Big East vs. Big Ten, Big Deal?
Lately, there has been all kinds of talk of Big Ten (11 and soon to be 12) expansion. Pitt has been at the epicenter of that discussion, although according to a report from the Chicago Tribune Pitt is 3rd on the Big Ten’s wish list behind Rutgers and Missouri.
I listen to sports talk radio and read newspapers from across the region. The average Pitt fan, and apparently Jamie Dixon as well, isn’t interesting in leaving the Big East for the Big Ten. I am fully aware of the recruiting pipeline established by Dixon, which includes New York and Philadelphia, historically Big East cities.
I also understand the hype surrounding the Big East Tournament played at Madison Square Garden.
What I don’t understand is the average Pitt fan saying that joining the Big Ten would be a step backwards in basketball. Any sensible Pitt fan would acknowledge that the jump would do nothing but help the football program. But a step backwards in hoops?
Both leagues have nice TV contracts, with conference games nationally televised on both ESPN and CBS. However, only one of those two conferences has their own network. According, to ESPN’s “Bracketology” expert Joe Lunardi, who is right like 99.9999% of the time, has 5 of the 11 Big Ten teams in the field of 65 and 7 of the 16 Big East teams in the field.
Percentage wise, .454% of the Big Ten is in the field, with .437% of the Big East teams making the big dance. So we will call that a wash. Maybe not the Big East superiority that most Big East fans would like to think.
Since 1980 the Big East has won 7 National Titles and just 4 for the Big Ten. In that same period of time, the Big Ten has put 20 teams in the Final Four, and 19 teams from the Big East have reached the Final Four. In the last thirty years, the Big Ten has had 9 #1 seeds, whereas the Big East has had 8 top seeds.
In late 2009, Sports Illustrated named Michigan State the team of the decade, not a team from the Big East. In the last decade, both UCONN and Syracuse have won National Titles for the Big East; Michigan State has the lone title for the Big Ten. However, the Big Ten has reached 8 Final Four’s and the Big East has made just 5 appearances.
The 90’s saw UCONN win a title in 1999, but Syracuse in 1996 and Cincinnati in ‘92 were the only other Big East teams to reach a Final Four. The Big Ten got 6 teams to the Final Four in the decade.
And well the 1980’s, were simply owned by the two conferences. The Big East won 4 Titles and the Big Ten won 3 Titles.
It is pretty obvious that the Big East is a great conference, but the Big Ten isn’t exactly the WAC. Big East basketball maybe more aesthetically pleasing, but the Big Ten can certainly hold it’s own. The move comes down to money, and well, quite frankly the Big Ten has more to offer. I know Pitt fans still hate Paterno, but in this day and age with the economy, University’s must look out for themselves. If Jamie Dixon doesn’t want to be part of the move, maybe this is his opportunity to go back to the west coast.
As for the average Pitt fan, please think about what you are saying the next time spout off about how much better the Big East is than the Big Ten.
Tags: Big East basketball, Big Ten basketball, Big Ten Expansion, Pitt Basketball, Pitt to Big Ten
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March 8, 2010 at 4:44 pm
I’m a Pitt fan. I’m a Big East fan. I grew up watching Pitt compete against ‘Cuse, Nova, UConn, Providence, Seton Hall, St. Johns, etc. Nothing can replace that. As Pitt basketball fans, losing these common opponents will be more devastating than anything positive that would come out of the move could offer.
I’m sure there are a lot of guys and ladies out there that could, if they were single, find someone better looking or more successful than their current partner. They don’t though, because you don’t have the history with that other person. The memories aren’t there.
I’m not going to knock the Big Ten, but I’ll tell you this much. As a Pitt fan, seeing them leave the Big East would be as heart breaking for me as the end of any relevant relationship I’ve had in my life. Don’t break up with the Big East Pitt, don’t do it.