MU's Big East Schedule Released

[marqfan22]

Home & Away
Louisville
Notre Dame
Seton Hall

ps- You heard here on MUSCOOP.com first.

http://www.dailymail.com/story/Sports/WVU+Sports/2007071328/Big-East-basketball-Bearcats-to-visit-WVU-Huggins/

[Avenue Commons]

No DePaul home and home? Where will we play them next year if we only play them once? I thought that we would always play ND, DPU, and I thought Louisville home-and-away every year as a part of the Big East regional deal. Am I wrong on that or did they change it?

[Chili]

No DePaul home and home? Where will we play them next year if we only play them once? I thought that we would always play ND, DPU, and I thought Louisville home-and-away every year as a part of the Big East regional deal. Am I wrong on that or did they change it?

You are wrong. They try and keep some traditional rivals but also don't want it to get stale. I just the DuhPaul game is either home or on a weekend in Chicago. I am sick of driving down on weeknights.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

We only played ND once last year.

It's a travesty that we don't play DePaul twice every year.

[mu_hilltopper]

The 2007 schedule has been updated on the wiki.

http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/2007

That page will be edited a ton over the next 90 days, as little bits and pieces of our schedule come out.

[marqfan22]

The Big East will be announcing the remaining home and away games possibly today.  no dates/times will be given yet.

[marqfan22]

I would rather play ND twice over DePaul.  Louisville is argueably our biggest rival over the last 10+ years. I love that our third game is in the NY/NJ area for recruiting reasons.

I'm very happy with the repeat opponents.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

We've played hugely competitive and entertaining games with Louisville -- there's no denying that -- but DePaul is and always will be our biggest conference rival.

ND is a close second, although their fans probably don't consider us a true rival.

[Sir Lawrence]

We've played hugely competitive and entertaining games with Louisville -- there's no denying that -- but DePaul is and always will be our biggest conference rival.

ND is a close second, although their fans probably don't consider us a true rival.

I respectfully disagree.  I'd put both Notre Dame and Louisville ahead of DePaul as MU's "biggest conference rivals." 

I am very happy with these mirror games.  Looks like South Bend road trip, year three in a row. 

[mu_hilltopper]

It's an age thing.  If you became a fan in the 90s, DePaul is nothing more than a scrub team we've mostly pummeled over last 25-30 games.  If you're a pre-90s fan, DePaul is a big deal.

"Biggest conference rival"?  Personally, there are about 5 teams ahead of DePaul on my "want to play" / rival list.

[Marquette84]

We've played hugely competitive and entertaining games with Louisville -- there's no denying that -- but DePaul is and always will be our biggest conference rival.

I think this may have been true in the 80's.  But not anymore.

If you walked up to 100 random MU fans and offered them free front row seats to either the DePaul or the ND game, 99 of them would take the ND game.

I'd be willing to bet that you'd have 80 to 90%+ majorities for the same offers of choice between DePaul and Louisville, Pittsburgh or Cinnnanti as well.

And I'd also bet that more fans today would take a ticket to Syracuse, UConn, and Villanova over DePaul.

Some rival.  

But, if you gave them the choice between, say Pitt or Georgetown and ND, I'd bet more would take ND--even though Pitt and Georgetwon have been the better teams recently.

ND is by far a bigger rival right now.

DePaul is looking more like a former rival occupying a seat right next to Loyola (79 all time meetings) and Detroit (87 all time meetings).

[NYWarrior]

It's an age thing.  If you became a fan in the 90s, DePaul is nothing more than a scrub team we've mostly pummeled over last 25-30 games.  If you're a pre-90s fan, DePaul is a big deal.

"Biggest conference rival"?  Personally, there are about 5 teams ahead of DePaul on my "want to play" / rival list.

Since MU beats the snot out of DPU regularly (26 of the last 32 meetings), I conveniently call them MU's biggest rival 

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

All I am saying is that historically, DePaul is a bigger rival. It's not even debatable. There's too much history to deny it.

The Cardinals are down this year. Does this mean that the Brewers are the Cubs biggest rival? No chance. Same thing with Red Sox/Yankees. Just because one team is down for a period of years -- as MU was in the late 80s, early 90's -- does not make the rivalry disappear.

