Big East Tournament 2015: Quarterfinals Schedule, Live Stream, Bracket Picks

The 2015 Big East tournament didn't exactly get off to a nail-biting start, as two blowouts comprised the first round of action.

Marquette opened the conference tournament with a 78-56 victory over Seton Hall thanks to a brilliant 26-point performance from guard Matt Carlino. Creighton matched the Golden Eagles' point total in Wednesday's late game, trouncing DePaul 78-63 due in part to a 22-point showing from guard James Milliken.

If there's one intriguing takeaway from the Round 1 action, it was the two lower-seeded teams pulling out impressive wins. Will that trend continue during Thursday's quarterfinals, or will the favorites prevail? Before the remaining eight Big East teams take the hardwood, here's a look at the full quarterfinals schedule, viewing information and bracket predictions.

Big East Tournament Quarterfinals Schedule

Game	Time (ET)	Matchup	Channel
3	12:00 p.m.	No. 1 Villanova vs. No. 9 Marquette	Fox Sports 1
4	2:30 p.m.	No. 4 Providence vs. No. 5 St. John's	Fox Sports 1
5	7:00 p.m.	No. 2 Georgetown vs. No. 10 Creighton	Fox Sports 1
6	9:30 p.m.	No. 3 Butler vs. No. 6 Xavier	Fox Sports 1

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go

Bracket Predictions

No. 1 Villanova vs. No. 9 Marquette

Drew Hallowell/Getty Images

Marquette won't have much time to rest, as it will take on top-seeded Villanova in Thursday's first contest. The Golden Eagles better get some rest, because the Wildcats won't deliver the same kind of lifeless performance put on by Seton Hall in Round 1.

If Marquette is going to pull off the big upset, it will need continued accuracy from downtown. The Golden Eagles were phenomenal from behind the arc against the Pirates, knocking down 13 of their 22 attempts. Much of that had to do with the sharpshooting Carlino, who went 8-of-12 from long range.

Villanova's perimeter defense is far superior to Seton Hall's, and making matters worse, the Wildcats are just as dangerous from downtown. With Darrun Hilliard II and Ryan Arcidiacono shooting 38.2 and 36.8 percent from three-point range, respectively, on the season, while JayVaughn Pinkston and Daniel Ochefu dominate down low, Villianova may be too well-rounded to overcome.

Predicted Winner: Villanova

No. 4 Providence vs. No. 5 St. John's

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Neither St. John's nor Providence enter the conference tournament with any kind of momentum. The Red Storm are coming off a horrific 105-68 defeat at the hands of Villanova, and the Friars suffered a tough loss to Butler to end the regular season. Although, St. John's may have the upper hand here, as it's had Providence's number this season, sweeping the two-game series.

The last time these teams faced off, Providence couldn't contain St. John's athletic guards. Phil Greene IV, D'Angelo Harrison and Sir'Dominic Pointer each came away with at least 15 points while guard Rysheed Jordan put up 14 off the bench. 

For the Friars, Kris Dunn put up a great 23-point performance; however, the inaccuracy of leading scorer LaDontae Henton doomed the team, as the forward shot just 2-of-14 from the floor. Unfortunately, Henton finished the regular season with a similar showing, hitting just two of 10 field goals against Butler. That doesn't exactly bode well for the Friars here.

Predicted Winner: St. John's

No. 2 Georgetown vs. No. 10 Creighton

Nate Shron/Getty Images

The Bluejays showed signs of life Wednesday evening, stopping a three-game skid to take down DePaul. While Milliken's 22 points stole the show, the entire Creighton team was impressive on both ends of the court, shooting 48.1 percent from the floor, winning the rebound battle and forcing the Blue Demons to take low-percentage shots.

Those tactics will have to be at their best against the Hoyas. Georgetown is riding a two-game winning streak and is coming off a 73-67 win over Seton Hall to finish the regular season—and that was without leading scorer D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, who missed the game with a knee injury.

With Smith-Rivera expected back in the fold for Thursday's game, the Hoyas will have their biggest playmaker with a great supporting cast featuring a 6'10" center in Joshua Smith and a sharpshooting guard in Jabril Trawick. Even if Creighton can duplicate its performance from Round 1, the chances of overcoming this well-rounded squad are slim.

Predicted Winner: Georgetown

No. 3 Butler vs. No. 6 Xavier

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

The last quarterfinal contest may prove to be the most dramatic. Butler enters the game with a good amount of momentum after finishing the regular season with a solid win over Providence. Xavier, on the other hand, barely squeezed past Creighton in its finale and lost its two previous games; however, the team did manage to trounce Butler just prior to that downward swing.

Guard Myles Davis lit it up for the Musketeers when they last faced the Bulldogs, accumulating 18 points and four steals in the win. Xavier's usually porous defense held up against Butler, allowing very few good looks on the inside, leading to a shooting percentage of just 35.1 for the Bulldogs. Needless to say, the previous time these teams met, that wasn't the case.

Back in January, Butler downed Xavier 88-76 after all five of its starters scored double-digit points and the team shot 48.1 percent from the floor. That result was far more typical of Andrew Chrabascz and Co. against the Musketeers' 224th-ranked defense, and we should expect more of the same Thursday, as the Bulldogs have been the more consistent team of late.

Predicted Winner: Butler