It's the 40th anniversary of the original Big East Tournament, so we're counting down the most thrilling, impactful, or just plain notable match-ups in the watershed tournament's history.
22) 1980 Finals: Georgetown 87, Syracuse 81
21) 2013 Semifinals: Syracuse 58, Georgetown 55 (OT)
For all its rich history and legendary alumni, it's hard to believe the Big East has only been in existence since 1979. Formed by seven mostly Catholic schools who were looking for a respite from the growing influence of football, it's only fitting that the Big East has recently dissipated under the weight of big time football's influx into the conference. The Big East Tournament didn't really take off as a national spectacle until the mid '80s, when the location was settled in Madison Square Garden, and many of the teams had developed into powerhouses. But the very first Big East Championship, played in Providence, was still a classic, featuring arguably the conference's best rivalry, Syracuse versus Georgetown. The two had met in the regular season finale, with the Hoyas ending the Orange's 57-game home winning streak in Manley Fieldhouse's final game (they relocated the Carrier Dome in '80-'81). Syracuse, led by their dangerous front court anchored by Louis Orr, were still #3 in the country and seeking revenge. Georgetown was led by the back court tandem of Sleepy Floyd and reigning Big East Player of the Year John Duren, but it was defensive specialist Eric Smith who became the game's hero, scoring 17 points in an 87-81 Hoyas victory. The two almost met again in the Regional Finals of the NCAA Tournament, but Syracuse, a #1 seed, were upset by Iowa in the Regional Semifinals, and the Hawkeyes then knocked off Georgetown in the Elite Eight. The two teams would end up meeting five times in the first seven years of the Big East Tournament and 12 times overall. Their last matchup came in the semifinal round in 2013, when Syracuse used their trademark two-three zone to shut down Georgetown's shooting and prevail in an overtime upset. One year later, the Orange left the Big East after 34 seasons and joined the ACC.
20) 2019 Finals: Villanova 74, Seton Hall 72
19) 2016 Finals: Seton Hall 69, Villanova 67
18) 2018 Finals: Villanova 76, Providence 66 (OT)
The Big East changed its composition dramatically in '13-'14, losing charter members Connecticut and Syracuse as well as longtime stalwarts Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, and Rutgers. The subsequent tournaments had lacked a lot of the glamour and star power that marked the first 33 years of staging, but still produced some memorable moments. The most recent came in last year's finals, where Villanova won its third straight Big East title in thrilling fashion over Seton Hall. Star Pirates guard Myles Powell led all scorers with 25 points, including a basket with 15.5 seconds left that cut the Villanova lead to 73-72. Seton Hall quickly fouled Villanova's Eric Paschall, who was only able to sink one of two free throws giving Powell a chance to win it at the buzzer, but his three-pointer was off target and Villanova survived. It was the Wildcats' fourth title in the last five years, with their only blemish coming in the 2016 championship game against Seton Hall. The Pirates won their first Big East title in 23 years that season, behind 26 points from guard Isaiah Whitehead, including an old-fashioned three-pointer with 18 seconds that gave them the 69-67 lead that would turn out to be the final score. In between those two Villanova-Seton Hall tilts, the Wildcats also played another thriller in the 2018 finals against Providence. It ended a Cinderella run through the Big East Tournament from the Friars, who had rallied from far behind to stun Xavier in the semifinals and made another huge comeback in this contest to force overtime. Providence actually took a 60-58 lead with under a minute to play, but Villanova's Jalen Brunson tied it back up on a jumper and the Wildcats went on to dominate overtime for the win. Having also participated in the extra period against Creighton in the quarterfinals, Providence became the first team to ever play in three consecutive overtime games in Big East Tournament history. They failed to carry any momentum into the NCAA Tournament, losing in the first round to Texas A&M, while Villanova wound up winning their second national title in three years.