Saying that a certain percentage of fans would rather see a certain team next year is immaterial.

In the 80's, DePaul fans would rather see UCLA than Marquette. Were DePaul and UCLA rivals?

[mu_hilltopper]

So, you're saying once you have a rival, that's it forever?   I reject that, for the same reason Loyola and U of Detroit aren't our rivals anymore.

I'd propose several factors a rivalry dies off:
1. Lack of play vs. rival over large period
2. Lack of competitiveness over a large period
3. "X-Factor" .. = hatred just plain dies off.

DePaul would need to become a hot-ticket game again before it could be considered MU's current-era rival.  Currently, there are at least 5-6 other teams people would rather see.

[Sir Lawrence]

I'm a pre-80's fan, and understand the DePaul rivalry.  Numbers favor the Notre Dame rivalry.  MU has played Notre Dame 108 times, DePaul 104 times.  Maybe it's just me, but I've always enjoyed a win over ND more than a win over DePaul, in any decade.

[ToddPacker]

PRN, Depaul is not a rival for the reasons others have already listed.  I could not care less about Depaul, their crappy arena, their 17 fans, or their team.  26-6 or something over the last 32 meetings?  Are you kidding me?  Once they start winning more than 18% of the time, then maybe they can get bumped ahead of some other rivals.  The 80s have been over for awhile now and so has MU's rivalry with Depaul.

[CTWarrior]

I think both DePaul and ND should be home and homes every year for MU.  They are our most natural rivals in the Big East.  I think that if they're going to go to 18 games in the Big East the best thing to do would be to make four divisions of four teams and you play your division rivals twice and every one else once.  A division with MU, Cincy, DePaul and ND would really make for good rivalry games each year.  How about

Connecticut
Providence
Saint Johns
Syracuse

Pittsburgh
Rutgers
Seton Hall
Villanova

Georgetown
Louisville
South Florida
West Virginia

Cincinnati
DePaul
Marquette
Notre Dame

I guess that third division is kind of a squirrelly mess of leftovers, but the other ones work.  

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

hmm... I'm pretty satisfied with those.

Obviously it would be better to get ND, DPU, PITT, UL every year twice... but that's not really possible.

I like the Seton Hall match-up... always nice to play another catholic school... keeps the catholic basketball rivalry alive.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

So, you're saying once you have a rival, that's it forever?   I reject that, for the same reason Loyola and U of Detroit aren't our rivals anymore.

I'd propose several factors a rivalry dies off:
1. Lack of play vs. rival over large period
2. Lack of competitiveness over a large period
3. "X-Factor" .. = hatred just plain dies off.

DePaul would need to become a hot-ticket game again before it could be considered MU's current-era rival.  Currently, there are at least 5-6 other teams people would rather see.

Loyola and Detroit are no longer rivals because we haven't play them consistently for a number of years.

Incidentally, if memory serves, DePaul has beaten MU 2 of the last 3. They also seem to be outrecruiting us.

I fully understand that people would rather see other teams, but the way Wainwright seems to be drawing kids to DePaul, that may not be the case much longer.

Incidentally, ND holds a 75-32 career "edge" over Marquette. Do you consider that "competitive" over a large period?

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

One point of clarification -- I really like our home conference schedule this year. I think it's much better than last year.

I just wish we played DePaul twice!

[snakesinthesnoilet]

FRIDAY, July 13, 2007, 10:46 a.m.
By Todd Rosiak

MU's Big East schedule announced
An expanded 18-game schedule, repeat games against rivals Louisville and Notre Dame and home games against Georgetown and Pittsburgh highlight Marquette University's 2007-'08 Big East schedule, which was released on Friday.

For the first time since joining the conference in 2005, MU will face all 15 opposing teams at least once and continue to play three repeat opponents. Previously teams played a 16-game league schedule, meaning each team in the league failed to meet two others in a given season.

Game dates and times will be announced later this summer.

