March Madness 2017: Big East tournament field is set, seven could go dancing

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Every single outcome that needed to happen in order to best position the Big East for as many bids as possible to the NCAA Tournament happened on Saturday. 

READ: Saturday’s bubble watch

Bubble team Seton Hall likely locked up a bid with a humongous road win over Butler.

Bubble team Providence landed the 3 seed in the Big East tournament thanks to a clear-cut road victory over St. John’s.

Bubble team Marquette held serve at home and completed a sweep of Creighton. 

Bubble team Xavier dodged catastrophe and managed to win with ease at DePaul. 

The only game not tied to the bubble was Villanova’s 81-55 demolishing of Georgetown. And even that game went the Big East’s way as well, as it keeps VU on track for a 1 seed. (A loss likely would have bumped the Wildcats from the top line, at least for now.) 

The conference was 5 for 5 in optimal outcomes. Now, the previously unthinkable is on the precipice of becoming an actuality: The Big East could put seven teams -- 70 percent of its conference -- into the big bracket this season. No league in America had a better Saturday than the Big East.

Let’s look further as to why.

Here’s where every Big East bubble team sat heading into the day, and what each win does for their profile, and how the Big East tournament has been formed. You excited or what?! 

MARQUETTE (19-11)

Projected seed entering the day: No. 11 (Last four in)

The Golden Eagles now own a top-10 offense in America. You might not have known that, but Marquette’s ability to kill you from deep is now what’s going to put the Golden Eagles into the tournament. As a team, Marquette is shooting 43 percent from 3-point range -- better than anyone in the sport, eclipsing UCLA. Marquette’s intriguing case does come with a quasi-caveat, though. 

The Golden Eagles have that huge home win over Villanova, but their sweeps of Creighton and Xavier have come when both those teams didn’t have their best player (Mo Watson, Jr. for Creighton, Edmond Sumner for Xavier). Will the committee still treat those wins as they would if X and Creighton were at full strength? It shouldn’t, but that doesn’t mean MU should be disregarded, either. My opinion: Marquette will definitely be in the field if it can get past Seton Hall in its quarterfinal game Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. A loss wouldn’t be a death knell, either. Truly on the fence! 

PROVIDENCE (20-11)

Projected seed entering the day: No. 11

The Friars, I think, are almost a lock. They couldn’t mess around and lose at St. John’s; you know, the way Illinois messed around and lost at Rutgers on Saturday. Providence has won six in a row, and this 3 seed in the Big East tourney is the biggest surprise of the year in the conference. PC lost Ben Bentil and Kris Dunn to last year’s draft. Ed Cooley’s team was tossed off as an NIT-level club entering the season. Providence has been off the radar the past three months. Now it’s at the level of a 10 seed and should be fine, but a win over Creighton secures everything. 

XAVIER (19-12)

Projected seed entering the day: No. 10

I honestly thought Xavier would be a 2 seed for the second straight season. But that was in the preseason. Roster problems, among other things, have stymied Chris Mack’s club. Without Edmond Sumner, this group hasn’t looked NCAA Tournament-caliber. But winning at DePaul by a 79-65 margin keeps the Musketeers relatively comfortably in, I think. What’s weird: Now Xavier has to play DePaul again in the first round of the Big East tournament, then face Butler. If Xavier loses, it’s going to, maybe, be the most polarizing team. But I don’t think the Musketeers will lose to DePaul in MSG. I also think this is a premier Sweet 16 dark horse at this point. 

SETON HALL (20-10)

Projected seed entering the day:  No. 9

Seton Hall pulled off a 23-7 run in the final seven minutes to get past Butler 70-64. This is a statement win. This is a win that puts Hall on the 8 line and guarantees them a spot in the field. Kevin Willard’s team played awesome defense in that second half. At worst, the Big East is going to find a way to put six teams in the field. It’s interesting that Seton Hall is so clearly in that group now. Khadeen Carrington (21 points) and Angel Delgado (20 points and 16 boards Saturday) are a very fun duo. Last season, SHU won the auto bid and took the league title. I wouldn’t put it past this team to shock the league and do it again. The Hall plays Marquette in the Big East quarters. 

Last time Seton Hall had three straight 20-win seasons was 1993. SHU completed the feat with this victory. 

What a day for the league. This has been a pretty fun conference all season long. Yes, there is a flip side to Saturday’s results. Butler’s home loss could cost it a seed line, depending on what the Bulldogs do in the Big East tournament. Creighton’s tournament standing is slipping by the week, but the Bluejays will still get in. Otherwise, the three other losers (Georgetown, DePaul, St. John’s) have been long gone from tournament talk for some time. 

Here’s the schedule for the Big East tournament. Nova still reigns supreme, but all the other noise in the bracket could, maybe should, place seven squads into the field of 68. That wouldn’t have been possible without Saturday breaking perfectly for the conference.