Long live college hoops rivalries

— -- Asked why his school elected to keep alive its old Big East ties by setting up nonconference games with St. John's, Villanova and Georgetown, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim answered as only Jim Boeheim can:

"Who should we play? Illinois?" he said.

Sadly, plenty of schools would do just that.

That rivalries are dying amid conference realignment is not news, but the notion that they have to is plain wrong.