22) 1980 Finals: Georgetown 87, Syracuse 81
21) 2013 Semifinals: Syracuse 58, Georgetown 55 (OT)

Formed in 1979 by seven Catholic schools 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 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 was a Providence-based classic, featuring arguably the conference’s best rivalry in Syracuse versus Georgetown. The Hoyas featured reigning conference Player of the Year John Duren but defensive specialist Eric Smith was the hero, scoring 17 points in an 87-81 victory. The rivals ultimately met 12 times in Big East Tournament history, most recently in the semifinal round in 2013, where Syracuse upset Georgetown in overtime. 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) 

With charter members Connecticut and Syracuse gone, the Big East completely revamped starting in 2013. But it was Villanova, a conference member since 1980, that would dominate this new era. 20 years removed from their last Big East title, the Wildcats played in five consecutive tournament finals starting in 2015, winning four of them. Three of those five Finals were all-time classics. In 2016, they were upset by Seton Hall, whose Isaiah Whitehead scored 26 points, including a three-point play in the final 30 seconds to take the lead. But the Wildcats subsequently won the NCAA Tournament title, defeating North Carolina in a National Final thriller. In 2018, Villanova was heavily favored over Providence but it took a last minute Jalen Brunson jumper to force overtime, where the Wildcats were victorious. Three weeks later, they were NCAA champions again, keeping the Big East spirit alive. In 2019, Seton Hall’s Myles Powell sparked a late comeback but missed a buzzer beater three-point attempt, giving Villanova its fourth Big East title of the decade.

17) 2010 Finals: West Virginia 60, Georgetown 58

Upon joining the Big East in 1996, West Virginia was a perennial football conference favorite but struggled to break through in basketball until Bob Huggins came along. The legendary coach has kept the Mountaineers relevant for 12 seasons and counting, especially in this, their one and only Big East Tournament title. It was a Madison Square Garden homecoming of sorts for West Virginia’s five starters, all of whom had been recruited from the New York City area. Senior forward Da’Sean Butler finished the game with 20 points and six rebounds and had himself a second half mano-a-mano battle with Georgetown’s Chris Wright. The speedy 6’1″ Wright dropped 20 points and seven assists, and hit a sweeping, coast-to-coast layup to tie the game with under a minute remaining, but Butler responded with a slashing drive and layup to win the game. This was not only West Virginia’s first Big East title but also their last, as they left the conference just two years later.

16) 2000 Semifinals: St. John’s 58, Miami 57

Once a formidable Big East powerhouse in the ’80s, St. John’s entered this game 14 years removed from their last tournament final appearance. There was also potential history here to be made by Miami, which had not yet reached the tournament final since joining the conference in 1991. It was a rough night for St. John’s star Erick Barkley, who learned before the game that he was under investigation for academic violations. Seemingly distracted, Barkley finished with seven points on 3-of-14 shooting and allegedly had a halftime altercation with teammate Bootsy Thornton. The Johnnies had to look elsewhere for heroics and found them from freshman Dion Glover. Just a 61.7% free throw shooter who was thus far 3-of-8 from the line in that game, Glover was fouled with 2.2 seconds left and St. John’s trailing 57-56. He calmly nailed both free throws, the Red Storm held on for the win, and they went on to defeat Connecticut in the final one night later.

15) 1983 Finals: St. John’s 85, Boston College 77

The mid ’80s were an undoubtable zenith for the Big East. The conference had become a perennial fixture in the Final Four, buoyed by superstars like Georgetown’s Patrick Ewing, Syracuse’s Pearl Washington, and St. John’s Chris Mullin, who led his team to the 1983 Big East final. This was the first Big East tournament in its permanent home of Madison Square Garden and the Johnnies took advantage of the virtual home games. Their surprise opponent was Boston College, a program still reeling from its centrality in a late ’70s point shaving scandal. The Eagles’ star point guard Micheal Adams had been brilliant throughout the season but struggled in this one, shooting just 1-of-13 from the field. Senior forward John Garris exploded for 32 points to keep BC close, but Mullins was essentially unstoppable as usual, finishing with 23 points and seven assists as the Red Storm pulled away late for the win.

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By the numbers: Big East Tournament results of original eight schools (1980 – 2018)

Team	Titles	Finals	Semifinals
Boston College^	2	2	4
Connecticut^^	7	10	12
Georgetown	4	10	18
Providence	2	3	10
Seton Hall	3	3	10
St. John’s	2	4	7
Syracuse^^	4	12	19
Villanova	4	7	16

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14) 2014 Quarterfinals: Seton Hall 64, Villanova 63

Right before their current streak of five consecutive tournament final appearances, top seed Villanova was shocked in the quarterfinals round by Seton Hall. It was carrying on a recent Big East Tournament tradition, with the #1 seed also losing in the quarterfinals round in 2006, 2010, and 2011. The Wildcats came into the tournament ranked #3 in the country and had suffered just two conference losses all season. The Pirates held a 13-13 record and were en route to an eighth consecutive season without an NCAA Tournament. But there was hope on the horizon as evidenced here, with sophomore guard Sterling Gibbs hitting a buzzer beater to give Seton Hall a 64-63 victory. The Pirates lost in the next round to Providence but have since made NCAA Tournament trips in each of the last four seasons. Coincidentally, Gibbs’ older brother Ashton played at Pitt and was on the wrong end of a Big East Tournament quarterfinals buzzer beater coming up later in this list.

