One of college basketball’s most competitive leagues begins tournament play this week. The Big East always brings us big moments and NCAA favorites. There’s certainly a top-tier this season, but in March, nothing is guaranteed.
2021 Big East Tournament Bracket
Favorite To Win: Creighton Bluejays
While they aren’t the top seed in the bracket, don’t be surprised to see most experts rolling with the Bluejays this week. Creighton enters the tournament as the healthiest contender in the field. They sit as the Vegas favorites as well at +200. This is an experienced basketball team that can really shoot the ball. Marcus Zegarowski can do everything on a basketball court, and enters the tournament coming off his best game of the season. When the Jays are hot, they are one of the toughest teams to beat in the entire nation.
Team To Watch: Villanova Wildcats
All eyes will be on the conference’s top seed. At full strength, the Wildcats are a top 5 team in the country. Unfortunately, we won’t be seeing Nova at full strength for the remainder of the season. Star point guard Collin Gillespie tore his MCL late in the year and won’t return. On top of that, fellow guard Justin Moore’s status is also in question as he deals with a “severe” ankle sprain. How the Wildcats can respond without two key players will tell us a lot about Jay Wright’s squad. There’s still plenty of talent on this roster, and it will be interesting to see how the group reacts to adversity late in the season. Look for Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to emerge if the Wildcats do make a run.
Player(s) To Watch: James Bouknight and Sandro Mamukelashvili
I’m highlighting both of these two players as I see them as star players on fringe teams that could carry their squads deeper than we expect. Starting with Bouknight, we have an exceptional lead guard that simply makes shots. An incredibly creative scorer, Bouknight averaged around 20 a game this year while battling through injuries, and many see him as a potential lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. UConn enters the field as the conference’s third seed, and Bouknight is a large reason why. His ability to get hot fast makes him the conferences most dangerous player. We’ve seen a long list of UConn guards hit their stride in March; it’s not crazy to think Bouknight is up next.
While Bouknight may be the Big East’s most dynamic player, Sandro Mamukelashvili might be it’s most interesting. “Mamu” helped Seton Hall land the fifth seed thanks to his unique skill set. At 6’11, 240 lbs, the big fella runs the show for the Pirates. Averaging 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists this season, it’s clear that Mamu can do everything on a basketball court. He’s been highly effective against St John’s this season; Seton Hall’s first round opponent. If the Pirates run their offense through Mamu, and work to neutralize Julian Champagnie, they have a real shot at knocking off Villanova and sliding off the bubble for good.
Current Tournament Teams: 3 Locks
Villanova, Creighton, and UConn are all in. For the rest of the conference, there’s quite a bit at stake this week. St. John’s, Seton Hall, Xavier, and Providence have all bounced around the bubble in the past weeks, and would love to steal an auto-bid and ensure their spot on Selection Sunday. Each of those teams likely needs a signature victory against one of the conference’s top three to do so.
Prediction: Creighton
I’m incredibly tempted to go with another storybook UConn run, but my gut says that Creighton might be too tough this year. The Bluejays have an experienced group that plays together and knows what it takes to win in March. The question marks around Villanova are legitimate concerns. Creighton has a great opportunity this week to improve their NCAA Tournament seed position, and can enter the field of 68 with a lot of confidence. The Big East Tournament can be a stepping stone for this group. I expect them to get it done.