Busting Brackets
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Big East Basketball questions: Key storyline, biggest surprise/disappointments

By Tristan Freeman

Jan 7, 2023; Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA; Xavier Musketeers guard Desmond Claude (1) talks with guard Adam Kunkel (5) against the Villanova Wildcats in the second half at William B. Finneran Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 7, 2023; Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA; Xavier Musketeers guard Desmond Claude (1) talks with guard Adam Kunkel (5) against the Villanova Wildcats in the second half at William B. Finneran Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports /
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Big East Basketball St. John’s Red Storm guard Andre Curbelo Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Big East Basketball St. John’s Red Storm guard Andre Curbelo Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /

4. What is an under-the-radar storyline in the league that few are talking about?

Mauro

Providence losing all of that talent from a season ago and being criminally underrated. They are going to win the league again and sneak up on people it seems and they shouldn’t.

Freeman

We may be seeing the final days of the Mike Anderson era at St. John’s. The team is 1-5 in Big East Basketball play and has no chance currently making the NCAA Tournament. Making matters worse, the starting backcourt of Posh Alexander and Andre Curbelo seems to be having some issues. While Georgetown is the national laughingstock, St. John’s isn’t too far behind.

Mullenix

The Big East might have the best top five teams of any conference in the country – If it weren’t for Creighton’s stumble without Kalkbrenner, this would be getting a little more steam, but the argument gets stronger by the day. The Big East has four teams in the top 18 at KenPom and that doesn’t include Providence at 31. The Big 12 has all 10 teams in the top 38, but only two inside the top 23. The SEC is elite at the top, but when you have to rope five teams in it gets a little less compelling.

Right now, the top five NET teams in the Big East — UConn, Xavier, Marquette, Creighton, and Providence — have 13 Quad 1 wins which is trailing the Big 12’s top five NET Rankings teams which have 18 Quad 1 wins. The answer to the question “which conference has the best top five” is still the Big 12.

That conference is elite from top to bottom, just look at the strength of remaining schedules and you’ll see 10 Big 12 teams as the top of the list. But the Big East is at the center of this conversation in a way that very few thought it would be and each day the top of the conference looks better and better.

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