In ordinary years, the Big East men’s tournament is a combustible atmosphere, with 11 basketball-crazed fan bases gathering at Madison Square Garden for a competition with a legendary pedigree.
This, however, is no ordinary season.
Friday’s first quarterfinal in New York featured two teams with something to prove: UConn, attempting to defend its 2023 national title under combustible coach Dan Hurley, and St. John’s, finding its way in coach Rick Pitino’s debut season. The Huskies’ massive Big Apple-based fan base only added to the intrigue.
With a little over eight minutes left in the first half, the tension between UConn and the Red Storm boiled over.
First, Pitino was given a technical for arguing a foul call.
Rick Pitino is T'd up on this play after the call pic.twitter.com/Jsbxa8pzdv
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 15, 2024
Then, Hurley—one of precious few modern coaches mercurial enough to match wits with Pitino—incurred a technical foul while pleading for the officials to kick a fan out of the game.
Dan Hurley is not happy with a fan in the stands and things are getting intense in MSG pic.twitter.com/1QNW8MLsN7
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 15, 2024
Fox announcer John Fanta shared a courtside view of the entire episode.
Dan Hurley and Rick Pitino both are speaking about one another! pic.twitter.com/wMAvpIZBTQ
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) March 15, 2024
Seemingly undeterred by the back-and-forth, the Huskies took a 52–47 lead into the intermission.
