UNCASVILLE, Conn. - The question came almost immediately Tuesday night, before the exhibition game had even settled in at Mohegan Sun Arena: Could Syracuse and UConn turn this into a real annual series again?
Gerry McNamara and Danny Hurley both sounded open to it.
The idea was simple enough - revive a once-intense Big East matchup, maybe even take it to Madison Square Garden and give the old rivalry a familiar stage. Whether that becomes a reality is another matter, and McNamara’s ability to lift Syracuse back into the respectable tier appears to be a major part of the equation.
UConn made the gap plain on the floor, rolling past the Orange 72-52.
Still, McNamara made clear how much he enjoyed the setting. He said he “loved” this type of game and spoke like someone who still carries the old Big East with him. He also credited Hurley for what he has built in Storrs, saying the UConn coach has raised the standard for what Syracuse is trying to become.
“I think both of us really appreciate old-school, head-to-head competitive juices and putting these two teams together because I think the fanbases enjoy it,” McNamara said. “I think we’re going to continue to get better. They’ve obviously gotten to that point.
“It’s been a lot of fun just getting down here to do this again. And hopefully, as we move forward, this is something that we do every year.”
Hurley said the two schools have already had conversations through their athletic departments - “our people and their people.” The format is still unsettled, with either Madison Square Garden or a home-and-home arrangement on the table.
From Hurley’s perspective, the timing should only get better for Syracuse if McNamara keeps pushing the program upward.
“As every season goes by, I just think it’ll be a game that we want to play,” Hurley said. “Maybe the last couple years, it hasn’t really been a game that would’ve made as much sense for us, just kind of based on where it’s been.
“But I think you got a pretty good idea of where this thing’s gonna go with Gerry coaching.”
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