Top-seeded Marquette has won 11 of its last 12 games and isn’t even the betting favorite on this week’s Big East Tournament.
That will be fourth-seeded Connecticut, which is entering the tournament having won five straight games.
Villanova, the harmful sixth seed, has played its best basketball of late now that Justin Moore is healthy.
Third-seeded Creighton, the preseason favorite, would be the best team. No. 2 Xavier, fueled by the dynamic backcourt of Souley Boum and Colby Jones, someway appears like a dark horse despite winning 4 of its last five games.
No. 5 Windfall, skidding of late, is viewed as a significant underdog, but that’s where coach Ed Cooley thrives.
It really looks like anybody’s tournament to win, at the least from the highest half of the conference.
The massive five all have Sweet 16 potential, which makes the following 4 days so fascinating.
All of it gets going Wednesday when eighth-seeded St. John’s meets No. 9 Butler at 3 p.m.
Here’s a team-by-team breakdown:
No. 1 Marquette (25-6, 17-3)
Coach: Shaka Smart
Star: Soph. G Tyler Kolek (12.7 ppg, 7.9 apg).
My pick for Big East Player of the 12 months, Kolek is one among the country’s best point guards, the motor for the fourth-ranked offense within the nation by efficiency.
His vastly improved 3-point shot — Kolek hit 39.6 percent from downtown after shooting at a 28.1 percent clip a yr ago — has made the shifty sophomore so difficult to defend.
X factor: Soph. F Oso Ighodaro (11.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg).
In 4 of Marquette’s six losses, Ighodaro has struggled.
Marquette is thin up front, and depends on the 6-foot-9, rim-protecting sophomore to make an impact inside.
Strength: Caring for the ball. Despite playing fast, Marquette isn’t uncontrolled, notching a plus-5.5 turnover margin.
Weakness: The paint. Marquette lacks a real big man, a part of the explanation it’s next-to-last within the league in defensive rebounding percentage at 68.7.
Can win title if: It might avoid Connecticut. It’s not an excellent matchup for Marquette, which was blown out by the Huskies on Feb. 7, and needed a second-half rally at home to beat them in the primary meeting.
BetMGM Odds: 3/1
No. 2 Xavier (23-8, 15-5)
Coach: Sean Miller
Star: Soph. G Souley Boum (16.8 ppg, 4.5 apg).
The previous UTEP guard was an incredible find by Miller, among the finest transfers within the country.
The league’s third-best 3-point shooter at 42.2 percent, he can also be an adept playmaker who boasts a 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio.
X factor: Sr. F Jerome Hunter (7.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg).
Zach Freemantle’s season-ending foot injury turned Hunter from a reserve to a starter.
Xavier has gone 6-3 because it lost Freemantle, and Hunter has played a critical role within the Musketeers with the ability to survive without their third-leading scorer and top rebounder.
Strength: Offense. Xavier is the Big East leader in assists (19.9), 3-point percentage (39.8) and scoring (82.1).
Weakness: Defense. Miller has repeatedly said the Musketeers will only go so far as their defense, ranked 83rd in efficiency, will carry them.
Can win title if: Boum and Jones perform as much as their potential as the very best backcourt within the league and sharpshooting forward Jack Nunge avoids foul trouble to anchor Xavier’s sometimes suspect defense.
BetMGM Odds: 5/1
No. 3 Creighton (20-11, 14-6)
Coach: Greg McDermott
Star: Jr. C Ryan Kalkbrenner (15.1 ppg, 2.2 bpg).
The Bluejays nearly fell apart when the 7-foot-1 Kalkbrenner was in poor health, losing six straight games from late November into mid-December.
The league’s Defensive Player of the 12 months is that pivotal at each ends of the ground.
X factor: Soph. G Ryan Nembhard (12.0 ppg, 4.9 apg).
One way or the other, the play-making point guard wasn’t included in any Big East honors. He’ll play with a large chip on his shoulder this week.
Strength: Balance. Creighton isn’t overly reliant on one player to attain.
Its entire starting lineup averages in double figures, between Kalkbrenner’s 15.1 and Arthur Kaluma’s 11.9.
Weakness: Bench. 85.1 percent of Creighton’s offense comes from its starters.
Can win title if: Fatigue isn’t a problem. Three games in as many days can be a challenge for a team that relies so heavily on its starting lineup.
BetMGM Odds: 3/1
No. 4 Connecticut (24-7, 13-7)
Coach: Dan Hurley
Star: Soph. G Jordan Hawkins (16.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg).
One of the crucial improved players within the country, the high-scoring guard has elevated himself into a possible NBA first-round pick.
