UConn St John's rivalry

[jibsey]

Would North Carolina and Duke be a rivalry if one of them had 0 National Championships?

 

[upstater]

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.

 

[willie99]

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

 

[nomar]

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.

 

[superjohn]

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.

 

[Dutch Boyd]

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.

 

[Tiamat7]

Position	UConn	St John's	Advantage
PG	Silas Demary Jr	Ian Jackson	UConn
SG	Solo Ball	Oziyah Sellers	UConn
SF	Jaylin Stewart	Joson Sanon	St John's
PF	Alex Karaban	Bryce Hopkins	UConn
C	Tarris Reed Jr	Zuby Ejiofor	St John's
Bench
G	Malachi Smith	Dylan Darling	UConn
G	Braylon Mullins	Lefteris Liotopoulos	UConn
F	Jayden Ross	Sadiku Ibine Ayo	Even
F	Jacob Furphy	Dillon Mitchell	St John's
C	Eric Reibe	Ruben Prey	UConn

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...

 

[ConnHuskBask]

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.

 

[superjohn]

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.

 

[3rdbass]

Position	UConn	St John's	Advantage
PG	Silas Demary Jr	Ian Jackson	UConn
SG	Solo Ball	Oziyah Sellers	UConn
SF	Jaylin Stewart	Joson Sanon	St John's
PF	Alex Karaban	Bryce Hopkins	UConn
C	Tarris Reed Jr	Zuby Ejiofor	St John's
Bench
G	Malachi Smith	Dylan Darling	UConn
G	Braylon Mullins	Lefteris Liotopoulos	UConn
F	Jayden Ross	Sadiku Ibine Ayo	Even
F	Jacob Furphy	Dillon Mitchell	St John's
C	Eric Reibe	Ruben Prey	UConn

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

 

[SubbaBub]

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.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

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.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

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.

 

[nomar]

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...

 

[John]

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.

 

[superjohn]

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.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

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?

 

[nomar]

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?

 

[ecasadoSBU]

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

 

[superjohn]

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.

 

[Tyler2Rings]

We had a lot of great games between UConn and Syracuse

I would think I'm not the only early 30s UConn fan who still loathes the Cuse. As a NY pro sports guy the only team that comes close to my desire to beat them is the Cowboys

 

[UconnU]

I would think I'm not the only early 30s UConn fan who still loathes the Cuse. As a NY pro sports guy the only team that comes close to my desire to beat them is the Cowboys

I feel bad. It’s not just the state of the basketball program, it’s the state of the city. Place is a ghost town, last time I was there it reminded me of Gary Indiana where the infrastructure is all still there but there are no people. Modern day Syracuse makes Hartford seem vibrant.

 

[nomar]

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.

I agree a rivalry has to be mutual.

The Giants, Cowboys, Eagles and Commanders are all rivals of one another. It's probably the best case of that in professional or college sports. For me, personally, I hate the Cowboys the most and the Commanders the least, but they're all rivalries. The teams have been playing each other 2x a year for decades and have passed the torch around the division.

 

[Tyler2Rings]

I feel bad. It’s not just the state of the basketball program, it’s the state of the city. Place is a ghost town, last time I was there it reminded me of Gary Indiana where the infrastructure is all still there but there are no people. Modern day Syracuse makes Hartford seem vibrant.

The city will be fine. When the West goes dry and the South gets too hot people will be flocking to upstate NY and the rest of the rust belt.

I hope the BB program has a turnaround as well so we can play a competitive game with them but I'm not as optimistic

 

[RuffRuff]

This should be a great rivalry as long Pitino is standing. There is no reason to overthink a rivalry or devalue the opposition (insecure bs).

This is a great one right now. Tons of juice, NYC, battle of MSG, contrasting style and systems. Two alphas. Enjoy it while it lasts as great rivalry is true sports entertainment. Both teams should be regularly top ten for next few years.

 

[upstater]

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.

The rivalry back then also had some pre-St. John's history as UConn played AT Boston U. in a game and had to travel to Boston during a bad snow storm. The bus got stuck on he highway. Jarvis was called to cancel the game but refused to do it, so I'm sure that infuriated Calhoun. Boston U. actually won the game and it was in Calhoun's first year.

 

[nomar]

The rivalry back then also had some pre-St. John's history as UConn played AT Boston U. in a game and had to travel to Boston during a bad snow storm. The bus got stuck on he highway. Jarvis was called to cancel the game but refused to do it, so I'm sure that infuriated Calhoun. Boston U. actually won the game and it was in Calhoun's first year.

Right, there was some bad blood between the coaches although this article from 1994 suggests they'd gotten over it

Sports of The Times; Once Again, Calhoun Has Little Edge (Published 1994)

www.nytimes.com

 

[Son of Robert]

Where is Malik Sealy when you need him, we were surely rivals then. Wait, don't answer that, it's not a happy ending. One of the better wings to play in the BIG EAST for sure.

 

[Waquoit]

I remember when Matt Brust played for at least 6 seasons.

 

[USNavyDog]

Position	UConn	St John's	Advantage
PG	Silas Demary Jr	Ian Jackson	UConn
SG	Solo Ball	Oziyah Sellers	UConn
SF	Jaylin Stewart	Joson Sanon	St John's
PF	Alex Karaban	Bryce Hopkins	UConn
C	Tarris Reed Jr	Zuby Ejiofor	St John's
Bench
G	Malachi Smith	Dylan Darling	UConn
G	Braylon Mullins	Lefteris Liotopoulos	UConn
F	Jayden Ross	Sadiku Ibine Ayo	Even
F	Jacob Furphy	Dillon Mitchell	St John's
C	Eric Reibe	Ruben Prey	UConn

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

Question. How about Tarris Reed Jr. is even with Zuby Ejiofor? Reed is no slouch and can potentially be a 1st round pick next year....sizewise he is equal to Ejiofor at 6'10" 265 lbs. Talent-wise....he's good....and he will continue to improve offensively and defensively next year.