Big East MBB Conference Tournament Predictions

March! March is here and the whole sports world turns its attention to college basketball. Before March Madness, conference tournaments make or break bubble teams, determine national seeding, and occasionally birth underdogs known as "bid stealers." In this article, I break down the Big East tournament, featuring America's darling Providence, as well as Shaka Smart and Marquette.

First Round (3/9)

8 Xavier over 9 Butler

10 DePaul over 7 St. John's

6 Seton Hall over 11 Georgetown

Analysis: Xavier finished under .500 in conference play, yet Joe Lunardi has the Musketeers as one of the last four teams in the field of 68. Xavier is led by Iowa transfer C Jack Nunge, while Butler lacks a premier option. Butler really can't score and likely doesn't have the personnel to stop Nunge, so I'll take Xavier. DePaul has struggled in conference play, but they have an elite scorer in G Javon Freeman-Liberty. G/F Julian Champagnie is the engine that gets St. John's to run, averaging 18.9 PPG and 6.6 RPG. The season series was split with two high scoring affairs going to the home team. St. John's is the safer pick, but I love Javon Freeman-Liberty so I'll take DePaul. The last matchup of the first round, I have a hard time seeing Georgetown when this game. Yes, they had an improbable run to a conference tournament title in 2021, but this team is winless in conference play! Seton Hall is a projected tournament team that is sound both offensively and defensively. Pirates blow by Patrick Ewing's squad very easily.

Quarterfinals (3/10)

1 Providence over 8 Xavier

5 Marquette over 4 Creighton

2 Villanova over 10 DePaul

3 UConn over 6 Seton Hall

Analysis: With a win here, Xavier would secure their spot in the big dance. Providence won both regular season meetings, but only by a combined ten points. In both games, the Musketeers struggled mightily to contain Providence from beyond the arc. Jack Nunge can match Providence C Nate Watson, but G Jared Bynum has been spectacular off the bench for the Friars, averaging 12.9 PPG. The Friars move on, while Xavier has to wait and see if they get selected to the tournament. Creighton won both regular season matchups over Marquette, although they were both great games. Creighton has a nice blend of veterans and youngsters, but they're averaging under 70 PPG. Marquette freshman F Justin Lewis has carried the Golden Eagles with his 17.1 PPG and 8.0 RPG. I'm rocking with the Golden Eagles to advance. As much as I love Javon Freeman-Liberty, I'd be an idiot not to take Villanova. Villanova is an elite offensive team, led by fifth-year senior Collin Gillespie, but they boast a solid defensive unit too. Jay Wright's team routed DePaul twice this year, I'd guess they do it a third time. UConn plays at a painfully slow pace, but it's lead to a ton of success. The trio of G R.J. Cole, G Tyrese Martin, and F Adama Sanogo is very hard to slow down (no pun intended). Both regular season games were incredibly close, which I see as an indication that this game will be great. I'll take the Huskies defeating the Pirates at the buzzer.

Semifinals (3/11)

5 Marquette over 1 Providence

3 UConn over 2 Villanova

Analysis: Marquette pounded Providence in their first matchup, then Providence narrowly beat Marquette in round two. Now, we have the rubber match. Providence is a legit team that can compete in March, but they have, statistically speaking, been very lucky (ranked #1 in luck on KenPom). Marquette G Darryl Morsell (13.3 PPG) has postseason experience from his time at Maryland, which I expect to elevate this Golden Eagles squad. I like Shaka Smart and Marquette to outlast National Coach of the Year candidate Ed Cooley and Providence. UConn and Villanova split their season series, though Villanova has the superior conference and overall record. For as slow as UConn plays, Villanova somehow plays even slower. Each possession will be crucial in determining the outcome of this game, so the glaring difference in team rebounding favors the Huskies. This should be a back-and-forth affair, but I have Dan Hurley's men pulling out the victory.

Championship (3/12)

3 UConn over 5 Marquette

Analysis: UConn swept the season series with Marquette. Statistically, UConn has a big advantage in the rebounding category over Marquette, so for the Golden Eagles to avoid another loss at the hands of the Huskies, they'll need to hold their own on the boards. Freshman F Justin Lewis and senior C Kur Kuath will be the primary players that need to step up on the boards. Justin Lewis may be the most talented player on the court, but when push comes to shove, I'm gonna follow senior G R.J. Cole to lead UConn to a conference title.

If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading! Can Creighton get off the bubble? Will Georgetown miraculously get their first conference win? Who do you have winning the tournament? Let me know in the comments down below!

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Note: Thank you to FanDuel for the graphic provided at the top of the article