NCAAB Conference Tournament Betting Preview: Big East

Mar 07, 2022

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There are very few things better than Big East basketball at Madison Square Garden.

The Big East Tournament kicks off in New York with a trio of opening-round games and then finishes four days of incredible action with the championship game on Saturday night.

The Providence Friars earned the No. 1 overall seed by finishing as the conference champions for the first time in their school's history. Providence finished at 14-3, earning the top seed with a higher winning percentage than Villanova at 16-4. It was a fantastic year for head coach Ed Cooley's Friars, who were projected seventh in the preseason poll.

The Wildcats have been the Big East's most dominant team over the past decade, winning seven conference titles during that span. The Wildcats have also won four Big East Tournament Titles over the past six years, and have again earned the top spot as the tournament favorite at +150.

Connecticut met expectations with a strong third-place finish, but both No. 4-seeded Creighton and No. 5-seeded Marquette far exceeded preseason expectations. The Bluejays were projected eighth in the preseason and the Golden Eagles were expected to finish among the bottom tier of teams in the 11-member Big East.

The 8th-11th seeds start on Wednesday before quarterfinal action begins in full on Thursday afternoon. The games are played on four consecutive days, with the eventual champion earning the Big East crown on Saturday.

2022 NCAA Tournament Betting Previews

Big East Conference Tournament Bracket

Big East Conference Tournament History

Just like the regular season, Villanova has also dominated the Big East Tournament in recent history. The Wildcats have won four of the past six tournaments, including a streak of three in a row from 2017-2019. Last season was the first time since 2016 that the Wildcats failed to even make the finals.

The Big East Tournament has enjoyed the electric backdrop of Madison Square Garden since 1983. Georgetown's surprise run to the championship last season gave the Hoyas their eighth overall championship, breaking a tie with Connecticut. Villanova's recent success has placed them tied for the third-most titles with five, shared by former Big East-member Syracuse.