Big East Trends and Angles

No. 3 Seton Hall
Overall: 20-12 SU, 16-16 ATS
Totals: 13-18 O/U

No. 1 Villanova
Overall: 24-9 SU, 20-13 ATS
Totals: 11-19-2 O/U

No. 3 Seton Hall vs. No. 1 Villanova (FS1, 6:30 p.m. ET)
For the second time in seven days, the Wildcats and Pirates hook up as they battle for the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Villanova is in regardless of what happens tonight, while Seton Hall has helped its tournament chances over the last 10 days by winning four straight games. The most recent victory came against Marquette on Friday, 81-79 as 4.5-point underdogs in the semifinals as the Pirates picked up their second crucial win over the Golden Eagles this month.

Villanova rallied to stun Xavier in overtime, 71-67, although the Wildcats failed to cash as six-point favorites on Friday. The Wildcats trailed for most of the game before forcing overtime to reach their fifth consecutive Big East title game. In the previous matchup between these squads last Saturday in Newark, Seton Hall downed Villanova, 79-75, as the Pirates avenged a 28-point loss to the Wildcats earlier in the season. The last team other than Villanova to capture the Big East tournament title was Seton Hall, who edged the Wildcats, 69-67 in 2016.

No. 4 Xavier
Overall: 18-14 SU, 13-17-2 ATS
Totals: 13-18-1 O/U

No. 1 Villanova
Overall: 23-9 SU, 20-12 ATS
Totals: 10-19-2 O/U

No. 4 Xavier vs. No. 1 Villanova (FS1, 6:30 p.m. ET)
Villanova picked up its first win away from Philadelphia since late January in Thursday's quarterfinal victory over Providence. The Wildcats grabbed their seventh straight win in the Big East tournament, while VIllanova seeks its fifth consecutive appearance in the conference tournament championship. Villanova and Xavier split their two regular season matchups as the Musketeers won the most recent meeting in Cincinnati, 66-54 as 5.5-point home underdogs on February 24.

Xavier slipped past Creighton in the quarterfinal, 63-61 to improve to 7-1 SU/ATS the last eight games since suffering a six-game slide earlier in Big East play. The Musketeers have won six straight games in the underdog role, while seeking their first conference tournament final appearance since losing to Villanova in the 2015 final by 17 points.

No. 3 Seton Hall
Overall: 14-19 SU, 12-20-1 ATS
Totals: 19-14 O/U

No. 2 Marquette
Overall: 24-8 SU, 15-17 ATS
Totals: 19-12-1 O/U

No. 3 Seton Hall vs. No. 2 Marquette (FS1, 9:00 p.m. ET)
It's a quick turnaround for these two Big East squads as the Pirates surprised the Golden Eagles with a late 18-0 run in a 73-64 triumph as 2.5-point home underdogs on March 6. Marquette edged Seton Hall in the first meeting in Milwaukee back in January, 70-66, as the underdog has covered in seven straight matchups. Seton Hall extended its winning streak to three games by blowing out Georgetown last night, 73-57 as 3.5-point favorites as the Pirates jumped out to a 25-point halftime lead.

Marquette ended a four-game slide by beating St. John's for the first time in three tries this season in an 86-54 rout in the quarterfinal. The Golden Eagles put together their second-best defensive performance in conference play as they allowed 52 points Xavier in the second game of Big East action. Marquette and Seton Hall hooked up in the 2017 Big East tournament as the Pirates came out on top, 82-76. The Golden Eagles have never reached the Big East final, while the Pirates are seeking their first tournament championship appearance since 2016, when they knocked off Villanova.

No. 8 Providence
Overall: 18-14 SU, 15-17 ATS
Totals: 15-16-1 O/U

No. 1 Villanova
Overall: 22-9 SU, 19-12 ATS
Totals: 9-19-2 O/U

No. 8 Providence vs. No. 1 Villanova (FS1, 12:00 p.m. ET)
After finishing second in the Big East last season, Villanova picked up the regular season crown this season at 13-5 despite losing four of its final six games. The Wildcats dropped their last five contests away from Philadelphia, including a four-point setback to Seton Hall to close out the regular season. The good news for the defending champions is they jumped out to a 10-0 start in the conference, giving aenough cushion to finish one game ahead of Marquette, who also stumbled towards the end.

Providence took care of Butler for the third time in less than two weeks in Wednesday's 80-57 blowout in the opening round of the conference tournament. The Friars have won four of their last six games as they are in line for a postseason berth. PC hasn't had much luck with Villanova over the years by losing eight of the past nine matchups, including getting swept this season. Villanova defeated Providence in last season's Big East tournament in overtime, 76-66, but the Friars cashed as 13.5-point underdogs.

No. 5 Creighton
Overall: 18-13 SU, 16-14 ATS
Totals: 13-17 O/U

No. 4 Xavier
Overall: 17-14 SU, 12-17-1 ATS
Totals: 13-17-1 O/U

No. 5 Creighton vs. No. 4 Xavier (FS1, 3:00 p.m. ET)
Both these teams have caught fire at the right time as Creighton is riding a five-game winning streak, while Xavier has won six of its past seven contests. The Bluejays rebounded from a four-game skid to finish at 9-9 in Big East play, while covering in all five victories in this current hot stretch. Creighton and Xavier split its two regular season matchups, as the Musketeers won the second meeting in overtime at the Cintas Center as 1.5-point underdogs, 64-61 in mid-February.

