Busting Brackets
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Big East Basketball: 2020 conference tournament preview and predictions

By Lukas Harkins

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 16: The Big East logo before the Championship game of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 16, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 16: The Big East logo before the Championship game of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 16, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 12: Xavier Musketeers walk. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 12: Xavier Musketeers walk. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Big East Bracketology Overview

Lead-Pipe Locks: Creighton, Villanova, Seton Hall, Butler, Providence

All of these teams appear to be very safe in the projected field at the moment. Creighton, Villanova, and Seton Hall are in the best positions to land elite seeds as they all seem to be hovering around the No. 2-3 lines heading into the conference tournament. I have all of them in that range in my bracketology and the Bracket Matrix, as a whole, agrees with that assessment. I do not find it likely that any of them could push themselves to a No. 1 seed even with a BET title, though.

Butler is in the next best spot as it sits on the No. 4-6 seed lines for most bracketologists. I currently have placed the Dawgs as my last No. 4 seed (16th overall) while their average placement is currently a 5.01 seed. Providence then follows as a projected lock as it hopes to avoid the dreaded 8/9 matchup that it currently appears destined for.

Should be a lock: Marquette

Marquette should dance. I have the Golden Eagles as a No. 9 seed and their average bracketology placement is a 8.91. Marquette should be able to survive a loss to Seton Hall in its first game of the BET with relative ease. With that said, that would mark the seventh loss in eight games. While the body of work is what is actually valued by the committee (not recent performances, contrary to some popular belief), a continued poor end to the season could lead to some unconscious bias from the committee.

Not Quite Safe: Xavier

Xavier is currently projected as a double-digit seed for the NCAA Tournament and among the “Last Eight In” for just about every bracketologist, myself included. The Musketeers will face DePaul in their opening game of the BET and a win is essentially necessary. A victory in that game should keep them on the right side of the cutline but a loss could lead them to a high seed in the NIT.

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