his matchup with Karaban could certainly be even or in Hopkins' favor. I remember Hopkins destroying Alex back in the day. Yes, I realize Karaban has greatly improved.

Reibe and Prey could be even. Hoping Reibe is ready, but he's still a fresh. Prey showed potential this year, and he'll have an off season of Pitino drills...
 
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Georgetown is Cuse's rival. Some of those years UConn and Cuse were top national teams and the two best Big East teams which made it rivalry adjacent, other years Pitt was our "rival." It's about the best teams with the most juice that dictate the rivalry when it comes to UConn. If Seton Hall was coached by Pitino currently and they were a top 3 team in the country who we were fighting it out with for Big East Championships that would be our current "rival." It wouldn't have quite the same juice because no MSG.

You're getting really caught up in semantics, "rivalry adjacent"? What in the world..

For the better part of 25 years UConn and Syracuse were the best two Big East programs, had the two biggest presences at MSG, and the fan bases hated each other. If that isn't a rivalry, the word has no meaning.
 
You're getting really caught up in semantics, "rivalry adjacent"? What in the world..

For the better part of 25 years UConn and Syracuse were the best two Big East programs, had the two biggest presences at MSG, and the fan bases hated each other. If that isn't a rivalry, the word has no meaning.
Again, Georgetown is Cuse's rival. UConn doesn't have a true rival, their "rival" is the other best program for that given time.

If you think UConn playing Syracuse right now would have more juice and be a bigger rivalry game than UConn playing St. John's right now you're out of your mind.
 
PositionUConnSt John'sAdvantage
PGSilas Demary JrIan JacksonUConn
SGSolo BallOziyah SellersUConn
SFJaylin StewartJoson SanonSt John's
PFAlex KarabanBryce HopkinsUConn
CTarris Reed JrZuby EjioforSt John's
Bench
GMalachi SmithDylan DarlingUConn
GBraylon MullinsLefteris LiotopoulosUConn
FJayden RossSadiku Ibine AyoEven
FJacob FurphyDillon MitchellSt John's
CEric ReibeRuben PreyUConn

These are definitely 2 of the top 5 teams in the country, but I think UConn has the advantage and matches up pretty well. Maybe a slight advantage to St John's for the starting 5 even though I have it as 3-2 UConn because the gap between Sanon and Stewart is larger than any of the gaps at the other 4 spots. I think our bench is where the advantage comes from, I'm not sold on most of the guys St John's has coming off the bench
This is how one of the posters on the red board see the matchup. I think the AK vs. Byrce matchup will be interesing especially if Hopkins is healthy this year. I love how they put Ian who never was a lead guard and worst than Demary who has more experience there and done will in their favor.

Uconn could be better than us....
Stop it! lol....

Nah- theyll be real good. but think by the time we play them... we should be clickin and out talent/depth should Trump theirs...
By Jan:
ian vs Silas - Ian
Sellers vs Ball - Ball
Sanon vs UConn 3 - Sanon
Bryce vs AK - Bryce - MOnster Year for Bryce Loading
Zuby vs Reed - Zuby
Bench:
Mitchell/DD/Prey/Ayo vs. 2 freshmen/ Malachi - St JOhns
 
Cuse is a lost program but the fact they still obsess over our last 5 titles is the tell, though they always pretended it was Georgetown because they were both good in the early 80's and they thought they were better than us.

We still obsess over the ACC backstabbing, so it's a legit rivalry but more due to off court hate than on court results.
 
If you think UConn playing Syracuse right now would have more juice and be a bigger rivalry game than UConn playing St. John's right now you're out of your mind.

I don't think anyone thinks that, even the guy who is saying Syracuse "was" a rival, which I think they were. UConn and St. Johns are two of the best teams in the country at the moment. Syracuse is a mid-major, of course that game would have more juice in 2025.
 
Again, Georgetown is Cuse's rival. UConn doesn't have a true rival, their "rival" is the other best program for that given time.

If you think UConn playing Syracuse right now would have more juice and be a bigger rivalry game than UConn playing St. John's right now you're out of your mind.

UConn playing any number of teams (Duke Kentucky UNC Kansas, etc.) would have more juice than playing St. John's.

I think you'd be surprised to see how any Syracuse fan under 50 would point to as the rival with regards to UConn vs Syracuse as well.
 