That the Golden Eagles will face Louisville and Notre Dame twice apiece is no surprise. MU and Louisville played another pair of entertaining games last season, and have developed an intense rivalry during coach Tom Crean's tenure at MU. The Cardinals return nearly all their key players, and are expected to contend with Georgetown and MU for the Big East regular-season championship.

Notre Dame is also MU's longest-running rival, with the two teams having begun playing in the 1919-'20 season.

Seton Hall is MU's third repeat opponent, a bit of welcome news for the Golden Eagles since the Pirates won't be picked to finish in the upper half of the league standings.

Georgetown, featuring a likely Big East pre-season player of the year in 7-foot-3 senior center Roy Hibbert, and Pittsburgh, a repeat opponent of the Golden Eagles in their first two years in the Big East, travel to the Bradley Center to face MU this season.

The Golden Eagles' three remaining home opponents are Providence, Rutgers and South Florida.

In all, six of MU's nine home Big East opponents qualified for post-season play last season, with four finishing in the Associated Press' top 25.

The Golden Eagles, meanwhile, are 13-3 in league play at the Bradley Center, the second-best such mark in the Big East over the past two seasons.

MU's road schedule will once again be daunting. Aside from its trips to Louisville and Notre Dame, MU also travels to face Connecticut, Syracuse, Villanova and West Virginia.

The Golden Eagles' trip to face the Orange at the Carrier Dome will be their first since Feb. 3, 1985. MU won at Connecticut last season, but lost at both Villanova and West Virginia in 2005-'06.

MU's final two road opponents are Cincinnati and St. John's.

MU's ticket office has extended its hours to 9 p.m. tonight, and will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Fans can call (414) 288-GOMU, or order tickets in person at the Al McGuire Center at 770 N. 12th St.

[marqfan22]

PRN--do you live in Chicago?

I would be upset if I lived there and MU wasn't coming...other than that, I would rather see MU play UL, ND, and Pitt in mirror games before DePaul.  The RedSox/Yankees rivalry is great because both teams are always good when they have played each other. When have MU and DePaul both been good at the same time? 70's?  I appreciate the long history, but it's time to move over for better games that the whole country will care about.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

PRN--do you live in Chicago?

I would be upset if I lived there and MU wasn't coming...other than that, I would rather see MU play UL, ND, and Pitt in mirror games before DePaul.  The RedSox/Yankees rivalry is great because both teams are always good when they have played each other. When have MU and DePaul both been good at the same time? 70's?  I appreciate the long history, but it's time to move over for better games that the whole country will care about.

Yes, I live in Chicago. You may be right that it clouds my opinion of things.

Concerning the Red Sox v. Yankees, I vehemently disagree. Until 2004, the Red Sox were the Yankees whipping boys for 80 years! The media has taken simple baseball games -- like the 1978 regular season playoff -- and made them into Shakepearean tragedies. It's a joke!

I've not heard any Doris Kearns Goodwin-like laments about the Giants losing to the Cubs in the 1998 one game playoff. 

[Harrison]

As far as ND not condsidering MU a rival, that is hogwash.  Living in Indiana I can tell you that the last two games at ND have been the two hardest tickets to get during that time.  All the ND fans remenber the ND "glory" years of Digger and their arch nemisis being Al and MU.  Now they see them selves back to a degree and look who's back too....MU.   they see it as a huge rivalry and it will again be the first game to sell out on their schedule.   I'll be there.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Cool.  That means I get a return trip to Storrs this winter and possible visits to Madison Square Garden and wherever Seton will be playing.

[ozmetal71]

If you were at either of the past two games at South Bend, you would know how ND regards MU.  It's not bitter, but the intensity is certainly there. 

ND and MU are both in a position to contend in the BE, so the rivalry will return to its 60s-80s prominence.

Also, I could give two poops about playing DePaul, and I live less than 45 minutes from the Allstate Arena.  I would much rather go see Marquette play ND than DePaul, and the same goes for Louisville.

When DePaul has some semblance of a consistent program and fan following, then perhaps the rivalry can approach the intensity of the MU-ND and MU-Louisville games.

[rocky_warrior]

The 2007 schedule has been updated on the wiki.

http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/2007

That page will be edited a ton over the next 90 days, as little bits and pieces of our schedule come out.

