UConn just dropped 72-52 on Syracuse at Mohegan Sun Arena in their Hall of Fame Exhibition Series showdown Tuesday, but that score isn’t even the biggest news coming out of the game. Huskies head coach Dan Hurley and first-year Orange coach Gerry McNamara are both absolutely fired up about rekindling this classic Big East rivalry in a regular-season series. Seriously, they want it back, and after hearing them talk, who wouldn’t?
The Coaches Are Dying For These “Old-School Competitive Juices”
You know it’s real when the opposing coach, especially one who played in these battles, is talking like this. Gerry McNamara, the guy who used to light up the Big East as a Syracuse guard, said it straight: “I love this, I grew up in this, this is what I played in.” He didn’t stop there, adding, “This game means a lot to me. I felt like, when I was a player in the Big East, it brought the best out of both programs.” He even confessed it’s “hard for me to root for a UConn team, but I find myself doing it because of the people on the sidelines,” referring to Hurley’s staff. That’s some serious respect right there.
Hurley is on the exact same page, calling it “pretty cool when UConn plays Syracuse.” He’s clearly itching to turn this exhibition into a regular-season clash, possibly a home-and-home or even at Madison Square Garden. He’s got massive respect for McNamara too, saying Gerry’s “one of the best young coaches in the sport, and he’s going to have the program back to where it was.” It sounds like both guys understand what this rivalry means, not just for them, but for the fans and the sport. McNamara even explicitly stated, “I think both of us really appreciate old-school, head-to-head competitive juices. Because I think the fan bases enjoy it.” Can you feel that energy?
Why This Needs To Happen Every Year
This Tuesday’s game was the first time these two old rivals faced off since 2018. Five years! That’s way too long for a rivalry this legendary to be gathering dust. Both coaches see this as a chance for both programs to “get better” and reach new heights. McNamara’s hoping, “as we move forward, this is something we do every year.” Hurley echoes that, aiming to “move this from an exhibition to a regular-season game in the future.”
The stakes are clear: this isn’t just about a single game, it’s about bringing back a piece of college basketball history. When coaches, especially ones with such deep ties to the rivalry, are this passionate about making it happen, you know it’s more than just a scheduling conflict. It’s about competitive fire, fan engagement, and building something special again. Here’s hoping the athletic directors listen up, because the fans, and frankly, the sport, deserve this battle back on the regular season slate.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply