NEW YORK - When the re-modeled BIG EAST Conference debuted in the 2013-14 season there were plenty of doubters who questioned whether the Conference could live up to its prestigious name or storied history.
Gone were familiar marquee powerhouses Syracuse, UConn, Pittsburgh and Louisville.
In their places in a reduced 10-team conference were less familiar names like Creighton, Xavier and Butler.
But just five years later the questions have ceased and the skeptics have turned into believers and fans, as the BIG EAST has been a highlight reel of milestones.
“The results have spoken for themselves, “ said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman at the annual BIG EAST basketball media day on the floor of Madison Square Garden on Thursday.