Here’s a look at the three opening round games to tip-off Big East Tournament week.
It’s a bit of deja vu for Villanova, who will have to play its way into the quarterfinals for a second-straight year. The Wildcats earned the sixth-seed once again and will play in the Wednesday nightcap. Here’s a look at the Wildcats’ game and the other two on deck.
No. 8 Butler (18-13) vs. No. 9 Xavier (15-16)
When: 4 p.m. ET
Key players for Butler: #4 D.J. Davis (6-1, 175) Sr., G; #5 Posh Alexander (6-0, 205) Sr., G; #11 Jahmyl Telfort (6-7, 225) Sr., G; #21 Pierre Brooks (6-6, 240) Jr., G
Key players for Xavier: #1 Desmond Claude (6-6, 207) So.,G; #8 Quincy Olivari (6-3, 200) Sr., G; #20 Dayvion McKnight (6-0, 195) Sr., G; #24 Abou Ousmane (6-10, 244) Sr., F
2023-24 season series: 1-1 series split
- Xavier defeated Butler at home, 85-71, on Jan. 16
- Butler defeated Xavier at home, 72-66, on Mar. 6
A little Midwest Madness to start off the Big East Tournament, with Butler and Xavier squaring off in the first game at Madison Square Garden.
Butler will be well-rested, with a whole week since their last game, which was a 72-66 win in the Bulldogs’ season finale. The Bulldogs were the only Big East team to not have any games this past weekend. Butler is going into the postseason with back-to-back wins, after shaking off a challenging and ugly stretch where the Bulldogs lost six of seven games to close out the month of February.
Meanwhile, Xavier will be eager for the taste of victory after losing six of their last eight games, including back-to-back losses against Butler and Marquette to end the regular season. During this stretch, their wins came against basement-dwellers DePaul and Georgetown.
Sean Miller attempted the Rick Pitino late-season approach by calling out his players with a microphone in his face. It hasn’t materialized — yet — but the Musketeers have seen some big individual performances lately, with a pair of 32-point games by dynamic scorer Quincy Olivari in recent outings against Marquette and DePaul, and a 36-point spectacle by Desmond Claude in a win over Georgetown.
Xavier has the weapons to score, with Olivari, Claude and Dayvion McKnight, but its inconsistency on the defensive end of the court could be costly in the postseason. The Musketeers give up the third-most points in the Big East. It’s been the season of what-could-have-been for the Musketeers, who lost four players to long-term injuries over the first month of the season. Fortunately for Xavier, they won’t need to worry about Hinkle Magic. Butler is 5-7 in away or neutral venues this season.
They did muster big road wins at Marquette and Creighton early in Big East play, but lost in both rematches at home during that February skid. Despite the ups and downs, it has been an improved season in Thad Matta’s second year, as the Bulldogs climbed to over .500 for the first time since 2020.
Butler made plenty of moves in the transfer portal, with only three returning pieces from last year. Leading this new-look team is a quartet of transfers: Pierre Brooks II (Michigan State), Jahmyl Telfort (Northeastern), D.J. Davis (UC-Irvine) and a familiar face, Posh Alexander (St. John’s), who all average in double figures in this balanced attack.
KenPom predicts: Xavier wins, 77-76, and is a 54% favorite
Vegas says: Xavier is a 1-point favorite, according to DraftKings Sportsbook
My prediction: Xavier over Butler
No. 7 Providence (19-12) vs. No. 10 Georgetown (9-22)
When: 6:30 p.m. ET
Key players for Providence: #0 Davonte “Ticket” Gaines (6-7, 190) Sr., G; #13 Josh Oduro (6-9, 240) Sr., F; #22 Devin Carter (6-3, 195) Jr., G
Key players for Georgetown: #0 Dontrez Styles (6-6, 212) Jr., G; #1 Rowan Brumbaugh (6-4, 183) Fr., G; #10 Jayden Epps (6-2, 187) So., G; #24 Supreme Cook (6-9, 229) Sr., F
2023-24 season series: Providence swept Georgetown
- Providence defeated Georgetown at home, 84-76, on Jan. 27
- Providence defeated Georgetown on the road, 71-58, on Mar. 5
This game will likely be the emotional peak of the tournament opening day slate. Ed Cooley has to face his former team for a third time this season. For Providence fans, the feeling of heckling and beating Cooley and the Hoyas never gets old. They’ll have an opportunity to do it on the big stage.
