‘ ‘ ‘ NEW YORK ‘mdash; Syracuse fans erupted with excitement and Connecticut fans sat in… ‘ ‘ ‘ NEW YORK ‘mdash; Syracuse fans erupted with excitement and Connecticut fans sat in despair. Eric Devendorf’s last-second 3-pointer swished through the net, sealing No. 20 Syracuse’s upset over No. 3 Connecticut. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Or not. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ When the referees waved off the game winner, ending an anxious silence inside Madison Square Garden, the Orange and the Huskies began their launch into the longest game in Big East history. Hours later, Syracuse claimed the victory it thought it sealed at the end of regulation, and thousands of Big East basketball fans experienced an instant classic. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Those who say conference tournaments don’t matter have never been inside Madison Square Garden on Friday or Saturday night. More importantly, they weren’t in the arena when Syracuse and Connecticut battled through six overtimes for the opportunity to advance to the semifinals. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ The game created an atmosphere so prevalent during the Big East tournament. Syracuse and Connecticut followers were not the only fans on their feet and cheering. Pittsburgh and Marquette fans, still reeling from their team’s respective losses, chose alliances and dove into the action. Other fans, whether their teams advanced, joined in to create an electric environment. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ For a few days each year, the teams that make up arguably the most dominant conference in the country take the floor at Madison Square Garden. For those same few days, thousands of Big East fans take over New York City. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ With the new format of all 16 Big East teams making the trip to New York, fans are treated to four games on Tuesday and Wednesday. This marathon of basketball games is designed with the most dedicated college basketball fans in mind. Most enthusiasts do not travel to New York City to watch only their team, but rather settle in for days of Big East basketball. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Fans find followers of their school they might not have met before but they bond with instantly. At the same time, friction exists in nearly every section. This combines the best features of home and away games: the camaraderie with fellow fans and the clashing between rivals. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ This was especially evident on Thursday night, when Big East rivals collided, such as Connecticut vs. Syracuse and Pitt vs. West Virginia. As teams battled on the court, fans bickered in the stands. And these conversations did not stay within Madison Square Garden. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ New York City bars and restaurants enjoy extra business during tournament time, and basketball fans have places to take their interaction. Many of these businesses cater to the Big East crowds by hanging banners for the conference and painting team logos on their windows. The conversations outside the arena are perhaps the most memorable, and enjoyable, aspect of the tournament. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Strangers, whose only connection is that they share a favorite team or conference, end up talking for hours about the Big East season and the tournament. After five days, these outlets become places for college basketball fans to talk hoops with hundreds of their closest friends. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ To fans of the Big East, the conference tournament is a paradise. Madison Square Garden is home to some of the greatest sports moments in history, and the game between Syracuse and Connecticut was added to the list last week. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ The game ‘mdash; the weekend ‘mdash; had the feel of a championship, especially on Thursday night, when Orange and Huskies fans debated in the stands as their teams clashed on the court.