He’s a big-time shotmaker with some Ben Gordon in his game, nearly tripling his offensive output from a yr ago.
X factor: Jr. G Andre Jackson Jr. (6.8 ppg, 4.3 apg).
Jackson has began to search out his offense, scoring in double figures in 4 of the last five games, and it’s not a coincidence the Huskies have turned it on during that span.
He’s a high-level defender, gifted athlete and playmaker who can guard almost every position on the ground.
Strength: Defense. UConn allows a Big East-low 64.8 points and in addition leads the league in blocked shots at five per game.
Scoring against the Huskies is a chore.
Weakness: Consistency. For such a powerful team, this can be a group that lost six of eight early within the conference season, dropping games to lower-tier opponents St. John’s and Seton Hall.
Can win title if: The early- and late-season Huskies show up relatively than the January version.
Connecticut has essentially the most talent within the league, and has shown it of late, winning eight of its last nine games.
BetMGM Odds: 11/5
No. 5 Windfall (21-10, 13-7)
Coach: Ed Cooley
Star: Soph. F Bryce Hopkins (16.1 ppg, 8.5 rpg).
A disappointment in a single season at Kentucky, the 6-foot-7 wing found his game at Windfall, developing into one among the premier players within the Big East.
He’s physical and expert, a powerful 3-point shooter who can rating in any respect three levels and is an underrated playmaker averaging 2.3 assists per game.
Hopkins is a matchup nightmare — too strong for wings and too quick for forwards.
X factor: Sr. G Jared Bynum (10.1 ppg, 4.4 apg).
It was a down yr for the senior across the board.
His 3-point shooting percentage and scoring average dropped after a sensational junior yr.
When he’s on, Windfall is a distinct team. It won’t make a run this week unless Bynum can rediscover his form.
Strength: Rebounding. Windfall is second within the Big East in rebounding margin at plus-6.9.
Weakness: The road. Windfall is just 6-8 away from the Amica Mutual Pavilion.
The Friars have lost five of seven on the road, and played poorly of their one game on the Garden, an unpleasant loss to St. John’s.
Can win title if: This last month was an aberration, and Cooley is in a position to get this team to flip a switch. The Friars have lost five of their last nine games, and haven’t looked right even longer than that.
BetMGM Odds: 16/1
No. 6 Villanova (16-15, 10-10)
Coach: Kyle Neptune
Star: Sr. G Justin Moore (13.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
After missing many of the season’s first three months after tearing his right Achilles tendon last March, Moore has began to resemble the player he was pre-injury.
He has keyed wins over Seton Hall, Creighton and Xavier, giving Villanova fans a reason to dream it will probably make major noise this week on the Garden.
X factor: Fr. F Cam Whitmore (12.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg).
It’s not a coincidence that in Villanova’s best performances, the projected NBA lottery pick has been at his best.
It might be interesting to see where the uber-skilled 6-foot-6 freshman can be now in his development had he not missed the primary month of the season with a right thumb injury.
Strength: Free-throw shooting. Villanova is the No. 1 team within the country on the charity stripe at 82.3 percent
Weakness: Offensive rebounding. The Wildcats rely upon offensive execution, because second-chance opportunities are so infrequent for them.
They’re tenth within the league in offensive rebounding percentage at 22.6.
Can win title if: Villanova’s strong stretch to shut the season was an indication this team is hitting its stride.
Finally healthy, the Wildcats have won six of their last eight games, and were playing in addition to anyone within the league before a regular-season-closing loss to Connectciut.
BetMGM Odds: 9/1
No. 7 Seton Hall (17-14, 10-10)
Coach: Shaheen Holloway
Star: Sr. G Al-Amir Dawes (12.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg).
Kadary Richmond’s likely absence resulting from a back injury adds much more responsibility onto Dawes, an elite-shooting guard from Newark.
Seton Hall needs him to supply offensively, and recently he has, scoring in double figures in nine of his last 10 games and shooting 39.3 percent from 3-point range in that span.
X factor: Jr. G Dre Davis (10.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg).
Seton Hall is 7-4, with wins over Windfall, Rutgers and Memphis, when the versatile 6-foot-6 Louisville transfer scores in double figures.
Strength: Defending the three. Seton Hall, long and deep on the wing, is twenty seventh nationally in 3-point defense, holding its opponents to 30.6 percent.
Weakness: Frontcourt depth. Seton Hall has just one true big in senior Tyrese Samuel. When he gets into foul trouble, it forces Holloway to go small.
Can win title if: Last March was a sign of what type of tournament coach Holloway is.
No one gave Saint Peter’s a shot to win one game within the NCAA Tournament, let alone three.
He’ll make certain the Pirates consider they will cut down the nets, so long as their odds could also be.
