March Madness Update: UConn on Verge of Big East Title
The first of the championships that UConn set its sights on this season could be wrapped up this weekend as the defending national champs have a chance to capture the Big East regular-season title.
When looking at the NCAA basketball picks, Creighton and Marquette are in a position to join UConn as top 16 seeds when the March Madness bracket is announced. The question is whether the Big East will get five teams into the tournament field, as was the case a season ago.
When it comes to making NCAA basketball predictions, keep in mind that the top six teams in the Big East are a combined 78-12 at home.
UConn is the only Big East team undefeated in conference play at home while the Huskies join Marquette and Creighton as teams with winning records on the road.
When looking at the college basketball futures odds, UConn is first with +500 odds of winning the national championship. Marquette’s odds to win March Madness have moved from +1600 to +2000. Creighton is the next closest Big East team with +3000 odds to win it all.
Keep on ready for more on the March Madness hopes of the teams from the Big East.
Here’s a look at some March Madness Odds to consider!
Big Dance-Bound
UConn is still looking pretty good to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies helped themselves by playing Texas, Kansas, North Carolina, and Gonzaga during the non-conference portion of the schedule.
The Huskies are fourth in the NCAA NET rankings and are tied for the national lead with nine Quad 1 wins. It is a matter of when and not if UConn will clinch the Big East regular-season title and that is one of the three championships the Huskies could claim in the coming weeks.
🚨 NEW #Power36 from @TheAndyKatz
1. Houston
2. UConn
3. Purdue
4. Iowa State
5. Tennessee
6. Kansas
7. Marquette
8. Arizona
9. Baylor
10. Kentucky🗞️: https://t.co/MMZN0xKGYQ pic.twitter.com/bBTzYIyQiZ
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 26, 2024
Marquette is 11th and Creighton comes in at No. 12 in the latest NCAA NET rankings. Marquette’s 6-5 record in Quad 1 games will likely keep the Golden Eagles from moving into contention for a No. 2 seed.
Creighton made a huge move to No. 9 in the NCAA NET rankings after the win against UConn before dropping back a bit after a recent loss to St. John’s. There are three Quad 2 losses on the resume for the Bluejays but that shouldn’t keep them from being a top 16 seed in the NCAA tournament.
There is a bit of a drop-off after the Big 3 with Villanova the only other Big East team in the top 35.
On the Bubble
Villanova is sitting at No. 32 in the NCAA NET rankings but there is still some work to do with just a 16-12 record for the Wildcats. A 3-8 record in Quad 1 games and three Quad 3 losses give the NCAA Selection Committee some numbers to crunch.
St. John’s is seventh in the Big East standings but is 40th in the NCAA NET rankings. The win over Creighton was a huge help but the Red Storm might need to make a run in the conference tournament to land a spot in the March Madness bracket.
Providence could hit the 20-win mark before the Big East Tournament. The NCAA NET ranking for the Friars is at 56 and the 8-10 record in Quad 1 and Quad 2 games is not going to wow the selection committee. Ten Quad 4 games won’t help either.
Seton Hall is 11-6 in league play in one of the best conferences in the country but will a fourth-place finish in the Big East get the Pirates a March Madness invitation?
Seton Hall is 64th in the NCAA NET rankings with a 5-6 record versus Quad 1 teams. There are games remaining against UConn and Villanova.
Take A Look At These Other 2 NCAAB March Madness Special Articles
- Big Ten March Madness: Purdue Closing in on No. 1 Seed.
- March Madness Betting: Houston Among Big 12 Title Contenders.
Wait ‘Til Next Year
The NCAA NET rankings for Xavier and Butler are 61st and 69nd and that might sound promising. However, Xavier has a 14-14 record while Butler is 3-11 in Quad 1 games so it is hard to imagine either of them in the Field of 68 without winning the Big East title.
The good news for Georgetown and DePaul is that the 2023-24 season will soon be over.
College basketball lines are heating up. Bet on March Madness and see if you can be the champion!
Questions Of The Day
How many Big East teams made the 2023 NCAA Tournament?
Five Big East teams were in the 2023 NCAA Tournament field with UConn winning the title. Creighton came up one point short of joining UConn in the Final Four while Xavier advanced to the Sweet 16.
Who has the best odds of reaching the Final Four among Big East teams?
UConn has +110 odds to reach the Final Four while Marquette has +500 odds to reach the Final Four according to the BetUS sportsbook.
