NEW YORK -- The Big East is a basketball-centric league and Rick Pitino says that’s a plus when it comes to college realignment. The Naismith Hall of Fame St. John’s coach says the lack of “strong” football teams in the Big East helps keep the league relatively safe from losing schools to the Big 12 and other Power-4 conferences.
“If you have a very strong football program you have the chance of being poached, like the Mountain West right now is going through it,” Pitino said in response to a question from NJ Advance Media on Tuesday. “We don’t have strong football programs so..
.” Two weeks ago, the Big 12 announced a “pause” in conversations with UConn after the two sides had had discussions. The loss of UConn would have been a devastating blow after the school re-joined the Big East in 2020.
“We’re fining UConn for thinking of leaving, they’re getting a major fine,” joked Pitino, who has enjoyed a colorful but heated rivalry with UConn coach Dan Hurley since Pitino’s return to the Big East last season. The UConn men’s and women’s basketball teams are traditional powers -- the men have won back-to-back NCAA championships under Hurley -- while the football team is 10-18 over the last two-plus seasons. For now, UConn remains in the Big East, where it has natural geographic rivalries with schools like Providence, St.
John’s, Seton Hall and others. “I think it’s huge,” new St. John’s AD Ed Kull said in response to a question from NJ .