Big East Tournament 2023: Men's Bracket, Schedule and Championship Odds

Madison Square Garden will once again play host to one of the most interesting conference tournaments in the country when the Big East's best head to New York.

Marquette enters the tournament as the No. 1 seed looking for their first-ever men's Big East tournament title. However, the Golden Eagles aren't the betting favorite.

That distinction belongs to the UConn Huskies. Dan Hurley's squad is finishing the season hot and starting to look like a threat who could not only win the Big East, but parlay that into a run in the NCAA tournament.

Joe Lunardi's latest bracket forecast features five teams from the conference and each has looked capable of winning the league at different times this season. The result could be a tournament with multiple close games and high drama.

Here's a look at the schedule, the latest championship odds and some tips for those looking to make a wager on the tourney.

Big East Tournament Schedule

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Xavier's Colby Jones

First round, March 8

Game 1: No. 8 St. John's vs. No. 9 Butler, 3 p.m. (FS1)

Game 2: No. 7 Seton Hall vs. No. 10 DePaul, 5:30 p.m. (FS1)

Game 3: No. 6 Villanova vs. No. 11 Georgetown, 8 p.m. (FS1)

Quarterfinals, March 9

Game 4: No. 1 Marquette vs. Game 1 winner, Noon (FS1)

Game 5: No. 4 UConn vs. No. 5 Providence, 2:30 p.m. (FS1)

Game 6: No. 2 Xavier vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m. (FS1)

Game 7: No. 3 Creighton vs. Game 3 winner, 9:30 p.m. (FS1)

Semifinals, March 10

Game 8: Game 4/5 winners, 6:30 p.m. (FS1)

Game 9: Game 6/7 winners, 9 p.m. (FS1)

Final, March 11

Game 10: semifinal winners, 6:30 p.m. (Fox)

Big East Tournament Odds

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UConn's Jordan Hawkins

UConn +200 ($100 bet wins $200)

Marquette +300

Creighton +300

Xavier +550

Villanova +1000

Providence +1500

Seton Hall +5000

St. John's +6000

Butler +80000

DePaul +100000

Georgetown +100000

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

UConn is a Worthy Favorite

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UConn's Adama Sanogo

Marquette is the No. 1 seed in the tournament because they were the most consistent team. UConn is the betting favorite because they are playing like they are the best team in the league right now.

The Golden Eagles were 16-1 at home this season and finished the year with a 17-3 record in Big East play. They are a formidable team but they were 8-4 on the road and were badly beaten by UConn the last time the two teams played.

The Huskies beat the No. 1 seed 87-72 in Storrs. The result showed how good the Huskies can be when they are playing their best and how vulnerable Marquette can be.

UConn held them to 44.1 percent shooting from the field. The duo of Adama Sanogo and Jordan Hawkins combined for 38 points, while Tristen Newton posted a triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebound and 12 assists.

UConn and Creighton are the most balanced teams in the league. They are the only teams in the league who are in the top 25 in both offensive and defensive efficiency, per Bart Torvik.

Dan Hurley's squad lost its way for a stretch in the middle of the season going 2-6. They seem to have corrected their issues and are heading into the tournament as winners in 9 of their last 11 games.

Buy the hype for the Huskies.

Fade the Friars

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Bryce Hopkins drives against Creighton.

Back in December and early January when Providence was picking up wins over Marquette and UConn on its way to a nine-game win streak, it looked like the Friars were going to be a serious threat to win their first Big East title since 2014.

Now, it looks like they'll be fortunate to win just one game in the tourney.

Ed Cooley's team has gone ice cold at the most inopportune time. They come in with the fifth-seed, but they have dropped three of their last four including an 82-58 loss to Seton Hall at home to close out the season.

Ending the season on that note doesn't inspire much confidence. A win for Providence would have put them on the other side of the bracket away from top-seeded Marquette. Instead, they lost to Seton Hall, who was going to be in the same matchup on the bracket either way.

This team needs Bryce Hopkins to step it up. He was named to the first team All-Big East and is one of the top scorers in the conference, but he only scored four against the Pirates and hasn't led the team in scoring in three-straight games.

Unless the Friars figure out their slump in the few days before the tournament starts, they are looking at a one-and-done situation at Madison Square Garden.

Villanova Worth a Sprinkle

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Villanova's Justin Moore

Throwing some support behind UConn is the smart move, but they are the favorite and chalk isn't always fun. If you're looking for a longshot that could get hot and stun the field, it's Villanova.

The Wildcats have dominated the Big East tournament for nearly a decade. Jay Wright's Villanova teams won five of the last seven tournaments that crowned a champion.

Wright is now retired and Cats struggled to find a rhythm early in Kyle Neptune's debut season as the head coach. They were 10-13 with a 4-8 record in Big East play but they have since rattled off six wins in their last eight games.

Senior Justin Moore has come on strong to close out the season by scoring at least 17 points in four of the last five games.

He'll look to lead one of the hottest teams in the league on an upset tour. They open with No. 11 seed Georgetown before getting the real test against No. 3 Creighton in the quarterfinals. Should they get past the Blue Jays they will meet the Xavier Musketeers in the semis.

They won their last game against all three of those potential opponents. With a tournament title likely the only viable path to an NCAA Tournament berth, Villanova should be a tough out.

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