Xavier Is The Best Value To Win The 2023 Big East Conference Tournament
Madison Square Garden hosts the 2023 Big East Conference Tournament, which begins Wednesday, March 8th with seeds 6-11 squaring off in three 1st-round matchups.
The No. 11 UConn Huskies enter the Big East tourney as the odds-on favorite despite the No. 6 Marquette Golden Eagles (+300) winning the regular-season title.
The Marquette Golden Eagles celebrate with the Big East regular season championship trophy after defeating the St. John's Red Storm at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
This is more of toss-up tournament than the odds suggest. The Villanova Wildcats (+1000) have won four of the last five Big East tourneys.
But, former Villanova coach Jay Wright's retirement sent the conference in flux. Since the Big East tournament is wide-open, let's look a little further down the odds board for value.
Big East Conference Tournament Odds
Big East Tourney Bracket
Best Bet: Xavier Musketeers (+550)
A lot of bettors are afraid to touch Xavier after losing its 3rd-leading scorer and leading rebounder PF Zach Freemantle to a season-ending injury.
However, Freemantle's replacement in the starting 5 — C Jack Nunge — is a big-bodied center, measuring at 7-foot, 245 pounds, according to KenPom.com.
Freemantle has the worst offensive rating out of Xavier's starting 5 and Nunge is 41.2% 3-point shooter than can stretch the floor and open up driving lanes.
Xavier has the 2nd-best adjusted offensive efficiency in the Big East, ranks 3rd in turnover rate and 1st in both 3-point percentage and assist-to-field-goal-made rate, per KenPom.com.
More importantly, Xavier is a Big East-best 6-1-1 against the spread (ATS) vs. ranked opponents and leads the conference with seven Quad 1 wins.
Xavier Musketeers coach Sean Miller speaks with his players during a timeout in a game against Providence at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island. (M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Musketeers head coach Sean Miller has ample postseason experience, appearing in three Elite Eights in his 12 years as the Arizona Wildcats coach. Xavier is 15th nationally in Division I experience as well.
Xavier got an easy draw in the Big East tourney bracket. UConn and Marquette is on the opposite side and the Musketeers split the season series with both anyhow.
They beat Seton Hall twice and split two games with DePaul who is on a 12-game losing skid. Xavier split the season series with Creighton and Villanova but would have to play just one of those schools potentially.