Dang you've been quick on these updates 'topper. Thanks!  I went there thinking I could add some new info, but everything was done except the Canada trip in Sept...

[Marquette84]

All I am saying is that historically, DePaul is a bigger rival. It's not even debatable. There's too much history to deny it.

Than Notre Dame?  You're absolutely nuts.  

Even when DePaul was GOOD Notre Dame was a bigger rival.

Name one MU/DePaul game--just one--that people talk about the same way they discuss Doc Rivers' half court game winner.  Or Novak's game winner a year ago?

Can you remember a classic end to any MU/DePaul games?  Do people talk about it decades later like they do these ND games?

Do people still hate Teddy Grubbs or Mark Aguirre the way they dislike Kelly Tripuka or Bill Laimbeer?  I don't think so.

Even in losses, people remember the Notre Dame games--David Rivers end-to-end layup with six seconds to go in the 80's.  The end of the home win streak in the 70's.  Hitting bottom with 10 1st half points at home under Bob Dukeit.  All memorable--decades later.  Because they came against ND.

Just mention Digger Phelps today and you can raise an MU fan's blood pressure by 10 points.   You don't even need to mention his last name.


Digger.



Digger Digger Digger.



There, I probably just sent 10 people into convulsions.



Just TRY doing that with Ray Meyer.  G'head.  Try.

Hey, people:  Ray.


 
Collective Response:  "Ray who?"  


Or Joey Meyer.  Or Pat Kennedy.  Nobody cares.  

Some rival, DePaul.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

SJS -- once again, you seem to take everything personally. The tone of your posts can best be described as peculiar.

I disagree with you for reasons I've mentioned above.

[mu_hilltopper]

Indeed, the one thing we can learn and appreciate:  Rivalries are subjective and personal.   You can get some people to agree some of the time, but never, never never all people, all of the time.

I still think of the great games vs. Cincy, how they were our big conf game every year .. some will say our biggest rival is UL, ND, or DePaul.   

There is no right answer.  (Except DePaul.  That's a wrong answer.) 

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

SJS -- once again, you seem to take everything personally. The tone of your posts can best be described as peculiar.

I disagree with you for reasons I've mentioned above.

I think rivalries are often different for everybody. I mean, everybody has their favorite team to hate (mine are UofL and DePaul).

BUT, PRN, I find it funny that you think SJS is taking this too personally. I mean, this is from the guy who feels he has been personally wronged by his alma mater over and over again (logo, schedule, Crean's style, etc.)

[muarmy81]

All I am saying is that historically, DePaul is a bigger rival. It's not even debatable. There's too much history to deny it.

Than Notre Dame?  You're absolutely nuts.  

Even when DePaul was GOOD Notre Dame was a bigger rival.

Name one MU/DePaul game--just one--that people talk about the same way they discuss Doc Rivers' half court game winner.  Or Novak's game winner a year ago?

Can you remember a classic end to any MU/DePaul games?  Do people talk about it decades later like they do these ND games?

Do people still hate Teddy Grubbs or Mark Aguirre the way they dislike Kelly Tripuka or Bill Laimbeer?  I don't think so.

Even in losses, people remember the Notre Dame games--David Rivers end-to-end layup with six seconds to go in the 80's.  The end of the home win streak in the 70's.  Hitting bottom with 10 1st half points at home under Bob Dukeit.  All memorable--decades later.  Because they came against ND.

Just mention Digger Phelps today and you can raise an MU fan's blood pressure by 10 points.   You don't even need to mention his last name.


Digger.



Digger Digger Digger.



There, I probably just sent 10 people into convulsions.



Just TRY doing that with Ray Meyer.  G'head.  Try.

Hey, people:  Ray.


 
Collective Response:  "Ray who?"  


Or Joey Meyer.  Or Pat Kennedy.  Nobody cares.  

Some rival, DePaul.

The guy from college game day coached?  j/k I knew that but again this goes back to each different time period.  When I was at school we didn't even play notre dame (1998-2002) but Cincy was always a big game and just after I left UL was getting better since Pitino showed up so rivalries are relative because the same emotion you got from characters like Digger Phelps are the same emotions I got from Rick Pitino or Kenyon Martin.

