I miss the Big East Tournament so freaking much

[Eric15]

Few things brought me more joy than being in the Garden (or at a bar) on a Wednesday or Thursday afternoon for some great hoops. And then the feeling you get when you walk out of MSG after we've won, and you get to enjoy the city for the rest of the day knowing there's another game tomorrow... what more could you ask for in life?

 

[sabach]

Few things brought me more joy than being in the Garden (or at a bar) on a Wednesday or Thursday afternoon for some great hoops. And then the feeling you get when you walk out of MSG after we've won, and you get to enjoy the city for the rest of the day knowing there's another game tomorrow... what more could you ask for in life?

That is what made the BET tourney great. Great basketball and then everything in the world to do once the games were over or before the games. I will never forget taking my kid to Times Square and the Empire State Building and Blarney before the BET final against Louisville (the 6OT year). Obviously the second half of the game stunk but we had a great time anyway even if we had to drive back to CNY at 11:00 p.m. after the loss.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

That is what made the BET tourney great. Great basketball and then everything in the world to do once the games were over or before the games. I will never forget taking my kid to Times Square and the Empire State Building and Blarney before the BET final against Louisville (the 6OT year). Obviously the second half of the game stunk but we had a great time anyway even if we had to drive back to CNY at 11:00 p.m. after the loss.

Never got to take my kid down. Never attended at all. Really, really wanted to but was traveling for work last time.

 

[Shark58]

BE gone

 

[sabach]

Never got to take my kid down. Never attended at all. Really, really wanted to but was traveling for work last time.

If the ACCT is ever at the Garden, you have to go. The ACCT will never be the BET with SU, G-Town, UConn, etc. and the history of the BET at MSG but it will be still great to go to an end of the year conference tourney in the heart of the Big Apple.

 

[HoustonCuse]

One of my regrets is never getting to go to a BET. I actually won tickets to it one year in an online contest with Dunkin Donuts. Trouble was my job sent me to Moscow the day the tournament started. It was 2005. Not only did we win the BET that I had tickets to but couldn't attend - (or even watch on TV) but by the time my flight landed in the USA, OT against Vermont was just wrapping up. Of course, I had no idea what had happened in that game as I had been on planes for 14 hours. My wife met me at baggage claim with the news. Basically worst week ever.

 

[Knicks411]

Going with a buddy next week just because. Not the same, but it's still MSG.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Few things brought me more joy than being in the Garden (or at a bar) on a Wednesday or Thursday afternoon for some great hoops. And then the feeling you get when you walk out of MSG after we've won, and you get to enjoy the city for the rest of the day knowing there's another game tomorrow... what more could you ask for in life?

I always thought that Thursday's four games were the most enjoyable day of hoops anywhere. We would only go to Syracuse's session but just being in the city and interacting with opposing fans and seeing Orange everywhere. I've been to a lot of NCAA games and that is a very close experience but it didn't have the rivalries that the BET had.

 

[HOFCeluck]

I hate that I never got to see it.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Going with a buddy next week just because. Not the same, but it's still MSG.

Good for you. I hope you wear Orange and hope you root for Providence. Just because they never win anything.

 

[sabach]

One of my regrets is never getting to go to a BET. I actually won tickets to it one year in an online contest with Dunkin Donuts. Trouble was my job sent me to Moscow the day the tournament started. It was 2005. Not only did we win the BET that I had tickets to but couldn't attend - (or even watch on TV) but by the time my flight landed in the USA, OT against Vermont was just wrapping up. Of course, I had no idea what had happened in that game as I had been on planes for 14 hours. My wife met me at baggage claim with the news. Basically worst week ever.

Yikes

 

[sabach]

I always thought that Thursday's four games were the most enjoyable day of hoops anywhere. We would only go to Syracuse's session but just being in the city and interacting with opposing fans and seeing Orange everywhere. I've been to a lot of NCAA games and that is a very close experience but it didn't have the rivalries that the BET had.

I have been to BET and NCAA's. Other than the fact that the NCAA meant more, I agree that the BET was the better atmosphere for many reasons.

 

[iommi]

I used to go as a teenager. I went to Catholic grammar school and had a class of 20-something kids, only 8 or 9 boys. I think 5 or 6 of us would be out at least one of those days. I'm not big into nostalgia but wow...that tournament was awesome back then.

It was a great time to be alive.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

I used to go as a teenager. I went to Catholic grammar school and had a class of 20-something kids, only 8 or 9 boys. I think 5 or 6 of us would be out at least one of those days. I'm not big into nostalgia but wow...that tournament was awesome back then.

It was a great time to be alive.

You know it was only two years ago when it ended. Unless you are talking about way back when it was held in Providence, Syracuse and Hartford.

 

[Knicks411]

I have been to BET and NCAA's. Other than the fact that the NCAA meant more, I agree that the BET was the better atmosphere for many reasons.

the atmosphere for the BET was definitely hard to match. East regional at MSG last March was great as well. MSG and big time hoops is a great fit. (LOL Knicks)

 

[Briancuse]

Eh, it was great, times have changed. The acct will be a lot of fun, when we actually get to participate in it, or get past the first round.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Eh, it was great, times have changed. The acct will be a lot of fun, when we actually get to participate in it, or get past the first round.

Washington DC next year and then Brooklyn the next two years after that. It's not MSG but it's not Greensboro either.

 

[Alsacs]

BET was great but I would rather have a football schedule of Florida State, Clemson, NC State, Louisville, Boston College, Pitt, and one other ACC school with NO BET
Than
ECU, USF, UCF, Cincinnati, Temple, Tulane, SMU, Houston and a playing in the BET each year.

BET was tough to lose but worth it.

 

[Eric15]

Washington DC next year and then Brooklyn the next two years after that. It's not MSG but it's not Greensboro either.

I'm excited about DC next year (partly for selfish reasons as that's where I live). One of the things that made the BET at MSG so great is that you never had to worry about parking/driving and you could use mass transit to get anywhere you wanted. DC has that as well, for the most part.

 

[Eric15]

BET was tough to lose but worth it.

100% agree - I was just feeling nostalgic.

 

[iommi]

You know it was only two years ago when it ended. Unless you are talking about way back when it was held in Providence, Syracuse and Hartford.

I used to go in the 80s, AKA the conference's peak IMO.

 

[cuseguy]

BET was great but I would rather have a football schedule of Florida State, Clemson, NC State, Louisville, Boston College, Pitt, and one other ACC school with NO BET Than ECU, USF, UCF, Cincinnati, Temple, Tulane, SMU, Houston and a playing in the BET each year. BET was tough to lose but worth it.

Well, you know I disagree.

I'm a bigger football fan than hoops, but there was nothing like the BE tourney. There's now a huge hole in my March.

Hopefully we can beat FSU and Clemson once in the next 10 years.

 

[jec1521]

I live in the tri-state area, so the BET was when I saw most of my Syracuse Basketball over the years. I went every year from 2006 until our last season in the BE 2013. GMac vs. everyone in 06. The 6 OT game in 09. Great great memories. Beats the crap out of a game in the Carrier Dome, to be honest.

 

[esmorange]

25 consecutive Big East Tournaments and miss it a lot

 

[cto]

I went to every BET from 1985 until our final one in 2013. Then I went to Greensboro for the ACCT last March.

Absolute night and day comparison. The Greensboro Coliseum is in a strip mall in the middle of nowhere surrounded by acres of parking lots. No ambience whatsoever. And nothing to do before or after the games. I was torn as to whether I would go back this year. For better or worse, someone else made the decision for me.