17) 2010 Finals: West Virginia 60, Georgetown 58
Upon joining the Big East in 1996, West Virginia found itself to be an effortless football conference favorite year-to-year, but struggled to break through in basketball. They failed to advance past the first round of the Big East Tournament in eight of their first nine seasons but finally rebuilt the program in the mid aughts, leading to a #2 seed in the 2010 tournament. Led by senior forward Da'Sean Butler and coach Bob Huggins, the Mountaineers won 30 games in '09-'10 for the first time in school history. Their five starters were all from the New York metro area, and made themselves at home in the Garden during the tournament, winning close games over Cincinnati in the quarterfinals and Notre Dame in the semifinals. Awaiting in the championship game was Georgetown, the #8 seed in the Big East despite sitting #22 in the latest AP poll, who had toppled top-seeded Syracuse and Marquette earlier in the tournament. The Hoyas were playing their fourth game in as many nights and the fatigue showed in a turnover-laden first half. The second half turned into a duel between Butler and Georgetown's speedy point guard Chris Wright. After Georgetown stormed back to tie the game late, Butler nailed a pair of free throws to restore the West Virginia lead. Wright took the ball coast-to-coast a la Tyus Edney to tie it back up at 58, before Butler scored the game winner, a driving lay-up with 5.6 seconds remaining. Wright had one more chance at a coast-to-coast equalizer, but his off-kilter runner at the buzzer missed the mark. It was West Virginia's first Big East Tournament title, and would turn out to be the last, as the school relocated to the Big 12 just two years later. Building on the momentum gained in New York, it was also a catalyst for their first Final Four appearance in 51 years, a run through the NCAA Tournament that included an upset of John Wall and Kentucky.
16) 2000 Semifinals: St. John's 58, Miami 57
After winning the 1983 and 1986 Big East Tournament titles, St. John's went into a prolonged slump in the annual contest, reaching the semifinals just twice in the next 13 years until Mike Jarvis took over as head coach in '98-'99. They returned to the tournament title game in Jarvis' first campaign and were looking for a return trip one year later when squaring off against Miami in the semifinals. The Hurricanes were primed to make their first Big East final since joining the conference in 1991 as the program was thriving under coach Leonard Hamilton. Controversy hit just before the tip-off of this game, when a media report was released alleging academic improprieties for St. John's star Erick Barkley. The NBA lottery prospect considered sitting out the game to avoid being a distracted, but opted to play and came up big in the Johnnies victory. The game came down to the waning moments, with Miami leading 57-56 and the Red Storm in possession. Freshman forward Dion Glover, one of Jarvis' first prize recruits, was fouled with 2.2 seconds remaining. Just a 61.7% free throw shooter, Glover didn't instill much confidence in the St. John's fans that packed MSG like a virtual home game, but wound up calmly nailing both free throws to secure the win. Barkley ended up playing in the Big East final, which St. John's won over Connecticut, and in the NCAA Tournament, where they were upset by Gonzaga in the second round. Miami reached the Sweet 16 that year, allowing Hamilton to move on to coach the Washington Wizards. The Red Storm have not returned to the Big East semifinals in the 19 years since this game.
15) 1983 Finals: St. John's 85, Boston College 77
Once a college basketball hot bed, New York City had fallen out of favor after it was the epicenter of the 1951 point shaving scandal, and was an NCAA afterthought by the '80s. But with the Big East rising in prominence, the conference tournament was moved to its permanent home in Madison Square Garden in 1983, a boon for the Big Apple. St. John's was 30 years removed from its last Final Four appearance but seemed like a legitimate national title contender in '82-'83 thanks to their hometown sharp shooting hero Mullin. Boston College was a surprise top seed in the Big East that season, thanks to coach Gary Williams and diminutive jitterbug point guard Michael Adams. Just as he had been in the previous two rounds, Mullin was essentially unstoppable in this game, scoring 23 points, and St. John's was further propelled by its pressing defense on Adams to an 85-77 victory. The game was a signifier that NCAA basketball was back in New York, and Madison Square Garden has hosted the Big East Tournament ever since, helping to raise the profile of both the conference and host site in a symbiotic relationship.
