2024 Big East Conference Basketball Tournament
This is one of the best weeks in sports and the Big East men’s basketball tournament is at the forefront of all of it. Every year, we get high quality basketball at Madison Square Garden, also known as “The Mecca of Basketball.” This year won’t be any different, as some of the top teams in the country go to war beginning on March 13.
Last year, the Marquette Golden Eagles earned a 65-51 win over the Xavier Musketeers in the championship. That was after Marquette beat a Connecticut Huskies team that ended up winning the NCAA tournament. This year, both programs are relevant once again, but several other schools will be looking to push them.
Keep reading to see how we think this tournament will play out, and make sure you don’t miss any of the action. This event always gives us classics and that shouldn’t change this year.
How to Watch the Big East Conference Tournament
When: March 13-16
Where: Madison Square Garden in New York City
Format: Seeding based on record in conference; top-five seeds receive byes to quarterfinals
Watch: FS1, FOX; Championship Game on FOX at 6:30 pm ET
College Basketball Odds | College Basketball Betting Splits | Greg Peterson’s Daily Lines | Steve Makinen’s Power Ratings
Big East Conference Tournament Seeds, Teams and Odds
1. Connecticut Huskies (-135)
2. Creighton Bluejays (+425)
3. Marquette Golden Eagles (+500)
4. Seton Hall Pirates (35-1)
5. St. John’s Red Storm (+800)
6. Villanova Wildcats (16-1)
7. Providence Friars (60-1)
8. Butler Bulldogs (110-1)
9. Xavier Musketeers (110-1)
10. Georgetown Hoyas (1000-1)
11. DePaul Blue Demons (1000-1)
(odds from DraftKings Sportsbook accurate at time of publish)
Favorite To Win Big East Conference Tournament
Not only are the Huskies the favorites to win the Big East tournament, they’re also the favorites at +500 to win the NCAA tournament. Only Houston is higher when it comes to both KenPom and Bart Torvik’s adjusted efficiency rankings, but UConn is still top-five in offense and just outside the top 10 in defense on both. The Huskies are 10th in the nation in EFG% (56.7) and fourth in EFG% defense (45.1%). UConn is top 10 when it comes to both 2PT% offense and defense, and the team is solid when it comes to 3PT% on both ends of the floor.
The Huskies just have very few actual weaknesses, and they’re as proven as anyone in the country. UConn earned nonconference wins over Texas, North Carolina and Gonzaga before going 18-2 in Big East play. The Huskies also have a few holdovers from last year’s championship team, and they’re arguably the most well-coached team in basketball — both in college and the pros.
Big East Conference Tournament Darkhorse
You can do a lot worse than taking Villanova at 15-1. For a second consecutive season, the Wildcats’ mediocre record doesn’t match up with the team’s statistical profile. Despite barely being over the .500 mark, Villanova is ranked 29th by KenPom and 30th by Bart Torvik. And the reason for that is the Wildcats are 14th in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency in both. If you can trust a team to play hard defensively, you can trust they’ll have a good chance to win games.
Villanova didn’t have much success in close games this year, but that can always change in a tournament like this. The Wildcats will also be playing with a sense of urgency given where they stand when it comes to bracketology. It’s also hard not to believe in a team with Eric Dixon. The senior averaged 16.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game during the regular season, and he had 32 in a road win against Creighton back in December. He’s one of the best players the Big East has to offer. And he’s surrounded by talented role players that didn’t live up to expectations this year. Perhaps a fresh start in the postseason will bring the best out of them.
Players to Watch in Big East Conference Tournament
It’s hard to argue against Marquette’s Tyler Kolek being the best player in this conference. However, the Golden Eagles pick-and-roll maestro is dealing with an oblique injury. If he’s out, or even hindered in any capacity, Marquette will be in trouble. Kolek is the engine of this offense, capable of setting teammates up in a way nobody else in college basketball can. He’s also an elite 3-point shooter. Kolek’s running mate is Oso Ighodaro. The forward is a good athlete with serious quickness for a player his size. He’s a good play finisher for Marquette, and has some offensive versatility. He’s also tremendous on the defensive end.
Creighton is pretty loaded this season with Trey Alexander, Baylor Scheierman and Ryan Kalkbrenner all being excellent players. Alexander had 14 games with 20+ points during the regular season, and he capped the year off with a buzzer beater to beat Villanova. Alexander is capable of scoring in a variety of different ways, and he’s also a very good passer and defender. Realistically, Alexander is as good as anybody in the Big East.
Scheierman is a sniper from deep and is also a very good rebounder for a player his size. On top of that, he’s another guy that constantly sets his teammates up. And his gravity as a shooter opens things up for the entire Creighton offense. Finally, Kalkbrenner is a massive body that can finish around the basket and protect the rim with the best of them. He can also really move his feet for a guy that stands at 7-foot-1, making him the perfect anchor for the Bluejays defense.
Connecticut has two potential NBA lottery picks in Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle. Clingan is an absolute mountain of a man that rarely misses around the basket and is one of the best shot blockers in the nation. He makes standard centers look like children, and his presence on both ends of the floor makes the Huskies an intimidating matchup for anyone. Meanwhile, Castle is a big guard that can get to the rim with ease and has a really high motor. On top of him being a difficult player to guard, he’s also an in-your-face defender that plays passing lanes well.
UConn also has Tristen Newton, the team’s leading scorer at 16.0 points per game, Alex Karaban and Cam Spencer. For as good as Castle and Clingan might be in the pros, these three make UConn go offensively. All of them can really shoot the basketball, and all three know how to get things done late in games.
Providence’s Devin Carter is second to Clingan in the Big East when it comes to BPM. Carter is one of the most electric guards in college basketball, as he can score with the best of them (19.4 points per game) but he also averages a ridiculous 8.6 rebounds per game. Providence wasn’t as consistent as some of the top teams in this conference, but the team earned some big wins because Carter is a star and plays his heart out every night. Nobody wants to see the Friars because of him.
St. John’s has quite a few impactful players, but Joel Soriano and Daniss Jenkins are the two most important pieces for the Red Storm. Soriano is a good back-to-the-basket big for Rick Pitino’s squad, and he’s also a solid shot blocker for St. John’s. As for Jenkins, the senior is a fearless scorer that found another gear after a slow start to the year. When he’s making good decisions as a playmaker, the Red Storm are a tough basketball team.
Betting Pick to Win The Big East Conference Tournament
There’s nothing fun about taking the chalk, but it feels better when your money is on a well-oiled machine. This Huskies team will have a hard time living up to last year’s championship run. However, UConn’s statistical profile is as strong in 2024 as it was for most of 2023. Dan Hurley has proven that he is one of the best X’s and O’s coaches in the game, and he’s also a master motivator. When you combine that with the amount of talent he’s coaching up on a nightly basis, it’s hard to pinpoint which Big East team will stop the Huskies from winning the conference. It only helps that they’ll be playing at Madison Square Garden. UConn fans will likely pack the house all week.
Check out the other previews in our 2024 College Basketball Conference Tournament Betting Guide.
