Under the idea, current Big East teams like Seton Hall and St. John's would take on former membersGETTY IMAGES
UConn is pushing for an early-season, multi-team basketball event in N.Y. possibly in '23 that would pit the "Old Big East vs. New Big East," according to Jeff Jacobs of the CONNECTICUT POST. The Big 12 and Big East recently "announced a four-year season series" starting in '19-20, with 10 games "each year in local markets." UConn AD David Benedict said, “We’re having conversations as a conference right now of doing something like that, too. What I’m talking about is different. This is a special event. This isn’t a conference decision. This is individual schools’ decision.” Benedict added, "Let’s go get five teams that used to be in the Big East, get five currently in the Big East and let’s play." Benedict noted there likely would be only "one venue, although depending on the number of teams you get, it could be two.” He noted last year's PK80-Phil Knight Invitational in Portland was "unique with two venues side by side." Benedict: "Could you do Madison Square Garden and Barclays (or Prudential Center in Newark)? Yeah. They’re close enough." Jacobs notes the event would "serve as a regenerative tool for celebrating the history of college basketball in the Northeast." Benedict: "It’s still in the early stages. A lot still has to come together" (CONNECTICUT POST, 10/29).