14) 2014 Quarterfinals: Seton Hall 64, Villanova 63
Villanova has dominated the Big East recently, winning four tournament titles in the last five years. But in the first season after the conference radically re-aligned in 2013, they were stunned in the quarterfinals by Seton Hall. It was carrying on a tradition that was commonplace in the old Big East, as the top seed had previously been upset in the quarterfinals in 2011 (Pittsburgh), 2010 (Syracuse), 2006 (Connecticut), and 2000 (Syracuse). This game also served an announcement that Seton Hall's rebuild was progressing nicely under coach Kevin Willard, who had taken over a moribund program in 2010. Villanova came into the game ranked #3 in the country and playing for a top seed in the upcoming tournament, while Seton Hall had finishing with a losing record in the regular season and knew a stunning Big East title was their only chance at continuing play in March. The game was close throughout, with Villanova taking a 63-62 lead with 7.8 seconds left thanks to a Darrun Hillard floater. That set the stage for sophomore guard Sterling Gibbs, who drained a step-back jumper at the buzzer to give the Pirates the shocking win. In an ode to the ghost of Madison Square Garden legends' past, Gibbs' older brother, Ashton, had been a member of the '10-'11 Pittsburgh team that was stunned by a Kemba Walker buzzer beater also in the tournament quarterfinals (see #12 below). Seton Hall's season would end in the tournament semifinals with a loss to Providence, but they have since made four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
13) 1990 Finals: Connecticut 78, Syracuse 75
Despite being a charter member of a conference that featured only seven schools, it took Connecticut an entire decade to win even a share of the Big East regular season title, and reach the tournament championship game. Jim Calhoun took over a program in disarray in 1986 and turned it into a team to be reckoned with by the time his first full slate of recruits had taken over in '89-'90, highlighted by the backcourt combo Chris Smith and Tate George. They overcame Alonzo Mourning and Georgetown in the tournament semifinals to match up against co-champs of the regular season Syracuse in the finals. Orange star Derrick Coleman, who was just a few months away from being the #1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, paced his team to a big early lead, but the Huskies chipped away at it methodically in the second half. It wasn't Smith or George who was the hero in this game but backup guard John Gwynn, nicknamed "Microwave" by his teammates in a nod to Vinnie Johnson, as he poured 16 points off the bench, including an old-fashioned three-point play late that put the game away. The Huskies went on to reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament that year, thanks to some buzzer beating heroics from George in the Regional Semifinals, fully establishing themselves as an NCAA powerhouse program for years to come.
12) 2011 Quarterfinals: Connecticut 76, Pittsburgh 74
Propelled by their 1990 conference title, Connecticut eventually made four Final Four appearances and won three national titles under Calhoun, the last coming in 2011 after a shocking run through the Big East Tournament. Considered a Final Four contender in the '10-'11 preseason, the Huskies had struggled through a deep and dangerous Big East slate, finishing a less than sterling 9-9 and entering the tournament as the #9 seed. Just how good was the Big East that season? Connecticut was the #9 seed despite being ranked #21 in the country, and their second round match-up against #8 seed Georgetown was a battle of top 25 teams. They defeated the Hoyas in a blowout, setting up a quarterfinals match-up against top-seeded Pittsburgh. Bronx native Kemba Walker had already established himself as a star before this game, but truly cemented his legacy that night. He finished with a team high 24 points, including a spectacular buzzer beater that he drained after juking Pittsburgh center Gary McGhee so effectively that he fell to the floor. The Huskies continued on to win the tournament finals over Louisville, and eventually the NCAA title.
