The Big East has produced a plethora of excitement throughout the 2018-2019 season. This will reach a climax this week as all ten of the conference’s basketball members will head to the Big Apple to battle for the conference tournament championship. This is one of those leagues where every team has a genuine shot of winning it all.
Game 1
Who: No. 9 Butler (-1) vs. No. 8 Providence
When: Wednesday, March 13 at 7:00 PM ET
Where: Madison Square Garden- New York, NY
Watch: Fox Sports 1
Preview: This will be an interesting matchup, as the eight seed takes on the nine seed in the tourney’s opening game. Providence has had a somewhat lackluster season compared to their run to the Big East Tournament final last year, losing to Villanova in a close one. Likewise, Butler has not lived up to expectations. Despite this, both of these teams can resurrect the season with a good showing in the conference tournament. This game is a toss-up, with both teams having a solid chance of advancing. The Bulldogs will need their leading scorer, Kamar Baldwin, to have an efficient game to leave MSG with a win. On the other hand, the Friars will rely on guard Alpha Diallo to hit shots and create plays, while Nate Watson will be responsible for in-the-paint production and rebounding.
Prediction: Providence def. Butler 70-64
Game 2
Who: No. 10 DePaul vs. No. 7 St. John’s (-5)
When: Wednesday, March 13 at 9:30 PM ET
Where: Madison Square Garden- New York, NY
Watch: Fox Sports 1
Preview: The key to this game will be the play of both teams leading scorers: Max Strus of DePaul and Shamorie Ponds of St. John’s. In their last meeting, Strus dropped a whopping 43 points on the Johnnies. This resulted in a nine-point victory for the Blue Demons, and inversely, propelled SJU into a three-game losing streak heading into the tourney. DePaul may be at the bottom of the league, but do not let a simple ranking fool you. The Johnnies won’t go down without a fight, as St. John’s being able to produce a good showing in NYC will be vital to their status in the NCAA Tournament. This is an extremely deep league that gives just about every team involved a legitimate shot at the title. This should a close and exciting fight for survival, which we have grown accustom to every time college basketball is played in the Garden.
Prediction: DePaul def. St. John’s 81-79
Images via: Chicago Tribune (cover photo), Friar Basketball (Diallo), Big East Coast Bias/ USA Today (Ponds)
