Fansided

25 NCAA basketball bucket list items every fan must experience before they die

By Mike Phillips

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 07: The Duke Blue Devils mascot performs during the first half of their game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 07, 2020 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 07: The Duke Blue Devils mascot performs during the first half of their game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 07, 2020 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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NCAA basketball bucket list
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10. Attend the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden

The evolution of the conference tournament has been a big thing in the past few decades of college basketball. Not all conference tournaments are created equal, so we are recommending just one for our bucket list.

The diehard college basketball fans need to make sure they make a trip to Madison Square Garden to check out the Big East Tournament. The event has definitely lost a little luster compared to its heyday when the likes of Syracuse and Georgetown were competing every year, but it is still very special.

Unlike the other power conferences, the Big East’s top sport is basketball, so the conference tournament is a true event. Add in the mystique of playing at Madison Square Garden and it creates some electric atmospheres to these big games.

There is just something special about going to MSG at noon on the Thursday before the NCAA Tournament to see two bitter rivalries fighting for their postseason lives. The environment does get even stronger when St. John’s, which plays some of their home games at the Garden, is involved in a tight game.

No conference tournament truly captures the history and imagination like the Big East Tournament does, even in its new form. The return of UConn to the Big East next season should only make the event even more desirable from a fan’s perspective.