11) 1991 Semifinals: Seton Hall 74, Villanova 72
Having finished 12-19 in '89-'90, one season after making it all the way to the Final Four, Seton Hall made a surprisingly quick rebuild in '90-'91, nabbing the conference's #4 seed and reaching the tournament finals for the first time. It took some late heroics from guard Oliver Taylor, a coast-to-coast lay-up at the buzzer, to eke past Pittsburgh in the quarterfinals and their semifinal match-up against Villanova proved even more nail biting. The Wildcats had finished 16-14 in the regular season, good for eighth place in the Big East, but were battle tested, having faced a schedule so difficult that they were granted an NCAA Tournament at-large bid despite their poor record. Still coached by the legendary Rollie Massimino, Villanova fought hard in this game, buoyed by the Pirates' leading scorer, Terry Dehere, struggling with an injury. Taylor found himself as the hero again, this time nailing a buzzer beating jumper that broke a 72-72 tie and advanced Seton Hall to the finals. The two cardiac-inducing finishes for the Pirates were just part of one of the wildest Big East Tournaments on record, where all top three seeds were upset in the Quarterfinals. Seton Hall won a knock-down, drag-out title match-up against Alonzo Mourning and #6 seed Georgetown, then eventually reached the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament.
10) 1984 Finals: Georgetown 82, Syracuse 71 (OT)
1984 marked the fifth anniversary of the Big East Tournament, and for the fourth time Georgetown and Syracuse faced off. The Hoyas won the first match-up, in the 1980 finals, but the Orange were the victors in the 1981 semifinals and 1983 quarterfinals. An intense rivalry had sprouted, and this is the game where it truly boiled over. Patrick Ewing was the reigning Big East Player of the Year and Georgetown had swept the season series between the two teams, but Syracuse were no slouches. Freshman sensation Pearl Washington staked them to a 57-54 lead late when Georgetown's Michael Graham, perhaps on his volition or perhaps under orders from coach John Thompson, took a swing at Syracuse's Andrew Hawkins. He whiffed, but Hawkins fell to the floor in reaction. The referees initially ejected Graham but then upon review opted to overturn the technical foul, let him remain in the game, and granted just two personal free throws to Hawkins. Georgetown rallied to tie the game and send it to overtime, where they outscored Syracuse 13-2 to secure an 82-71 victory. When queried about the Graham incident, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim stormed out of his post-game press conference, claiming the better team had lost due to poor officiating. He would be proven wrong to some extent in the NCAA Tournament when his Orange lost to Virginia in the Regional Semifinals while Georgetown defeated Houston to win their first and only national title. Ewing was ultimately named Most Outstanding Player of both the Big East Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.
9) 1998 Semifinals: Syracuse 69, St. John's 67 (OT)
Featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated before he ever played a single college game, Felipe Lopez seemed primed to return St. John's to prominence in the mid '90s. It took until his senior season, when he and fellow recruit Zendon Hamilton teamed up with Bronx-based freshman Ron Artest to lead the Red Storm to the #3 seed in the Big East. Hoping to play in the Big East championship for the first time in 12 years, they took on a young but talented Syracuse squad in the semifinals. The Orange led for most of the contest but Artest hit a jumper at the buzzer in the second half to send the game to overtime. The player soon to be known as Metta World Peace nailed another clutch shot in the extra period, a three-pointer with just seconds remaining that tied the game again at 67-67. Syracuse sophomore Ryan Blackwell had turned the ball over late in regulation, opening it up for St. John's to tie the game, but found his own redemption in overtime. He hit a short jumper just before the buzzer, off an assist from an on-the-ground Jason Hart, to give Syracuse the 69-67 win. St. John's was soon upset in the NCAA Tournament first round by Detroit, ending Lopez and Hamilton's collegiate careers, but Artest led them to the Big East title game and NCAA Tournament Elite Eight in '98-'99.