[Marquette84]

SJS -- once again, you seem to take everything personally. The tone of your posts can best be described as peculiar.

I disagree with you for reasons I've mentioned above.

If I took this personally I would have said you're wrong because you're a hothead, Crean-hater who can't get over a 15 year old nickname change.

No, this time, I was strictly crictizing your obviously incorrect statement that DePaul is, and always will be, MU's biggest rival.  In reality, they aren't now and never were MU's biggest rival.

The most peculiar argument in this thread is when you say that  "its not even debatable" that DePaul is our biggest rival.

Well, sorry, but that IS debatable.  Notre Dame was and reamains a bigger rival than DePaul--for all the reasons I mentioned.  

I see that you didn't even name a single classic MU/DePaul memory!  

I rattled off a half dozen classic MU/ND moments without even thinking about it.  And everyone of age who read the thread can vividly remember each of those as well.  They're seared into our collective memory.  Unlike any DePaul moments.  

You would think if the MU/DePaul rivalry was as classic as MU/ND, you'd raise me by reminding me of a BETTER ending than Doc Rivers half-court shot.  Or a more gut-wrenching loss than ending an 81 game home court winning streak.

Now, you may personally have a thing for DePaul--who know, maybe you applied and they turned you down.  But some oddballs think Dayton is a huge rival as well.  Go figure.

If someone is going to name one team as MU's biggest rival through the years, there is only one possible candidate--Notre Dame.

[tower912]

If we went 1-30 this year but took down ND, the season would not be a total loss.   ND is  the longest, most bitter rivalry we have, even more than Wiscy.

[rocky_warrior]

ND is  the longest, most bitter rivalry we have, even more than Wiscy.

I completely agree - but I know this board will also go crazy around the Wisconsin game.  Though, I believe that's mostly because all the people in Wisconsin want to win the game for bragging rights - and avoid another year of UW-Nowhere fans claiming their team is better

[SGWarrior]

Not quite sure how to answer the question as to who is our biggest rival.  When I graduated in '03 I considered Cincy our greatest rival followed by DePaul.  I can't stand the mention of Huggins or Kenyon Martin and I consider the '02? upset of #2 Bearcats one of the best 'edge of your seats'/'crap your pants' games I've seen in person.  You also have to remember DePaul had a loaded lineup of Q Richardson, Bobby Simmons, Lance Williams, etc at the time.  While attending school we always heard grumblings of our rivalry with ND.  After playing them the past few years and witnessing the intensity of the crowd at the BC and Joyce Center I now consider ND our greatest rival.  'The Shot' was unbelievable, and there is not one other team on our schedule that I cannot wait to play.  Does anyone remember how Hangrody shoved and held Marquette at the Joyce Center last year on his way to his best game (ie fluke) game of the year?  I can't wait to show Hangrody and ND a much tougher and much more representative version of Marquette basketball this year.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I have to agree with the DePaul sentiments...it's a good game, an important game but I wouldn't even list it in my top 5.  Maybe if they get good again.

Notre Dame
Louisville
Wisconsin
Pitt
Cincinnati

all are bigger games to me in terms of getting up for them.  Yes, tons of history with DePaul but you can't polish a turd and they have been a turd for most of the last 20 years.

[MUUWUWM]

The Cardinal's are down this year??......I'll take some of what you're smoking. Louisville at home or away will be really tough to beat.

[MUUWUWM]

I've been going to Marquette games for 45 years now....and DePaul was a big rival....but has slid down..way down in my opinion....I'd list them after Louisville, Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, ND, and on and on, hmmmm probally close to the school  a bit east and north of us..

[SGWarrior]

So considering everything what is our record next year?  In the Big East? 

[ecompt]

Who knows at this point? I'd say off the top of my head we have very winnable home games against DePaul, USF, Seton Hall, Providence and Rutgers. Louisville, ND and Pitt are tossups, and Gtown will be very tough. I'd take anything around 5-4 on the road and be happy. 13-5 or 12-6 is very do-able, but...again, who knows?