UConn playing any number of teams (Duke Kentucky UNC Kansas, etc.) would have more juice than playing St. John's.

I think you'd be surprised to see how any Syracuse fan under 50 would point to as the rival with regards to UConn vs Syracuse as well.

I've been re-reading that second sentence for 5 minutes now and for the life of me...
 
You're getting really caught up in semantics, "rivalry adjacent"? What in the world..

For the better part of 25 years UConn and Syracuse were the best two Big East programs, had the two biggest presences at MSG, and the fan bases hated each other. If that isn't a rivalry, the word has no meaning.
When the Big East schedule came out, Cuse games were circled on the calendar and Pitt games were circled on the calendar. Every other conference game was was second-tier. Best part of it was that the football games were compelling too.
 
I don't think anyone thinks that, even the guy who is saying Syracuse "was" a rival, which I think they were. UConn and St. Johns are two of the best teams in the country at the moment. Syracuse is a mid-major, of course that game would have more juice in 2025.
That's the whole point, you thought it was a rivalry because UConn and Cuse were good at the same time for a good chunk of time but those games didn't feel any different than when UConn was going up against those mid-90s Nova and Georgetown teams, late 90's St. John's, 2000's Pitt. Cuse already had their rival. We just had a significant stretch where UConn and Cuse were at the top or near the top of the standings. I remember going to St. John's UConn games back in the early 90's and those were battles, the teams and fanbases hated each other.
 
That's the whole point, you thought it was a rivalry because UConn and Cuse were good at the same time for a good chunk of time but those games didn't feel any different than when UConn was going up against those mid-90s Nova and Georgetown teams, late 90's St. John's, 2000's Pitt. Cuse already had their rival. We just had a significant stretch where UConn and Cuse were at the top or near the top of the standings. I remember going to St. John's UConn games back in the early 90's and those were battles, the teams and fanbases hated each other.

How in the world do you think rivalries develop if not from top competition over a sustained period of time?

The idea a team can have only 1 rival is quite frankly ridiculous too. Are the Giants not rivals with the Cowboys because the Eagles and Cowboys are rivals too?
 
That's the whole point, you thought it was a rivalry because UConn and Cuse were good at the same time for a good chunk of time but those games didn't feel any different than when UConn was going up against those mid-90s Nova and Georgetown teams, late 90's St. John's, 2000's Pitt. Cuse already had their rival. We just had a significant stretch where UConn and Cuse were at the top or near the top of the standings. I remember going to St. John's UConn games back in the early 90's and those were battles, the teams and fanbases hated each other.

I think a team can have multiple rivalries. Look at the NFC East.

It may not be a Sox-Yanks, UNC-Duke type rivalry, but you can still be rivals if there's enough history and intensity.

Other teams went in & out so we don't have a clear #1 rival, but we certainly have a lot of history with Nova, for instance. And certainly with Syracuse as well. If we're not rivals with Cuse, then why are they so obsessed with us? And why is this board so obsessed with their rotting corpse?
 
Again, Georgetown is Cuse's rival. UConn doesn't have a true rival, their "rival" is the other best program for that given time.

If you think UConn playing Syracuse right now would have more juice and be a bigger rivalry game than UConn playing St. John's right now you're out of your mind.

Right now. Nothing has more juice than Uconn - St. Johns. I completely agree.

Syracuse is Upstate NY's program and has been an irrelevant program for the last 5+ years. The great days of Syracuse and UConn packing the Garden are long gone.

Right now the marquee match-up in the Big East (and soon - the nation) is UConn - St. John's at the Garden
 
I think a team can have multiple rivalries. Look at the NFC East.

It may not be a Sox-Yanks, UNC-Duke type rivalry, but you can still be rivals if there's enough history and intensity.

Other teams went in & out so we don't have a clear #1 rival, but we certainly have a lot of history with Nova, for instance. And certainly with Syracuse as well. If we're not rivals with Cuse, then why are they so obsessed with us? And why is this board so obsessed with their rotting corpse?
Sure but by that standard the NY Giants are rivals with everyone in the NFC East. The Yankees have fought it out with the Rays just as much as they've fought it out with the Red Sox since the Rays have been a team. I'm sure the Rays consider the Yankees a rival but the Yankees already have a rival and it's the Red Sox.
 

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