8) 2006 1st Round: Syracuse 74, Cincinnati 73
7) 2006 Quarterfinals: Syracuse 86, Connecticut 84 (OT)
6) 2006 Semifinals: Syracuse 58, Georgetown 57
There have been several miraculous runs through the Big East Tournament spurred by individual virtuoso performances, but they all pale in comparison to Gerry McNamara and Syracuse in 2006. An overlooked fellow freshman with Carmelo Anthony on the '02-'03 title team, McNamara was the unquestioned team leader by '05-'06 and bore the brunt of the blame when the Orange slumped to a 7-9 conference record and the #9 seed in the Big East Tournament. His turnaround started in the first round against Cincinnati, when Syracuse blew a 14-point second half lead but McNamara, playing on an injured leg, hit a pull-up three-pointer with under a second left for the win. Waiting in the quarterfinals was Connecticut, the #1 team in the nation at the time. Once again, the Orange improbably blew a 14-point second half lead, and Connecticut was ahead 74-71 with 11 seconds left and seemingly on their way to escaping. It's difficult to say why the Huskies let McNamara receive the ensuing in-bounds pass, but he calmly sank a three-pointer to send the game to overtime. Thanks to some missed open jumpers from UConn star Marcus Williams, the Orange prevailed in the extra period and moved on the semifinals. With his legend growing in the Garden and in the media, McNamara lived up to the hype again in Syracuse's next match-up against Georgetown. Exhausted and hobbling, he still came up with five three-pointers in the second half, including a key one with 45 seconds left that cut a once 15-point Hoyas lead down to one, and caused the final turnover that iced the win for Syracuse. The championship game against Pittsburgh was comparatively dull but close, with the Orange hanging on late for a 65-61 victory. In one of the easiest decisions in conference history, McNamara was deemed Tournament MVP, and during the trophy ceremony defiantly donned a shirt that read "Overrated?" Momentum didn't carry over into the NCAA Tournament however, as Syracuse, as a #5 seed, was upset by Texas A&M in the first round.
5) 2002 Finals: Connecticut 74, Pittsburgh 65 (2 OT)
After a rare appearance near the bottom of the Big East standings in '00-'01, Connecticut came back in a big way in '01-'02, thanks to star freshmen Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon teaming up with sophomore sensation Caron Butler. They won their final eight regular season games to clinch the Big East title and #1 seed in MSG and eventually reached the tournament finals for the sixth time in an eight-year stretch (they would eventually make eight finals appearances in 10 years between 1995 and 2004). Waiting in the ultimate game was #2 seed Pittsburgh, whose star point guard Brandin Knight had shared Conference Player of the Year honors with Butler, and seeking their first Big East title. Adding mystique to this match-up was that while UConn and Pitt were clearly the conference's two best teams, they had not met during the regular season due to scheduling quirks. Butler played terrifically as always, leading all scorers with 23 point, as did Knight, up until he injury his knee slipping on the floor late in the second half. Connecticut had two chances to put the game away in regulation with Knight getting evaluated in the locker room, but came up short and they moved to overtime tied at 52-52. With the score tied again in overtime and 1.7 seconds remaining, Knight emerged from the same MSG tunnel that Willis Reed famously jogged out of prior to game seven of the 1970 NBA Finals. But there was no storybook ending this time, as Knight missed a a potentially game-winning half-court heave as the buzzer sounded, then crumpled to the floor in pain and was forced to sit out the second overtime. Pittsburgh valiantly continued to hang tough, but UConn pulled away late for a 74-65 win. The teams would stage a rematch in the title game one year later, this time with Knight, then a senior, leading the Panthers to a blowout win for their first Big East title in school history.
