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Message: [QUOTE="MSSportsGuy, post: 4100749, member: 6485"] This is off topic but I think it no doubt helped UConn they were located in the backyard of ESPN, for both it's basketball programs. ESPN publicized the Big East basketball gang early on and geography population density and the success of the programs fueled one another. Their men's programming was years ahead of the women's teams and the old school Big East had some amazing programs during that era. The infamous 1995 MLK day matchup was created by ESPN to televise. UConn was an ascendent program with success from the previous year and no doubt was going to be a major contender. UNC wanted a home game. ESPN apparently wasn't interested in going to Chapel Hill for whatever reason. If ESPN was doing it purely for the best interest of the game they would have easily gone to Chapel Hill, who were the defending national champions, and followed UConn there. For whatever reason the game was to be played in Storrs so UT agreed to make it happen. UConn's program didn't become successful because of the location of ESPN but I won't pretend that it wasn't a mutually beneficial relationship for both during those formative years. [/QUOTE]