Former Big East rivals set to face off in Madison Square Garden

Fans of the old Big East will appreciate a slice of the past that is reportedly being finalized for next season.

Syracuse and St. John's are close to an agreement that would bring the Orange downstate to New York City to face the Red Storm at Madison Square Garden.

The matchup used to be a regular occurrence for decades, before Syracuse left the Big East for the ACC in 2013.

Ironically, Syracuse's new head coach, Gerry McNamara, played for the Orange while they were in the Big East. He scored 23 points at Madison Square Garden in his final contest against St. John's back in 2006.

Some fans might refer to this anticipated contest as the Donnie Freeman Bowl. Freeman spent two seasons at Syracuse before transferring to St. John's this offseason as a high-profile acquisition for the Red Storm.

Freeman averaged over 15 points and seven rebounds with the Orange.

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: St. John's basketball, Syracuse set to play next season