Big East Tournament 2015: Bracket, TV Schedule, Dates and Predictions
Even though the Big East was supposed to lose its attraction after marquee programs jumped to a different conference, things have turned around quite nicely. That should make for a dazzling, compelling conference tournament at Madison Square Garden starting on March 11.
Despite having just 10 teams, the Big East tournament is not lacking for talent. Seven teams have a record over .500, and at least five are likely to make the NCAA tournament.
Here's how the conference tournament bracket looks, as well as the schedule and predictions for what to expect when the games tip off.
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| Game 1 | Seton Hall vs. Marquette | 7 p.m. | Fox Sports 1 |
| Game 2 | DePaul vs. Creighton | 9:30 p.m. | Fox Sports 1 |
| Game 3 | Villanova vs. Game 1 Winner | 12 p.m. | Fox Sports 1 |
| Game 4 | Providence vs. St. John's | 2:30 p.m. | Fox Sports 1 |
| Game 5 | Georgetown vs. Game 2 Winner | 7 p.m. | Fox Sports 1 |
| Game 6 | Butler vs. Xavier | 9:30 p.m. | Fox Sports 1 |
| Game 7 | Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner | 7 p.m. | Fox Sports 1 |
| Game 8 | Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner | 9:30 p.m. | Fox Sports 1 |
| Game 9 | Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner | 8:00 p.m. | Fox Sports 1 |
(Note: You can view the full bracket here courtesy of the Big East.)
Preview
As impressive as the overall depth in the Big East is, Villanova is clearly a cut above everyone else. The Wildcats won the regular-season conference title by a wide margin and have been ranked in the top five of both polls for most of the last two months.
With the exception of a dreadful showing against Georgetown on January 19, Villanova has played at a high level all year. Jay Wright has gotten some accolades during his tenure with the program, but star forward JayVaughn Pinkston had to offer significant praise for his coach to Zach Braziller of the New York Post:
"Without Jay, this train doesn’t go. Jay is the key for everything. He elevates us all. He’ll never complain about that stuff. He’ll never be selfish. He’ll never be arrogant. All he cares about it is if the team is winning. Without that mind-set, a lot of guys wouldn’t have that mind-set. Jay has that mind-set, so everybody on the team has that mind-set. That’s one of the greatest assets he brings to the locker room.
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There hasn't been a definitive blueprint for beating Villanova this season. Even in the two contests the Wildcats lost earlier this year, they were different games. Georgetown shot the lights out, hitting 51 percent of its field-goal attempts, while Seton Hall got by on defense by holding Wright's team to 31 percent shooting.
However, per Reuben Frank of Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, it's hard to draw too much from those games since Villanova dominated the rematches:
Butler has played well in two games against Villanova, despite losing both times, but the Bulldogs have been scuffling down the stretch. After an 18-6 start, they went 3-3 in their last six games before the regular-season finale against Providence.
Size is the one thing that gives Villanova problems, which isn't a surprise since Wright has designed this team with the perimeter in mind. The Wildcats are 172nd in rebounds per game, but few big men in the Big East present a problem.
The conference is built on guards like Darrun Hilliard (Villanova), Kellen Dunham (Butler) and D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera (Georgetown). The one main exception is Providence's LaDontae Henton, though he's hardly an in-the-paint big man at 6'6", 215 pounds.
This tournament is going to be defined by teams that shoot well. Villanova has been the best in the conference at doing that all year. Georgetown had one good day against the Wildcats, so it's possible to do it again.
Butler tends to do strange things in March, while Providence and St. John's are rising late.
Prediction
Villanova wants to be considered among the elite teams in the country heading into the NCAA tournament, not to mention hang onto the possibility of being a No. 1 seed. The only way to achieve both goals is by winning three games at Madison Square Garden.
A victory by the Wildcats would also break a long drought, as the program hasn't won a Big East Conference tournament title since 1995. This is Wright's best team since the one that reached the Final Four in 2009.
Even with quality depth in the conference like Butler and Georgetown, Villanova is a step above everyone else and will prove it.
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