BetMGM Odds: 33/1
No. 8 St. John’s (17-14, 7-13)
Coach: Mike Anderson
Star: Sr. C Joel Soriano (15.2 ppg, 11.8 rpg)
The largest shiny spot of a dismal season, the high-character big man has carried St. John’s for many of the yr.
Soriano, the league’s Most Improved Player, is tied with Purdue center Zach Edey for essentially the most double-doubles within the country with 23.
X factor: Jr. G Posh Alexander (10.3 ppg, 4.4 apg)
An All-Big East preseason first-team selection, Alexander struggled throughout a disappointing season, shooting a career-worst 40.4 percent from the sector.
The Brooklyn native has performed higher of late, averaging 12 points and five assists in his last nine games while shooting 47 percent from the sector.
Strength: Familiar surroundings. The Garden is St. John’s home away from home.
It played there 4 times in the course of the regular season, although that hasn’t helped the Johnnies on this tournament.
It last reached the semifinals in 2000.
Weakness: 3-point shooting. It was a preseason concern that was justified.
St. John’s attempts only 17.4 3s a game, ranked 324th nationally, and shoots it at a woeful 33.2 percent clip.
Can win title if: There may be Garden magic. Something abnormal would wish to occur for this underachieving team to win 4 games in as many days.
Fanduel Odds: 75/1
No. 9 Butler (14-17, 6-14)
Coach: Thad Matta
Star: Soph. G Jayden Taylor (13.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
Butler’s top offensive weapon, Taylor is at his best going to the basket, and has quality size for a guard at 6-foot-4.
X factor: Soph. G Simas Lukosius (11.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg)
He’s a powerful 3-pointer shooter who plays each ends of the ground, distributing and rebounding well.
Strength: Perimeter depth. Butler can come at you in waves.
Weakness: Shotmaking. Butler is last within the Big East in scoring (65.3), eighth in field-goal percentage (43.8) and ninth in 3-point shooting percentage (33.0).
Can win title if: Mike Conley Jr. and Greg Oden, Matta’s former stars at Ohio State, have any eligibility left.
BetMGM Odds: 350/1
No. 10 DePaul (9-22, 3-17)
Coach: Tony Stubblefield
Star: Sr. G Umoja Gibson (15.8 ppg, 4.6 apg).
A unbelievable shooter and quality playmaker, the Oklahoma transfer’s sensible season was wasted by DePaul.
Big East coaches whiffed by not including him on any of the all-league teams.
X factor: Sr. C Nick Ongenda (11.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg).
The talented center missed the season’s first 25 games with a wrist injury, and has provided DePaul with the within presence it was severely lacking.
His return, though, hasn’t led to any victories.
Strength: 3-point shooting. DePaul isn’t a excellent shooting team overall, but it surely is oddly second within the league from beyond the arc at 36.1 percent.
Weakness: Rebounding margin. DePaul is minus-6.3 on the glass, tied for 343rd within the country.
Can win title if: Nothing is sensible. This team has lost 12 straight games, casting doubt on Stubblefield’s future at the varsity.
BetMGM Odds: 500/1
No. 11 Georgetown (7-24, 2-18)
Coach: Patrick Ewing
Star: Soph. G Primo Spears (15.9 ppg, 5.2 apg)
A terrific talent that struggles with shooting efficiency and taking good care of the ball. It’s easy to see him becoming among the finest guards within the league if the following Georgetown coach can keep him.
X factor: Sr. C Qudus Wahab (9.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg)
The plodding big man helped the Hoyas to their miracle Big East Tournament title run two years ago, and hasn’t been the identical player since.
Leaving for Maryland last season didn’t work out, and neither has his decision to return to Georgetown.
Strength: Nothing to lose.
Georgetown can play fast and loose, knowing major change is coming regardless of what happens this week on the Garden.
Weakness: 3-point defense. The opposition shoots a lights-out 38.8 percent from distance against Georgetown.
Only five schools within the country defend the 3-point line worse.
Can win title if: Ewing has a time machine and throws on a jersey. The top of his time at Georgetown should arrive shortly after the Hoyas are eliminated Wednesday night.
BetMGM Odds: 500/1
Braziller’s Prediction
Big East Champion: No. 4 Connecticut
Most Outstanding Player: Connecticut sophomore guard Jordan Hawkins
I like the draw for Dan Hurley’s Huskies — struggling Windfall followed likely by Marquette, which Connecticut recently manhandled.
This team has gotten over its January problems and is surging at the proper time of the yr.
The 6-foot-5 Hawkins is underrated nationally, but he won’t be when this tournament is complete and he shoots down Creighton in a classic title game.