2021 Recruiting Class- EVEN BETTER THAN THE BEST!!!

[Django]

Hoping one of y'all snags Bryce Hopkins (even you, Providence). And also, suck it Loserville.

Awww, still so bitter about not making the ACC cut, that’s cute.

Nah. 4 > 2.

And everyone not in the BE can suck it.

I’d take UCONN over all the former BE defectors save ND and BC (but we need UCONN more than those two, there’s too much love in this conference and we are in need of hated bad guys).

For sure:
UCONN > Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers, Cincinnati, Louisville, West Virginia, Temple, Miami, Virginia Tech and South Florida COMBINED.

[GumbyDamnit!]

No doubt about it...Hurley is getting the job done on the recruiting trail. He's bringing in what I believe to be the sweet spot for where the BE should be--25-150 range with guys that aren't just looking to jump to the NBA. It's not like they did poorly bringing in talent in the past, but it does seem the return to the BE has helped. I've said it repeatedly...there is a HUGE concentration in HS BB talent within the DC to Boston corridor. Schools like Pitt and Cuse used to feast on NY, DC, Philly talent. It's an easy sell. You can go away to school and your family can still see you live in several "local" venues. So a kid from Philly can go to Connecticut and his parents are driving distance to G'town, SJU, SHU, Nova, the BET--heck even Prov and UConn aren't THAT far. It's a significant factor.

Now regarding this latest kid they're bringing in. Perhaps I'm so used to how Jay W builds his roster and Hurley just has a different style but it seems like he's got an awful lot of bigs that he's stocking up on. Akok, Sanogo, Brown-Ferguson and now Samson J. All 4 on the roster at the same time... interesting. Maybe Husky fans can enlighten me on their skill sets. I'm assuming that several of these guys can play together but I don't know that for sure. I just see 4 kids in that "big" role and am wondering how DH is going to utilize their talents on the same floor together.

[kayako]

I couldn't care less about ND or BC. No need to be even more Catholic than it already is.

[X Hoops 19]

Xavier’s been receiving some expert predictions from Rivals and 247 over the last 24 hours to land Top 150 forward, Elijah Tucker, from Georgia.
https://247sports.com/Player/Elijah-Tucker-46085456/

[DudeAnon]

For sure:
UCONN > Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers, Cincinnati, Louisville, West Virginia, Temple, Miami, Virginia Tech and South Florida COMBINED.

I would rank them as follows (based on brand, not specific metrics):
1. Syracuse (don't get the fascination, but all the C7 schools hold them in high regards)
2. Louisville
3. UConn
4. West Virginia
5. Cincinnati
6. Pitt
7. Virginia Tech
Who cares: Rutgers, Miami, USF

[Django]

For sure:
UCONN > Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers, Cincinnati, Louisville, West Virginia, Temple, Miami, Virginia Tech and South Florida COMBINED.

I would rank them as follows (based on brand, not specific metrics):
1. Syracuse (don't get the fascination, but all the C7 schools hold them in high regards)
2. Louisville
3. UConn
4. West Virginia
5. Cincinnati
6. Pitt
7. Virginia Tech
Who cares: Rutgers, Miami, USF

Syracuse and Louisville have 3 NCs combined while UCONN has 4... no way I would put those two above the Huskies. And I think going forward I see a steep drop off for Cuse after Boehrim retires. I think they will become irrelevant in the Tobacco/Whisky conference. Louisville will be strong but I think BC and Cuse are going to fade away.

[Husky_U]

For sure:
UCONN > Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers, Cincinnati, Louisville, West Virginia, Temple, Miami, Virginia Tech and South Florida COMBINED.

I would rank them as follows (based on brand, not specific metrics):
1. Syracuse (don't get the fascination, but all the C7 schools hold them in high regards)
2. Louisville
3. UConn
4. West Virginia
5. Cincinnati
6. Pitt
7. Virginia Tech
Who cares: Rutgers, Miami, USF

[adoraz]

For sure:
UCONN > Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers, Cincinnati, Louisville, West Virginia, Temple, Miami, Virginia Tech and South Florida COMBINED.

I would rank them as follows (based on brand, not specific metrics):
1. Syracuse (don't get the fascination, but all the C7 schools hold them in high regards)
2. Louisville
3. UConn
4. West Virginia
5. Cincinnati
6. Pitt
7. Virginia Tech
Who cares: Rutgers, Miami, USF

Assuming we're only talking basketball:

From middle school through college I lived in ACC/SEC country and didn't attend St. John's until 2012 for grad school, so my opinion on this would be pretty neutral as I didn't care much about the Big East until 2012. I'll just say that UConn was absolutely the highest regarded school on that list by myself and my friends. Wasn't even close, frankly. Things have changed some the past 6 years, but I'd still put UConn above the others.

My brand list (mostly modern 21st century and not as much historical):
1. UConn (best team this century and now in a Power league)
2. Louisville
3. Syracuse
4. West Virginia
5. Virginia Tech (big boost recently)
6. Pittsburgh (were great in the old Big East but still get respect for being in the ACC)
7. Cincinnati (could maybe swap with Pitt since they've certainly been better recently, but being in the American really hurts their brand)

Edit: also based on your "who cares" category I'd put Miami and Rutgers above Pitt/Cinci and maybe VT too. USF is last, by far. BC would probably be second to last below Cinci.

1. UConn
2. Louisville
3. Syracuse
4. West Virginia
5. Miami
6. Virginia Tech
7. Rutgers
8. Pittsburgh
9. Cincinnati
10. Boston College
Who cares: USF

[DudeAnon]

Had the last 5 years not happened UConn might be #1 but their brand has taking a pretty serious beating since joining the AAC.

[GumbyDamnit!]

In DudeA's defense any listing like this brings a bit of subjectivity to it. How do you measure success? Is it just FF's and NC's? Is it how consistently you're ranked? Conf championships? Media coverage? Over what timeframe?

Someone in their mid 30's has a much different view of UConn or Cuse or G'town then someone in their mid 50's. Being the Old Head that I am I grew up on the Pearl Washington and Derrick Coleman teams. So Cuse has occupied my attention as a (now former) BE team for a longer period of time and probably with more vitriol than UConn in total. Prior to Calhoun UConn was mostly irrelevant. But once JC arrived UConn became a force. Late 80's/early 90's into the 2010's they were easily the best team in the conference, and one of the best programs in the country.

I have to say coming from an X fan I don't understand the argument of holding UConn to a different standard than you would X. If you think Cuse is a higher tiered program because of historical performance then X would be below UC in pecking order in Ohio. I don't see that. And for all of the arguments that their stay in the AAC took some luster off their brand, remember that they did win a NC there...