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

SJS -- once again, you seem to take everything personally. The tone of your posts can best be described as peculiar.

I disagree with you for reasons I've mentioned above.

I think rivalries are often different for everybody. I mean, everybody has their favorite team to hate (mine are UofL and DePaul).

BUT, PRN, I find it funny that you think SJS is taking this too personally. I mean, this is from the guy who feels he has been personally wronged by his alma mater over and over again (logo, schedule, Crean's style, etc.)

I feel I have been personally wronged by "Crean's style?" That makes perfect sense.

[mu_hilltopper]

Generally, I think of the Bradley Center as a fortress.  I don't even look at the teams we play at home.  I don't care if we play Jesus' himself, we should win every BC game.  But we'll slip and lose one.  That's 8-1 at home.

On the road, 4-5, and you have a respectable 12-6.  Minimum.  And MU proved to be a very respectable road team last year .. should be closer to 14-4.

[ToddPacker]

SJS -- once again, you seem to take everything personally. The tone of your posts can best be described as peculiar.

I disagree with you for reasons I've mentioned above.

I think rivalries are often different for everybody. I mean, everybody has their favorite team to hate (mine are UofL and DePaul).

BUT, PRN, I find it funny that you think SJS is taking this too personally. I mean, this is from the guy who feels he has been personally wronged by his alma mater over and over again (logo, schedule, Crean's style, etc.)

I feel I have been personally wronged by "Crean's style?" That makes perfect sense.

You're the one who keeps harping on it...

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

SJS -- once again, you seem to take everything personally. The tone of your posts can best be described as peculiar.

I disagree with you for reasons I've mentioned above.

I think rivalries are often different for everybody. I mean, everybody has their favorite team to hate (mine are UofL and DePaul).

BUT, PRN, I find it funny that you think SJS is taking this too personally. I mean, this is from the guy who feels he has been personally wronged by his alma mater over and over again (logo, schedule, Crean's style, etc.)

I feel I have been personally wronged by "Crean's style?" That makes perfect sense.

Well, ok. I was having trouble putting all of your issues with coach Crean into a concise phrase. Nevertheless, you seem to take everything that MU and Coach Crean do very personally (not uncommon for alumni). BUT, then you poke at MU84 for doing the same thing when discussing rivalries with you.

[ChicosBailBonds]

The Cardinal's are down this year??......I'll take some of what you're smoking. Louisville at home or away will be really tough to beat.

He's referring to the St. Louis Cardinals I believe.

[spartan3186]

If i were to pick my home and homes based on the last two big east seasons they would be

1) Pitt
2) Louisville
3) Notre Dame
4) Georgetown

in that order

[Schoolyard]

To borrow from ESPN. Pitt is now but in reality it's so far down the list.

My top 5

Bucky
UL
Cinci
DePaul
ND

Go to a UW game and tell me it's not #1...You could be from The OC or Erie or Brookfield, it is the absolute most juiced game of the year.  Most other games come on in the second half of the game, Bucky is a war from tip.  And I'm from Chicago.

ND, please they could care less about us...I went to HS with a ton of ND kids, know a ton of ND older alums, we're on their radar as much as Air Force is, yeah we may play them but they don't care.  MU at SB is only a hot ticket b/c our Chicago presense makes it so.  Sure we love to beat them, but it's just b/c of our inferiority complex.

DePaul is big IMO b/c so many people are from families that grow up DU fans and then matriculate from MU.

Still for the past 10-15 years, its been UL & Cinci b/c conf makes it so.  To put Pitt in there is laughable, did you say Evansville in 1989?  Lets have some perspective people!

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

To borrow from ESPN. Pitt is now but in reality it's so far down the list.

My top 5

Bucky
UL
Cinci
DePaul
ND

Go to a UW game and tell me it's not #1...You could be from The OC or Erie or Brookfield, it is the absolute most juiced game of the year.  Most other games come on in the second half of the game, Bucky is a war from tip.  And I'm from Chicago.

ND, please they could care less about us...I went to HS with a ton of ND kids, know a ton of ND older alums, we're on their radar as much as Air Force is, yeah we may play them but they don't care.  MU at SB is only a hot ticket b/c our Chicago presense makes it so.  Sure we love to beat them, but it's just b/c of our inferiority complex.

