Big East Conference Tournament Preview: Can Anyone Stop St. John’s?
Madison Square Garden. March basketball. And a conference title on the line.
The Big East Tournament tips off Wednesday, and while perennial powerhouses like UConn, Creighton, and Marquette are in the mix, it’s Rick Pitino’s St. John’s squad that enters as the team to beat.
For the first time since 1985, the Red Storm stand alone at the top of the conference. They closed the regular season winning 16 of their last 17 games, their only loss in that span coming by two points at Villanova. Pitino, now in his first season at St. John’s, has turned a once-proud program back into a powerhouse.
But the path to the Big East Tournament title won’t be easy. Xavier has been red-hot since January. UConn is trying to recapture its championship form. Creighton and Marquette are still dangerous.
As the Big East’s best battle for an automatic ticket to the NCAA Tournament, here’s everything you need to know about this week’s matchups.
Can St. John’s Finish the Job?
The Red Storm are the clear favorite, but the gap between them and the rest of the field isn’t massive.
- Over their last 15 games, St. John’s ranks 21st in the country in efficiency.
- Xavier? Right behind them at No. 23.
- Creighton sits at No. 28, UConn at No. 37.
Pitino’s squad boasts the nation’s best defense in 2025 and is playing its best basketball of the year. JuJu Watkins has been a dominant force, and Kiki Iriafen has been an anchor down low.
And yet, March is unpredictable.
The Big East Tournament never fails to deliver chaos, and this year should be no different.
St. John’s may be the team to beat, but the road to a title will run through some of the most battle-tested teams in the country.
Let the madness begin.
2025 Big East Tournament Futures Odds
St. John’s is favored in Big East Tournament futures odds. From there, UConn, Creighton, and Marquette are expected to give the Red Storm a challenge.
BetOnline’s Big East Tournament championship odds:
- St. John’s Red Storm +130
- Connecticut Huskies +400
- Creighton Blue Jays +425
- Marquette Golden Eagles +600
- Xavier Musketeers +1100
- Villanova Wildcats +1400
- Butler Bulldogs +8000
- Georgetown Hoyas +8000
- Providence Friars +15000
- DePaul Blue Demons +25000
- Seton Hall Pirates +30000
2025 Big East Tournament Schedule
The Big East Tournament runs from March 12-15 at Madison Square Garden.
First Round
- No. 9 Butler vs. No. 8 Providence, 4 p.m. ET Wednesday (Peacock)
- No. 10 DePaul vs. No. 7 Georgetown, 6:30 p.m. ET Wednesday (Peacock)
- No. 11 Seton Hall vs. No. 6 Villanova, 9 p.m. ET Wednesday (Peacock)
Quarterfinals
- Butler/Providence vs. No. 1 St. John’s, noon ET Thursday (Peacock)
- No. 5 Marquette vs. No. 4 Xavier, 2:30 p.m. ET Thursday (Peacock)
- DePaul/Georgetown vs. No. 2 Creighton, 7 p.m. ET Thursday (FS1)
- Seton Hall/Villanova vs. No. 3 UConn, 9:30 p.m. ET Thursday (FS1)
Semifinals
- TBA vs. TBA, 6:30 p.m. ET Friday (FOX)
- TBA vs. TBA, 9 p.m. ET Friday (FOX)
Championship
- TBA vs. TBA, 6:30 p.m. ET Saturday (FOX)
Big East Conference Expert Picks and Best Bets
For much of the year, UConn looked poised to dominate once again. The Huskies entered the season with dreams of a three-peat after ruling college basketball the last two years. But after stumbling through the second half of the season—including two losses to St. John’s—UConn arrives in New York as the No. 3 seed with a 22-9 record.
It’s hard to rule out a team coached by Dan Hurley, but this isn’t the same dominant UConn team from the past two years. Without a deep run at MSG, it’s tough to see the Huskies regaining their championship form.
Meanwhile, Marquette’s early-season success has faded. The Golden Eagles went just 8-7 over their last 15 games and entered the Big East Tournament ranked 44th in overall efficiency over that span, according to Bart Torvik’s rankings.
Xavier, on the other hand, is surging. After a rough start to Big East play, the Musketeers won seven straight to close out the season, finishing tied for fourth in the conference. Their resume includes wins over UConn and Marquette, but their overall body of work still leaves them on the tournament bubble. A deep run at MSG would solidify their place in the NCAA Tournament.
Villanova? The Wildcats are clinging to hope. A disappointing 18-13 season has them on the outside looking in. Wins over St. John’s, UConn, and Marquette prove they have the talent, but unless they make a statement this week, Villanova could miss the tournament for the third straight year. That kind of drought could cost head coach Kyle Neptune his job.
Sleeper Pick: Xavier Musketeers +1100
The Xavier Musketeers are in the NCAA Tournament —at least for now. But with Selection Sunday looming and the bubble tightening by the minute, their spot in the NCAA Tournament is anything but secure.
A win this week would calm the nerves in Cincinnati. A loss? That’s where things get dicey.
Teams like Oklahoma, Georgia, North Carolina, and San Diego State are all set to play critical Quadrant 1 (Q1) matchups Wednesday, meaning a Xavier loss could push them toward the wrong side of the bubble. Every conference tournament across the country is a moving puzzle, and the Musketeers can’t afford to be a passive piece.
This brings us to Marquette—Xavier’s golden opportunity. The Golden Eagles represent a crucial Q1 game, and a win would set up yet another Q1 matchup in the semifinals. One win would help. Two would remove all doubt.
And the way this Big East Tournament is shaping up, there’s a path for Xavier to make a statement. I like this team lately. They’re worth a flier here.
Expert Pick: UConn +400
It’s always hard to play the favorites in these conference tournaments. They win with grit. With defense. With rebounding and a relentlessness that never wavers. St. John’s imposes its will.
The numbers tell the story—KenPom’s No. 3-ranked defense, behind only Tennessee and Houston. The Red Storm grind teams down, possession by possession, stop by stop. Their Achilles’ heel? The three-point line. At just 29.9% from deep, it’s the one crack in their armor, the one flaw that could cost them everything.
And yet, the path feels inevitable. Creighton (+425) makes a strong case, but destiny may be pointing toward a third showdown between St. John’s (+130) and Connecticut at Madison Square Garden. As much as I really love this St. John’s squad, I’m going to look for value elsewhere.
Dan Hurley’s dream of a historic NCAA three-peat is slipping away, but this moment? This fight? It’s not about history. It’s about now.
The Huskies have the size, the talent, the shooters—Solo Ball, Alex Karaban, Liam McNeeley, Tarris Reed Jr., Samson Johnson. They have the pedigree. But they’ll need to survive Villanova, battle through Creighton, and then, under the bright lights of the Garden, find a way to avoid a third straight loss to Pitino’s relentless Red Storm.
It’s March. It’s chaos. And when the stakes are highest, I’m betting on Hurley.
Best Bets:
- Xavier Muskateers +1100
- UConn Huskies +400
