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Former Big East foes set to renew acquaintances?

Syracuse UConn Basketball

Syracuse guard Trevor Cooney (10) celebrates at the end of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against Connecticut in the semifinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015. Syracuse defeated Connecticut 79-76. (Brad Horrigan/The Courant via AP)

AP

In the semifinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas, Syracuse and Connecticut met for the first time since the programs left the Big East in 2013. Of course the game, which the Orange won, made many nostalgic for the days when that game would be a conference matchup with far higher stakes. And apparently, fans may not have to wait too long for the next meeting between the two programs.

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Obviously UConn head coach Kevin Ollie used the word “hopefully” when discussing the possibility of there being a UConn/Syracuse matchup on next season’s schedule, so nothing’s set in stone. But hopefully the two sides can some to an agreement...maybe a home and home with a neutral site meeting at Madison Square Garden?

That wouldn’t be a bad deal at all, especially when considering the number of important meetings in the series. Both programs have made efforts to get former conference foes on their respective non-conference schedules, with Syracuse having already played Georgetown, St. John’s and Villanova since their move to the ACC.

UConn will play the first game in its home and home series with Georgetown this weekend, and adding another former Big East to the mix would help their non-conference résumé in future years given the strength of the American Athletic Conference compared to its last conference home.