Conference Preview #4 - Big East Conference (Beast)

 

4. Big East Conference

2026–27 Preseason Conference Preview

The Big East enters the 2026–27 season ranked fourth nationally in the preseason KenPom conference ratings. With an average adjusted efficiency margin of +17.66, the conference remains one of college basketball's strongest leagues, featuring a combination of established national contenders and programs looking to return to prominence.

Connecticut leads the way in the initial OCMM bracket projection, earning a No. 3 seed. The Huskies have established themselves as one of the nation's premier programs under Dan Hurley and once again appear positioned to compete for a conference championship and make a deep NCAA Tournament run. St. John's follows as a No. 6 seed, while Creighton and Villanova both earn No. 8 seeds. The conference's depth should make for another competitive regular-season race.

Marquette and Providence round out the Big East's six projected NCAA Tournament teams. Marquette checks in as a No. 9 seed, while Providence earns a No. 11 seed. I have a feeling Marquette is going to be better than the preseason projections suggest. The Golden Eagles have established a strong identity under Shaka Smart, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them outperform their initial ranking and work their way into the upper tier of the conference. Marquette is one of the teams I'll be watching closely as the season develops.

The Big East also has opportunities to exceed its initial six-bid projection. DePaul opens the season among the OCMM First Four Out, while Xavier is listed in the Next Four Out. Both programs are close enough to the projected field to make the conference's NCAA Tournament picture even more interesting. With the tournament expanding to 76 teams, the Big East has a realistic opportunity to send seven or even eight teams to March Madness.

OCMM Outlook: The Big East opens the season as the nation's fourth-ranked conference, with six teams projected into the NCAA Tournament. Connecticut leads the way, followed by St. John's, Creighton, Villanova, Marquette, and Providence. DePaul and Xavier are positioned just outside the field, while Marquette is my pick to outperform preseason expectations. The Big East should once again be one of the most competitive conferences in the country.