DePaul is big IMO b/c so many people are from families that grow up DU fans and then matriculate from MU.

Still for the past 10-15 years, its been UL & Cinci b/c conf makes it so.  To put Pitt in there is laughable, did you say Evansville in 1989?  Lets have some perspective people!

I agree with you completely about UW and ND. I think hardcore ND basketball fans would consider MU a rival... the only problem is there are about 12 ND hoops fans. All of their rivals come from football.

The UW rivalry is big because it's kind of like the civil war... it can divide places of business, high schools, even families. A lot of people claim some sort of "dual allegiance"... but for that one Saturday every year you have to pick one or the other and it's a war.

I disagree with a you a little re: PITT. I mean, Cincy was a good rivalry because they were obviously a great team that MU always seemed to be able to knock off. In reality that rivalry isn't that old and I think PITT is on it's way to becoming a Cincy like rival. There may not be a ton of history between MU and PITT... but ask any MU student and they will tell you that they HATE PITT.

I would consider DePaul a rival because in reality MU and DePaul are very very alike. I just hope DePaul never gets their act together, because if/when they do... that program could become very formidable.

[spartan3186]

First of all I am a current MU student so I have no idea what Evansville in '89 was like. However that is besides the point. If you re-read my post I Said "based on the last 2 BIG EAST season" those were the teams I would want home and homes against. I despise Pitt (this has been the case since far before I came to MU) but love having games against them. I did not include UW in that list because we can not have Big East home and homes against them.

[Tommy Brice for Coach]

The UW rivalry is big because it's kind of like the civil war... it can divide places of business, high schools, even families. A lot of people claim some sort of "dual allegiance"... but for that one Saturday every year you have to pick one or the other and it's a war.

I disagree with a you a little re: PITT. I mean, Cincy was a good rivalry because they were obviously a great team that MU always seemed to be able to knock off. In reality that rivalry isn't that old and I think PITT is on it's way to becoming a Cincy like rival. There may not be a ton of history between MU and PITT... but ask any MU student and they will tell you that they HATE PITT.

I pretty much agree with you on these points. For one, as a current MU student, I completely hate pitt big time... and it was so so sweet beating them twice last year (especially with Kinsella making those threes  ) Give it time, and we could have a huge rivalry with them.

However, our top rival right now is either UW or UL. For me, the UW game is a personal one - I'm from Madison, so it is all about bragging rights over pretty much every one I know from home. Like you said - it's a civil war, and you gotta pick a side for that one day. I think Alondo Tucker is a classy guy, but man, on December 9th, I hated his guts. (Well, I'm pretty sure I lost all creditability with that last line  ) But UL is also up there - especially after the Jerry Smith last second miracle last season. I guess really can't decide which I hate more 

[MileHigh]

From the feeling I got last year as a current student, from all my friends, Notre Dame was the #1 rivalry.  Even the ND students know it.  If you know anyone from ND, students don't go to the games, but when MU comes to town, they sell out.  A strong Catholic basketball rivarly could be on the rise if we start playing them twice a year.

[Avenue Commons]

All I am saying is that historically, DePaul is a bigger rival. It's not even debatable. There's too much history to deny it.

The Cardinals are down this year. Does this mean that the Brewers are the Cubs biggest rival? No chance. Same thing with Red Sox/Yankees. Just because one team is down for a period of years -- as MU was in the late 80s, early 90's -- does not make the rivalry disappear.

Saying that a certain percentage of fans would rather see a certain team next year is immaterial.

In the 80's, DePaul fans would rather see UCLA than Marquette. Were DePaul and UCLA rivals?

Another part of the equation is to ask DePaul fans who they think their biggest rival is. Most of them will say Marquette. The DePaul kids get jacked up for the MU game, regularly making t-shirts and coming out for the game. I went to MU in the mid 90's and I still think that because of the history and proximity that DePaul is our biggest rival. I don't discount that the rival has lessened in the past few years, but all things considered it is still our biggest rival.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Like I said... I think rivalries often are personal.

