Connecticut Favored to Win 2026 Big East Tournament

Huskies look to claim second conference title under Dan Hurley

Mar. 11, 2026 at 7:20pm

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The 2026 Big East Tournament is set to take place at Madison Square Garden, with Connecticut, St. John's, Villanova, and Creighton among the top contenders. Despite some recent struggles, the Huskies are favored to win their second Big East championship under head coach Dan Hurley. St. John's, led by veteran forwards Zuby Ejiofor, Bryce Hopkins and Dillon Mitchell, is the top seed but has struggled to shoot consistently. Villanova, under first-year coach Kevin Willard, has been a surprise this season and could pull off an upset, while Creighton looks to play spoiler as a long shot.

Why it matters

The Big East Tournament is one of the most competitive and entertaining conference championships in college basketball, with a long history at Madison Square Garden. This year's tournament could have major implications for NCAA Tournament seeding, as the Big East may only send three teams to the Big Dance, tying a 40-year low. The tournament will showcase some of the top teams and players in the country as they battle for the conference title.

The details

Connecticut enters the tournament as the favorite at -115 odds, despite some recent inconsistency. The Huskies are led by a talented roster but have struggled to close out games, going just 5-3 straight up and 2-6 against the spread in their past eight contests. St. John's, the top seed, has surged late in the season behind its physical frontcourt, but the Red Storm have struggled to shoot the ball consistently. Villanova, under first-year coach Kevin Willard, has been one of the biggest surprises in the country and could pull off an upset, while Creighton looks to play spoiler as a long shot at +5000 odds.

  • The 2026 Big East Tournament will take place from March 11-14 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
  • The tournament opens on Wednesday, March 11 and the championship game will be played on Saturday, March 14.

The players

Connecticut

The Huskies are the favorites to win the Big East Tournament at -115 odds, led by a talented roster but have struggled with inconsistency late in the season.

St. John's

The Red Storm are the top seed in the tournament, led by a physical frontcourt of Zuby Ejiofor, Bryce Hopkins and Dillon Mitchell, but have struggled to shoot the ball consistently.

Villanova

The Wildcats have been one of the biggest surprises in the country in their first season under new head coach Kevin Willard, and could pull off an upset as a +700 long shot.

Creighton

The Bluejays are a +5000 long shot to win the tournament, but have already taken down Connecticut and Villanova this season and could play spoiler.

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What they’re saying

“We must be ready to fight for every possession. That's the mentality you need to win the Big East Tournament.”

— Dan Hurley, Head Coach, Connecticut

“This is the most physical team I've had in my 20 years at St. John's. We're going to try to bully our way to a championship.”

— Rick Pitino, Head Coach, St. John's

What’s next

The winner of the 2026 Big East Tournament will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The tournament champion will be crowned on Saturday, March 14.

The takeaway

The 2026 Big East Tournament promises to be a highly competitive and entertaining event, with several teams capable of cutting down the nets at Madison Square Garden. Connecticut enters as the favorite, but St. John's, Villanova, and even long shot Creighton have the potential to pull off upsets and claim the conference title.