4) 1981 Finals: Syracuse 83, Villanova 80 (3 OT)
The 2002 Big East championship game was the second longest in conference history, trailing only this classic from the early days. Syracuse had struggled in the '80-'81 season, finishing in sixth place in the conference, but were buoyed by their brand new home site, the Carrier Dome, hosting the Big East Tournament, and upset St. John's and Georgetown in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively. Their run was even more impressive when considering that one of their best players, sophomore forward Leo Rautins, was injured during the game against St. John's and played the rest of the tournament in extreme pain (it would later be revealed to be a torn ACL, and the additional strain on it likely hampered his pro career). They met Villanova in the championship game, and the Wildcats rallied late in regulation to force overtime when senior Alex Bradley had a game-tying jumper. It was Syracuse's turn to mount a comeback in the first overtime, erasing a six-point deficit in the final two minutes, ending with guard Eddie Moss tying it up at the buzzer with a tip-in off a rebound. Moss got a chance to be the hero again in the second overtime, but this time missed a tip-in at the buzzer that would have broken a tie. This led to a third overtime, which was 80-80 with eight seconds remaining and Syracuse possessing the ball. Coach Jim Boeheim called a play for Rautins, but the hampered star opted to pass the ball to Erich Santifer for the final shot. When Santifer missed, Rautins made an unlikely leap at the basket to grab the rebound and put it back in with a buzzer beating short jumper. The Carrier Dome crowd exploded in jubilation that would turn to disappointment days later when Syracuse was left out of the NCAA Tournament field. 1981 was the final year that the tournament didn't grant automatic bids to conference champions, and Syracuse was left out of the at-large field despite their Big East title (Villanova made it, in addition to Georgetown and regular season champs Boston College). The Orange settled for the NIT, where they lost in the title game to Tulsa. It would turn out to be the first and last Big East Tournament held in the Carrier Dome, and it took Syracuse seven years to win another conference tournament title.
3) 1986 Finals: St. John's 70, Syracuse 69
The mid '80s were the zenith of star-studded Big East action, but the crown jewel game of the era didn't include future NBA stars Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, or Derrick Coleman. It did, however, feature "The Truth," St. John's Walter Berry, and "The Pearl," Syracuse's Dwayne Washington. Berry had earned his nickname playing prep ball in Manhattan and in '85-'86 became the fourth straight Johnnies player to win conference Player of the Year honors, after Mullin had secured the award three straight years before graduating in 1985. Washington was also a New York product and started getting called "The Pearl" in comparison to Earl Monroe while dazzling on the playground courts of Brooklyn. This game also featured terrific performances from St. John's' Mark Jackson and Willie Glass and Syracuse's Rony Seikaly and Rafael Addison, but there's good reason it was mostly hyped before and mainly remembered after for "The Truth vs. The Pearl." Washington finished the game with 20 points and 14 assists, and helped the Orange build a 14-point second half lead, but Berry responded with 16 points and eight rebounds, and with 32 seconds left the St. John's deficit had been cut to 69-68. After Washington uncharacteristically missed the front end of a crucial one-and-one, senior forward Ron Rowan hit a jumper at the other end to give St. John's a 70-69 lead. There was still eight seconds on the clock, an eternity to any defense seeking to contain "The Pearl" and sure enough, there was Washington taking the ball coast-to-coast and driving into the lane for the game winning lay-up. But he didn't count on Berry being perfectly positioned and waiting for him, blocking the ball at the buzzer to cinch the title for St. John's. The hometown fans stormed the court and Berry was hoisted onto the hoop clutching a sign that read "St. John's The Beast of the East." The Johnnies entered the NCAA Tournament as a #1 seed, but were shocked in the second round by Auburn. Berry departed school after that for a decent but troubled brief NBA career, marked by clashes with various coaches. Syracuse was a #2 seed and also upset early in the tournament, falling to David Robinson and Navy in round two. Washington was also a high-profile NBA draft pick in 1986 but lasted just three seasons with the Nets and Heat.
