BIG EAST Celebrates 35 Years At Madison Square Garden
By Sean Brennan
It was March of 1983.
The classic television show M*A*S*H had just completed its memorable 11-year run with 125 million people viewing the final episode. The United States Football League was kicking off its debut on the national sports scene and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” had just begun its 37-week run as the No. 1 album in the world.
Album. That tells you all you need to know about how long ago 1983 was. And while the USFL lasted just a few seasons and M*A*S*H lives on only in syndication, one thing has remained constant since March of 1983 – the BIG EAST Tournament at Madison Square Garden.
This year will mark the 35
th consecutive year in which college basketball fans will descend on the World’s Most Famous Arena to witness the greatest college basketball has to offer from what is arguably the premier conference in the nation. When the BIG EAST Tournament debuted in 1980 it played its postseason tournaments at various locales, beginning with the Providence Civic Center in its inaugural year before moving on to the Carrier Dome in Syracuse and the Hartford Civic Center in the ensuing two seasons.
It wasn’t until its fourth postseason gala that the Garden became host to the BIG EAST Tournament and as St. John’s head coach Chris Mullin said, “Obviously it went well because we haven’t left.”
Mullin, now in his second season as head coach at St. John’s, knows a thing or two about that first BIG EAST Garden party. That was the season Mullin helped lead the Johnnies to the BIG EAST Tournament title when third-seeded St. John’s knocked off sixth-seeded Pittsburgh in the quarterfinals before disposing of No. 2 Villanova in the semifinals and No. 1 Boston College in the final.
“After all these years looking back, my first tournament was at the Hartford Civic Center and that was pretty uneventful,” Mullin said. “But when we moved to Madison Square Garden it was exciting for us to be on our home court and we wound up winning it that year. So looking back that was a special time.”
Even more so for Mullin, who was named the MVP of that 1983 tourney.
There have been countless special times each March at Madison Square Garden. There was Walter “The Truth” Berry blocking the potential game-winning shot by Dwayne “Pearl” Washington to give St. John’s the 1986 title over Syracuse.
How about Gerry McNamara, who was dubbed the most overrated player in the BIG EAST by stories in the local Syracuse media in the days leading up to the 2006 BIG EAST Tournament? All McNamara did was respond by hitting a running one-handed three-pointer from about 30 feet to knock off Cincinnati, 74-73, in the tournament opener, follow that with a three-pointer to force overtime against top-seeded UConn the next day as the Orange went on to win, 86-84, then drain five second-half three-pointers and log the assist on Eric Devendorf’s game-winning layup in the semifinals versus Georgetown before Syracuse became the first team to win four games in four days the next day to capture the ’06 title game with a 65-61 victory over Pittsburgh.
Overrated? Hardly.
Were you there for Syracuse’s 127-117, six-overtime victory over UConn in 2009? Or how about Kemba Walker leading No. 9 seed UConn to an unexpected and unprecedented five wins in five days to claim the 2011 BIG EAST Tournament crown? Those were days when the Garden itself actually felt like it was shaking.
So what’s your favorite BIG EAST Tournament memory? Some of the past greats, both coaches and players, have checked in with their own.
“Our BIG EAST championship in 2014, being that it was a reconfiguration of the BIG EAST, was very exciting,” said Providence head coach Ed Cooley. “We kind of came out of nowhere to win the conference tournament championship.”
The fourth-seeded Friars, behind tournament MOP Bryce Cotton, defeated St. John’s (79-74) and Seton Hall (80-74) before upsetting No. 2 seed Creighton and Doug McDermott 65-58 in the final. But Cooley has another tournament experience he keeps close to his heart.
“I also experienced a very similar thing in 2001 when I was at Boston College (as an assistant coach),” Cooley said. “That year we were picked dead last and we wound up winning the (East Division) regular season (title) and winning the conference tournament. Growing up in the BIG EAST, and seeing what it’s meant to college basketball, has had many exciting moments for me as I’ve worked in the league for 15 years. I’ve seen a lot of great things happen at Madison Square Garden and magical things continue to happen.”
Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard, like Mullin, has experienced the BIG EAST Tournament as both a player and coach. Willard was a guard for Pittsburgh for two seasons (1995-97) before leading Seton Hall to the BIG EAST title last year. So he has a deep well of memories to draw upon.
“It’s a unique perspective because as great as last year was - and it’s something that I’ll never, ever forget - but winning a BIG EAST championship at Madison Square Garden, it’s a feeling I still have a hard time describing to people of how special it is,” Willard said. “But when you’re a player and the first time you enter that tunnel and you saw the court for the first time, man, it’s a special feeling to be in the BIG EAST Tournament as a player in the Garden. I’ll never forget that first time coming out of the locker room and coming through the tunnel. Both teams used to come out pretty much together and everyone has that nervousness, that excitement. And then you get on that floor and you look up into the rafters and you see all the players that have played before you, it’s an unbelievable feeling. It’s something that never leaves you and I still get chills thinking about it right now.”
Willard said his memories as a player are not necessarily better than those as a coach. They’re just different, he said.
“I think as a coach, because you’re older and more experienced, you understand the greatness of Madison Square Garden more,” Willard said. “You understand the legacy. I think as a coach you soak it in a little more than you do as a player.”
Villanova head coach Jay Wright also has a treasure trove of March memories at Madison Square Garden. The head coach of the reigning National Champion Wildcats has one obvious special memory and another that dates to before he was even a part of the Villanova basketball family.
“Winning the tournament in 2015 is definitely my favorite,” Wright said. “Before last year (winning the NCAA National Championship) that might have been our biggest thrill. Just doing that at Madison Square Garden in New York City was one of the highlights of our time here. But the second one might be when Villanova won it in ‘95 when I wasn’t even on the staff. I was at Hofstra and I came in just to watch the game and see that team win it. I sat in the Nova section. That was my second biggest thrill.”
It’s the conference tournament that has brought countless Patrick Ewing swats, Louie Carnesecca’s loud sweaters, John Thompson’s towel and Josh Hart’s coming out party two years ago. Last year, it was Isaiah Whitehead, pouring in 26 points, including the game-winning three-point play with 18 seconds left, as Seton Hall shocked top-seeded – and eventual National Champion – Villanova 69-67 to give the Pirates their first tournament title in 23 years.
And more memories are waiting to be made this year. Will it be Xavier guard Trevon Bluiett’s turn in the spotlight or perhaps powerhouse performance from Creighton freshman center Justin Patton? Can center Luke Fischer help deliver four wins in four days for Marquette? Will double-double machine Angel Delgado help Seton Hall repeat or is it Kelan Martin’s turn to shine for Butler? Can the St. John’s freshman phenom backcourt of Marcus Lovett and Shamorie Ponds help return the Johnnies to the title game for the first time since 2000 or do Rodney Bullock and the Friars have another 2014-type run in them? Will Rodney Pryor and Georgetown make a memorable run or can Billy Garrett Jr. and DePaul pull off a shocker?
Or are Josh Hart and Villanova ready to flex their muscle and take home their second BIG EAST Tournament crown in three seasons?
Thirty five years of great memories with the promise of more to come. What better way to spend March in New York City?
“It’s still a really cool time of year being in New York for the BIG EAST Tournament,” Mullin said.