Can The Big East Get A 4th Team In NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament?

"St. John's and Connecticut, the top two seeds, are heavily favored to meet in Saturday's championship game. They are the only Big East schools ranked in the Associated Press top 25 poll: UConn is sixth and St. John's is 13th. Both are locks for the NCAA tournament, as is Villanova, the No. 3 seed."

"If that were to happen, it would be tied for the fewest number of conference schools to play in the NCAAs. The league also had three teams in 1980 and 1981, its first two seasons when the NCAA field had 48 teams; in 1993 when no Big East team made it past the second round; and in 2024 when UConn won its second consecutive national title."

"This year, the Big East will almost certainly need a team other than St. John's, UConn and Villanova to win the tournament to ensure a fourth NCAA bid. The conference champion receives an automatic berth into the NCAAs."

The Big East men's basketball tournament begins Wednesday at Madison Square Garden, continuing a tradition dating back to 1983. St. John's and UConn, the top two seeds ranked in the AP top 25, are heavily favored to meet in Saturday's championship game. Villanova as the third seed is also an NCAA lock. However, only three Big East teams are projected to make the NCAA tournament, potentially tying the conference's worst performance since 1980. To secure a fourth NCAA bid, the Big East needs a tournament champion outside the top three seeds. Seton Hall, the fourth seed, represents the best opportunity for an at-large berth, though winning the tournament appears necessary for their NCAA qualification.

Read at Forbes