Georgetown has struggled in Cooley’s first year, barely clearing the seven-win mark in the final year of the Patrick Ewing era. The Hoyas’ lone Big East wins this year came against DePaul. There’s been moments they played teams tough, but couldn’t close out. In Cooley’s first back at the AMP, they managed to make it more competitive than expected, until the Friars pulled away in the closing minutes.
Illinois transfer Jayden Epps will be one to watch for Georgetown. He is averaging 18.1 points per game, and he’s scored 20 or more points in four of the last six games, including back-to-back 30-point performances against DePaul and St. John’s. Dontrez Styles (North Carolina) and Supreme Cook (Fairfield) have also been leading players in their first season at Georgetown.
While Cooley has struggled in his new home, the same can’t be said for his successor. Kim English appears to be sticking the landing after making the jump from George Mason. The Friars were dealt a huge blow early in the season, when Bryce Hopkins went down with a season-ending injury after an 11-2 start, but to Providence’s credit, they’ve been able to regroup. Despite its ups and downs post-Hopkins injury, it has been able to string together some big wins and be in the NCAA Tournament bubble conversation.
Devin Carter and Josh Oduro are a dynamic duo, and they’ve stepped things up after their teammate went down. When Ticket Gaines, Rich Barron and Jayden Pierre are able to chip in productive minutes and timely plays, it’s a big boost, but overall, the Friars have remained a scrappy team despite the regime change. Providence is ranked 17th in the country in defensive efficiency.
The Friars aim to go as far as possible to bolster its NCAA Tournament portfolio, and the journey begins with an arch nemesis.
KenPom predicts: Providence wins, 78-68, and is an 83% favorite
Vegas says: Providence is a 10-point favorite, according to DraftKings Sportsbook
My prediction: Providence over Georgetown
No. 6 Villanova (17-14) vs. No. 11 DePaul (3-27)
When: 9 p.m. ET
Key players for Villanova: #0 T.J. Bamba (6-5, 215) Sr., G; #5 Justin Moore (6-5, 210) Sr., G; #43 Eric Dixon (6-8, 255) Sr., F
Key players for DePaul: #2 Chico Carter Jr. (6-2, 198) Sr., G; #21 Da’Sean Nelson (6-8, 220) Sr., F; #22 Elijah Fisher (6-6, 220) So., G
2023-24 season series: Villanova swept DePaul
- Villanova defeated DePaul on the road, 84-48, on Dec. 23
- Villanova defeated DePaul at home, 94-69, on Jan. 12
The perks of playing DePaul: it’s a super winnable game.
The cons: it’ll be a late night on Wednesday, especially with the Big East opting to push the start times for first round games an hour back compared to last year.
There isn’t much to dissect about this opening round matchup. The Wildcats won both regular season meetings comfortably. DePaul has been putrid this season.
The Blue Demons enter the Big East Tournament with a 19-game losing streak. They have yet to win a single game in 2024 and they went winless in conference play.
It is DePaul’s worst season since joining the Big East in 2005. It lost all 20 Big East contests this season by an average over 23.9 points per game.
The Blue Demons only managed to make it close against Georgetown, who barely staved off DePaul to take 10th place after winning a couple of close games decided by a total of four points. Every other Big East school has pummeled DePaul by double figures.
The real test for Villanova comes in Thursday’s quarterfinal, but this will be a nice game to settle into the Madison Square Garden environment and reacclimate itself to the venue after a disappointing trip to New York City for a loss to St. John’s in their last time at the Mecca.
KenPom predicts: Villanova wins, 78-58, and is a 97% favorite
Vegas says: Villanova is a 23-point favorite, according to DraftKings Sportsbook
My prediction: Villanova over DePaul