Big East Basketball: Evaluating early season tournaments

Big East Basketball: Evaluating early season tournaments for 2018-19

By Brian Foley | Jun 13, 2018

LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 22: Fans pack the Lahaina Civic Center to watch the Maui Invitational NCAA college basketball game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Oklahoma State Cowboys at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 22, 2016 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 11: Head coach Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats cuts a piece of the net after defeating the Creighton Bluejays to win the Big East Basketball Tournament – Championship Game at Madison Square Garden on March 11, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

The Big East Basketball regular season is still in the distance, but non-conference schedules are beginning to come into focus.

As the college basketball offseason chugs along, we at least have non-conference matchups and tournament bracket releases to tide us over through November. While most of the Big East is yet to announce their full non-conference schedules, early season tournament fields have slowly trickled out for several months now.

Nine of the ten Big East squads will participate in tournaments within the first month of the 2018-19 college basketball campaign. Here is a complete guide to each early season tourney featuring a Big East squad.

Butler: Battle 4 Atlantis

Field: Wisconsin, Florida, Virginia, Dayton, Stanford, Oklahoma, Middle Tennessee State

The Battle 4 Atlantis once again features eight quality programs, including a vengeful Virginia squad and a healthy Wisconsin. Butler has its work cut out for them in this tournament, but good things come to those who take home the Atlantis trophy. Three of the last four winners advanced to at least the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament that spring, including national champion Villanova in 2017-18.

Creighton: Cayman Islands Classic

Field: Georgia, Clemson, St. Bonaventure, Boise State, Akron, Illinois State, Georgia State

In just its second year, the Cayman Islands Classic has put together a solid roster of teams, including a likely preseason top-25 group in Clemson. Toss in Georgia with Tom Crean, 2018 NCAA darling St. Bonaventure, and Missouri Valley contender Illinois State, and there is plenty to get excited about here. Creighton has its work cut out for it this season without Marcus Foster and Khyri Thomas, but at the very least, the Bluejays can spend a few days relaxing on the beach.

DePaul: No tournament

The Blue Demons weren’t scheduled to play in an early season tournament last year either until Georgetown dropped out of the PK80 and DePaul filled the spot. A similar scenario could unfold this season, though DePaul does at least already have Penn State, Northwestern, and Notre Dame on its non-conference schedule.

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