With Selection Sunday just under two weeks to go, a few Big East teams will be hoping to hear their names called and have their shot at a postseason run.
In ESPN’s most recent bracketology update, Seton Hall and Providence were listed as Last Four In teams, while Villanova and St. John’s were placed in the First Four Out Category.
For Seton Hall, it has been a solid campaign in the conference with an 11-7 record. Notable wins have come against UConn and Marquette. Guards Kadary Richmond and Dre Davis have led the team offensively, averaging 16.2 and 14.4 respectfully. Closing out the season with two wins against Villanova and DePaul should see the Pirates clinch their bid.
Similarly to Seton Hall, Providence has two big wins to show for themselves coming against Creighton and Marquette. The Friars sit 9-9 in the Big East with two games to go. Assuming they can’t get it done against UConn next game, Providence should look to at least when a game or two to secure a bid, but the three-headed monster of Devin Carter, Josh Oduro, and Bryce Hopkins should be enough to get it done against the lower-seeded teams of the Big East.
The path to a spot in the tournament for Villanova is a bit less straightforward. Despite having a better conference record than Providence, the Wildcats have failed to beat UConn or Marquette this season. They also have a tough end to the schedule, with an away game at Seton Hall before ending the season home versus tenth-ranked Creighton. Villanova needs to win at least one of these games and win a game or two in the Big East Tournament to have a hope on Selection Sunday.
Finally, St. John’s also comes in with a 9-9 conference record. The Red Storm have lost by only a point to both Creighton and Marquette and by 4 to UConn earlier in the season. St. John’s are riding a three-game win streak, headlined by a win against Creighton, and should be able to ride the hot streak and take care of business against DePaul and Georgetown. If they take care of business and win a game in the Big East tournament, the Red Storm could be a sneaky team to watch out for come March, but any slip-up would see their tournament hopes go out the door.