Xavier won five games in the underdog role down the stetch, including upsets of Villanova, St. John's, and Seton Hall. Since joining the Big East in 2013, the Musketeers have never lost in their opening game of the Big East tournament, while last facing Creighton in this tourney in the 2017 championship in a 75-72 defeat to the Bluejays

No. 7 St. John's
Overall: 21-11 SU, 14-17-1 ATS
Totals: 16-14-1 O/U

No. 2 Marquette
Overall: 23-8 SU, 18-13 ATS
Totals: 11-17-2 O/U

No. 7 St. John's vs. No. 2 Marquette (FS1, 7:00 p.m. ET)
St. John's dropped its final three games of the regular season, but helped itself out by holding off DePaul in the opening round of the Big East tournament. The Johnnies avenged a pair of losses to the Blue Demons in the regular season, but St. John's had its way with Marquette this season. The Red Storm defeated Marquette twice, including an 89-69 rout at home to tip off Big East play in January.

Marquette started strong in conference action by going 12-2 through 14 games (with both losses to St. John's). The Golden Eagles were grounded the final four games with an 0-4 mark, including a late meltdown in a defeat to Seton Hall. The normally reliable offense for Marquette also was limited in this stretch by scoring 64 points or below in three of those losses, while failing to cover in all four defeats. The Golden Eagles own a dreadful 0-5 ATS record in their last five Big East tournament games, while St. John's hasn't won in the first two rounds of the conference tournament since 2000.

No. 6 Georgetown
Overall: 19-12 SU, 13-17-1 ATS
Totals: 13-18 O/U

No. 3 Seton Hall
Overall: 23-8 SU, 14-17 ATS
Totals: 19-11 O/U

No. 6 Georgetown vs. No. 3 Seton Hall (FS1, 9:30 p.m. ET)
Both the Hoyas and Pirates compiled 9-9 record in Big East play, as Seton Hall is coming off a pair of impressive home victories over Marquette and VIllanova to reach the .500 mark. The Pirates struggled away from New Jersey in Big East action by going 1-7 in their final eight road games, including an overtime setback at Georgetown in early March. Seton Hall wasn't reliable in the favorite role against conference foes by posting a 3-6 ATS record, although they destroyed Georgetown at home, 90-75 in February.

The Hoyas improved from 5-13 in the league in Patrick Ewing's first season as coach to 9-9 this season. Georgetown won three of its final four games, including an impressive underdog triumph at Marquette to close the regular season. The Hoyas won four games in the road underdog role in the league, as Georgetown seeks its first Big East tournament win since 2016 against DePaul.

No. 9 Butler
Overall: 16-15 SU, 12-19 ATS
Totals: 15-15-1 O/U

No. 8 Providence
Overall: 17-14 SU, 14-17 ATS
Totals: 14-16-1 O/U

No. 9 Butler vs. No. 8 Providence (FS1, 7:00 p.m. ET)
Both these teams finished Big East play at 7-11 as they meet to tip off the Big East tournament. Providence beat Butler twice in its final three games of the season, including an 83-70 victory last Saturday as a 2.5-point home favorite. The Friars didn't have much consistency in conference play, as PC won consecutive Big East games only once, while going 0-4 in the last four contests off a victory.

Butler could never get its head above water inside the Big East following a 3-3 start. The Bulldogs lost four of their final five games, including three straight defeats away from Indianapolis by double-digits. Last season marked the first time that Butler won a Big East tournament game after going 0-4 in its first four seasons in the conference as the Bulldogs edged Seton Hall, 75-74. Since 2014, the Friars own a sterling 10-1 ATS record in the Big East tourney, but was listed as a favorite only once.

No. 10 DePaul
Overall: 15-14 SU, 14-14-1 ATS
Totals: 16-12-1 O/U

No. 7 St. John's
Overall: 20-11 SU, 13-17-1 ATS
Totals: 15-14-1 O/U

No. 10 DePaul vs. No. 7 St. John's (FS1, 9:30 p.m. ET)
St. John's has an opportunity at an NCAA tournament berth for the first time under head coach Chris Mullin, but the Red Storm finished Big East play at 8-10. The Johnnies stumbled to three consecutive losses down the stretch, including a pair of defeats to Xavier. The other loss in this stretch came to DePaul in a 92-83 setback, as the Blue Demons swept the season series from St. John's for the first time since joining the Big East in 2005.

The Blue Demons won the most conference games (7) since the Big East restructured to 10 teams in 2013, including three road victories. Since covering its first three games in league play in the underdog role, DePaul went 4-7 ATS in its final 11 games when receiving points. DePaul beat Georgetown in the Big East opening round in 2014, but has lost five straight conference tournament games. The Red Storm has won each of their last two Big East tournament openers, while facing the Blue Demons in the tournament for the first time.