I mean, we all know that PITT, UC, ND, UofL, UW, DePaul, and possibly UWM are all going to be pretty good rivalry games.

I guess the specific order of hatred is really determined by the individual.

I hate UofL because of the great battles we've had with them (last second shots, flagrant fouls, jerseys thrown off, etc.)

I hate PITT because I just hate their style of play, I hate they whiney ass coach, I don't like their guards that look like Jermaine Dupri, I don't like their centers who as super slow and have no muscle

I hate UC because of all of the thugs they have had in the program... and because they were always the top in the conference when I was in school. I still think the best MU game I've ever been to was the home win against Cincy to clinch the conf. title. Obviously the Final 4 was a special event... but the 2002 conf. title was probably the game that re-launched the program.

I hate DePaul because obviously we want to maintain all of the bragging rights and because I hate their stupid "3... Point... Play" thing that they say at the All-State arena (AKA Medieval Times)

I hate UW because I hate that everybody in the state is a default UW fan and never wants to give MU any credit. MU plays in Milwaukee... yet everywhere I go I see Badger crap and people talking about the Badgers. I know that they are the big state school... and that comes with the territory... but it doesn't mean I have to like it.

I hate ND because they are pretty elitist. I have to admit that I rooted for ND football growing up (catholic school kid), and I still casually watch ND football (they are on all of the time). BUT, I also know that a lot of the students and alumni are so wrapped up in their own Notre Dameness that they don't recognize or even know anything about MU. Plus, let's be honest: ND is the top Catholic school in the mid-west (maybe the country)... So there are a lot of people who went to MU that probably would have liked to have attended ND, but couldn't make the grades to get in. So, I think there is a little bit of jealously buried in this rivalry as well. I wouldn't call this a hard and fast rule... but I'm just saying there is some underlying stuff for a lot of MU people.

And UWM... Well... I don't like how a lot of people think UWM is the next big thing or something. They have had a nice run over the past 5 years. I also think they can continue to grow and compete in their conference. However, I don't think that UWM fans should be shoving their success in MU's face. I also think that all of the back and forth in the media is pretty much like "poking the bear" or whatever other cliche you want to use. Crean is going to be highly motivated to make a statement in this game.

MU vs UWM this year... all debates will be settled. MU is going to roll... and I mean roll big. UWM plays a pretty uptempo style, and that will not work well against MU's athletes. McNeal is going to have 27 steals that game. Also, I think Ooz might be able to have 13 long-armed reverse lay-ups.

[mu_hilltopper]

Another part of the equation is to ask DePaul fans who they think their biggest rival is.

.. I think the answer to that one would be "We have a basketball team?"

[muwarrior87]

The ND rivalry is really big.  I know 2 ppl going there for grad school and they are both being paid to go there.  They like to bring that up whenever someone comments on how they went to MU for their undergrad. 

[Villacats]

I think both DePaul and ND should be home and homes every year for MU.  They are our most natural rivals in the Big East.  I think that if they're going to go to 18 games in the Big East the best thing to do would be to make four divisions of four teams and you play your division rivals twice and every one else once.  A division with MU, Cincy, DePaul and ND would really make for good rivalry games each year.  How about

Connecticut
Providence
Saint Johns
Syracuse

Pittsburgh
Rutgers
Seton Hall
Villanova

Georgetown
Louisville
South Florida
West Virginia

Cincinnati
DePaul
Marquette
Notre Dame

I guess that third division is kind of a squirrelly mess of leftovers, but the other ones work. 

Nova fan here. Interesting idea, but it appears you just don't understand the Big East at all. No way can you put Villanova, Georgetown and Syracuse in three different divisions. For most Nova fans, Georgetown is their #1 rival. For Georgetown, it's Syracuse and for Syracuse, it's UConn.

I think (just based on rivalries and not taking RPI considerations into account) most fans throughout the conference could live with this arrangement:

Villanova, Georgetown, Syracuse, UConn
St John's, Providence, Seton Hall, Rutgers
Marquette, DePaul, Notre Dame, Louisville
Pitt, West Virginia, Cincinnati, South Florida