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Hoyas coach John Thompson III echoed Boeheim's thoughts, calling it hard to match the "passion, emotion and intensity" of the rivalry.
"At no point did we not think this was going to happen," Thompson told ESPN on Tuesday. "The length of the deal may just be a formality. I don't ever see this not happening. This is something that is important to our program and to college basketball."
Thompson said there were discussions to have the series be home-and-home, a game at Madison Square Garden and a return to the home-and-home format. He said in time that may occur, but for now it will be a home-and-home format.
He added that Syracuse was the only must-get on the schedule for the Hoyas among the former Big East members.
"We haven't ruled anyone out," said Thompson, "but that was the natural one. That was the only one we had to do."
The Orange won the most recent game between the teams, 58-55 in the 2013 Big East tournament.
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