2) 2009 Quarterfinals: Syracuse 127, Connecticut 117 (6 OT)
While Syracuse vs. Georgetown was the Big East's first major rivalry, Syracuse vs. Connecticut eventually became its greatest, up until both programs left the conference in 2013. They met in the semifinals of the inaugural Big East Tournament in 1980, with the Orange winning in a blowout, and eventually battled 14 times, including twice in the championship game in 1990 and 1998. But their most memorable match-up came much earlier in the tournament, an epic quarterfinal tilt in 2009. It was the longest NCAA game of the shot clock era, lasting six overtimes and spread out over the course of almost four hours of play (the game tipped off at 9:36 PM and the final buzzer sounded at 1:22 AM). The teams scored a combined 244 points, 102 of which came after regulation. 66 total fouls were tallied, and eight players fouled out, four on each team. Syracuse didn't win so much as survive, and it was especially improbable considering they didn't hold a single lead in any of the first five overtimes. It broke the record of longest Big East Tournament game which was previously set by the triple overtime final in 1981, which featured heroics from Syracuse's Leo Rautins. In an incredible bit of kismet his son, Andy, was the Orange's savior on this night, hitting a buzzer beating three-pointer that forced the fourth overtime, and another long range bomb to open up the sixth overtime by giving Syracuse their first lead since regulation. The Orange eventually pulled away in that final frame for a 127-117 win. Freshman Kemba Walker was the would-be hero for Connecticut, hitting a last second jumper that sent the game to its first overtime, but then bouncing a desperation quarter-court heave off the rim that would have won the game in the second overtime. With both teams ranked in the AP Top 25 and assured of NCAA Tournament at-large bids, this game didn't mean much in the larger scheme of things, so it was a throwback to the days when a Big East Tournament victory at any cost was more important than jockeying for an NCAA Tournament seed. Jim Boeheim had been in just his fifth season as Syracuse's head coach when they won the 1981 Big East title in three overtimes, and was already established in immortality by this game. When asked in the post-game press conference to compare the two, he simply responded "I think it'd be hard to top this."
1) 1996 Finals: Connecticut 75, Georgetown 74
Here's a game that had everything you could want in a Big East Tournament classic. Well, besides six overtimes. You had a tournament final featuring the top two seeds, which happened to be the two most successful programs in conference history. And you had two of the most dynamic and thrilling players in Big East history going at each other up-and-down the court. Georgetown and Connecticut are still tied for the Big East record with seven conference titles each, but heading into this game both were six-plus years removed from their last championship and feeling the pressure from fans and the media. Whirlwind guard Allen Iverson had spearheaded a revival of the Hoyas under coach John Thompson, winning Freshman of the Year in '94-'95 and Defensive Player of the Year twice. But he lost out on the Conference Player of the Year award to Connecticut's Ray Allen in '95-'96, in a vote that longtime conference commissioner Mike Tranghese called the closest in history. The teams met once in the regular season, wherein Georgetown handed UConn their only conference loss, and were both ranked in the Top 10 heading into this one. It was as hyped as any Big East Tournament match-up since the conference's mid '80s heyday, and ultimately didn't disappoint. Allen struggled for most of the game for Connecticut, missing 14 consecutive field goal attempts in the second half, while star center Travis Knight fouled out with almost five minutes still remaining. Things seemed dire as the Huskies trailed at that point by 11 points, but thanks to some timely defense by Ricky Moore on Iverson and a scoring outburst from Kirk King, Connecticut stormed back to finish the game on a 12-0 run. The final basket came from Allen, who snapped his streak of 14 consecutive misses by hitting a difficult, off-balance mid-range jumper over Iverson in the final seconds. Iverson had a chance to match on the other end, but his own off-balance runner missed the mark, and the Huskies' fans stormed the court in jubilation. Even though Connecticut had won the title and Iverson had set the overall tournament scoring record, Georgetown's Victor Page wound up with the Tournament MVP award, an awry footnote to the Big East's all-time greatest game. Both teams reached the Sweet 16 in the subsequent NCAA Tournament, but fell short of the Final Four and Iverson and Allen left school later that spring for the NBA Draft.