13) 1990 Finals: Connecticut 78, Syracuse 75

They’re arguably the conference’s most accomplished program now but it took Connecticut an entire decade to reach a Big East Tournament Final. Jim Calhoun had taken over a Huskies program in disarray four years prior and this ’89-’90 squad was the first comprised entirely of his recruits, led by senior Tate George. Syracuse was playing in its fifth consecutive tournament final and had major ambitions behind their All-American Derrick Coleman. The stars came as advertised, as George was brilliant in the game, leading all scorers with 22 points, while Coleman put on an impressive all-around performance with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. But the game’s hero was Connecticut backup guard John Gwynn, nicknamed “Microwave” by his teammates in a nod to Vinnie Johnson. After Syracuse opened a sizable first half lead, Gwynn scored 16 points to lead a Huskies comeback and finished it with a game winning basket-and-one.

12) 2011 Quarterfinals: Connecticut 76, Pittsburgh 74

Just how good was the Big East in ’10-’11? Connecticut was ranked #21 in the country but was the #9 seed in the conference tournament. They had a tall task ahead of them in Madison Square Garden, starting with Pittsburgh, top seed in the Big East and #3 in the nation. But UConn also had Kemba Walker, whose legend was cemented in this game. The junior guard was unstoppable against Pitt, relentlessly attacking the basket and finishing with 24 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Ashton Gibbs led the way for Pittsburgh with 27 points and the Panthers led by as many as 12 in the first half, only for UConn to come storming back. With five seconds remaining and the game tied, Walker took the ball at the top of the key, crossed over Pitt’s Gary McGehee so effectively that he fell to the floor, then nailed the game winning jumper at the buzzer. It was a third victory in three days for the Huskies and they didn’t lose again, ultimately winning both the Big East Tournament and NCAA Tournament titles.

11) 1991 Semifinals: Seton Hall 74, Villanova 72

Seton Hall won its first Big East Tournament title in 1991 but it required two buzzer beaters along the way. It wasn’t their All-Big East forward Anthony Avent or their future lottery pick Terry Dehere who provided the heroics. It was point guard Oliver Taylor, a Queens native who fulfilled a dream by hitting not one but two winning baskets in Madison Square Garden. In the quarterfinals against Pittsburgh with 11 seconds left and trailing by one, coach P.J. Carlisemo drew up a play for Dehere. But Taylor brought the ball up court and saw an opening so he took it, driving to the basket and hitting the winning layup at the buzzer. In the semifinals against Villanova, Taylor dominated from start-to-finish, dropping 25 points on 11-of-14 shooting while Dehere struggled with an injury. But a scrappy Villanova team fought hard and the game was tied at 72-72 with seconds left. This time, the plan was centered around Taylor and he nailed it again, a buzzer beating jumper to give Seton Hall the win.

10) 1984 Finals: Georgetown 82, Syracuse 71 (OT)

With just a few minutes remaining of a game already rife with animosity, Georgetown’s Michael Graham whiffed on a punch in the direction of Syracuses Andrew Hawkins. The referees initially ejected Graham but then reversed course and ruled it a personal foul. Hawkins hit the free throws to extend Syracuse’s lead to 59-54 but the Hoyas then rallied to tie it up and send the game to overtime when the Orange’s Sean Kerins missed a potential winner. With two starters fouled out, Syracuse was no match for Georgetown in the extra period and the Hoyas pulled away for the win. Patrick Ewing finished the game with 27 points, 16 rebounds, and five blocked shots and was named tournament MVP. Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim remarked postgame that the better team hadn’t won due to officiating but we have a retrospective fact check on that. Georgetown went on to win the national title while the Orange lost in the second round.

9) 1998 Semifinals: Syracuse 69, St. John’s 67 (OT)

Zendon Hamilton and Felipe Lopez came to St. John’s campus heavily hyped in 1994, but it was a local kid from the Bronx named Ron Artest (now Metta World Peace) who actually carried the Johnnies to glory. Only a freshman at this point, World Peace secured his spot on the all-tournament team with 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocks. He also nailed a buzzer beating jumper at the end of regulation that sent the game to overtime, and another clutch three-pointer in the extra period that tied the game with just seconds remaining. But Syracuse’s Ryan Blackwell hit a buzzer beater of his own to end the game and send Syracuse to the finals. St. John’s were subsequently upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, ending Hamilton and Lopez’s college careers. One year later, World Peace took over fully as team leader and led the Red Storm to the Big East Tournament Final and the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.

8) 2006 1st Round: Syracuse 74, Cincinnati 73
7) 2006 Quarterfinals: Syracuse 86, Connecticut 84 (OT)
6) 2006 Semifinals: Syracuse 58, Georgetown 57

From Patrick Ewing to Allen Iverson to Carmelo Anthony, the Big East Tournament has featured some of the biggest legends in basketball history over the years. But the greatest individual performance in a single tournament belongs to a scrawny guard with an injured leg who was once labelled the “Most Overrated” player in the Big East. Syracuse’s Gerry McNamara put on an absolute show in the 2006 tournament, averaging 16.3 points and 8.3 assists per game, shooting 46% from three-point range, and hitting a series of improbable game-altering shots. It started in a first round game against Cincinnati, when Syracuse blew a 14-point second half lead but were saved by McNamara, who hit a three-pointer in the final second to give them the win. The Orange incredibly blew another 14-point second half lead in the quarterfinals against Connecticut, and trailed by three points with 11 seconds left. McNamara was left inexplicably open on the ensuing play and hit another three-pointer to force overtime, where Syracuse prevailed. In a knock-down, drag-out semifinal game against Georgetown, an exhausted and hobbling McNamara still managed to nail five three-pointers in the second half. This time it was Syracuse making a huge comeback and McNamara clinched it at the end with a defensive stop. After Syracuse defeated Pittsburgh in the final, McNamara was deemed Tournament MVP and during the trophy ceremony defiantly donned a shirt that read “Overrated?”

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.