BIG EAST NCAA Final Four News & Notes
 
UCONN MAKES SIXTH TRIP TO THE FINAL FOUR
The Connecticut Huskies advanced to the Final Four for the sixth time in school history after winning the West Regional last Saturday in Las Vegas. Fourth-seeded UConn defeated Gonzaga 82-54 in the final. The Huskies have won four national championships with three coming as a member of the BIG EAST (1999, 2004, 2011).
 
BIG EAST TEAMS ARE 10-4 IN NCAA TOURNEY PLAY
BIG EAST squads have compiled a 10-4 NCAA Tournament record this year, the most wins in the 10 seasons of the conference’s current configuration. UConn is 4-0 followed by Creighton (3-1), Xavier (2-1), Marquette (1-1) and Providence (0-1).
 
BIG EAST HAS AVERAGED MORE THAN FIVE NCAA BIDS PER SEASON
Since realignment, the BIG EAST has received a total of 42 NCAA Tournament invitations, averaging 5.2 per season over nine possible seasons (2014-23). Villanova won the national championship in 2018 and 2016. In 2017, the BIG EAST had seven NCAA Tournament participants, the most since the new configuration began in 2013-14.
 
BIG EAST TEAMS ARE 12-7 IN NATIONAL SEMIFINALS
BIG EAST teams own a 12-7 record in national semifinal contests not including when a BIG EAST team faced another league squad in 1985 and 1987. Villanova lost to Kansas in last year’s semifinal.
 
BIG EAST TEAMS HAVE WON NINE NCAA TITLES
The BIG EAST owns a 9-5 record in national championship games. In addition to the two recent Villanova victories in 2018 and 2016, the other winners are: Georgetown (1984); Villanova (1985); Connecticut (1999, 2004, 2011); Syracuse (2003); Louisville (2013).
 
BIG EAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONS AND TEXAS GO TOGETHER
BIG EAST teams have won each of the last four NCAA championships held in Texas. UConn beat what would be future league member Butler in 2011 in Houston. The Huskies, as a member of the AAC, won in 2014 in Arlington. Villanova captured the 2016 title in Houston and the 2018 crown in San Antonio. UConn also won its 2004 crown in San Antonio.
 
FIVE BIG EAST TEAMS WENT DANCING, TWO WERE IN NIT
Marquette, Xavier, Connecticut, Creighton and Providence all received NCAA Tournament invitations. Marquette, the BIG EAST regular-season and tournament champion, was awarded a No. 2 seed in the East Region. Xavier, the regular-season and tourney runner-up, received a No. 3 seed in the Midwest Regional. UConn was in the West Regional as a No. 4 seed. Creighton was a No. 6 in the South Regional and Providence was the No. 11 seed in the East. Seton Hall and Villanova accepted invitations to the NIT.
 
MARQUETTE TOPPED XAVIER FOR BIG EAST TOURNAMENT TITLE
Top-seeded Marquette defeated No. 2 seed Xavier 65-51 in the BIG EAST Tournament title game. The tourney crown was the first for Marquette as a BIG EAST member. Guard Tyler Kolek, the BIG EAST Player of the Year, was named winner of the Dave Gavitt Trophy as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. He became the 13^th player in BIG EAST history to win both awards in the same year. The Golden Eagles advanced to the final with a pair of two-point wins. Marquette edged St. John’s 72-70 in overtime in the quarterfinals and squeezed past UConn 70-68 in the semifinals.
 
BIG EAST TOURNAMENT WAS A COMPLETE SELLOUT AT MSG
The 2023 BIG EAST Tournament at Madison Square Garden was a complete sellout. Each of the five sessions was filled with 19,812 fans.
 
BIG EAST NCAA TEAM NOTABLES
Marquette’s No. 2 seed was its highest ever since the NCAA started seeding teams in 1979. The Golden Eagles made their 35^th NCAA appearance, which is tied for 10^th place on the NCAA’s all-time list. Marquette is ranked sixth in the final Associated Press poll...Xavier appeared in its 29^th NCAA Tournament. The third-seeded Musketeers were also a No. 3 in 2003 and 2008…UConn is making its 36^th NCAA appearance. The Huskies have four national championships, six Final Fours, 12 Elite Eights and 18 Sweet 16s. UConn has won three of its four national titles out of the West Regional…Creighton has won at least one postseason game in 12 of its last 14 appearances…Providence has appeared in seven of the last nine NCAA Tournaments. The Friars advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2022.
 
VILLANOVA HAS THE TOP 10-YEAR LEAGUE RECORD
In the 10 seasons since conference realignment, Villanova has the best record in conference play with a 140-41 (.774) mark.  The Wildcats have won or shared seven of the 10 regular-season titles.  Marquette won outright this season. Providence won outright last year and Xavier won in 2017-18.
 
CONFERENCE Records (2013-23)
                             Overall        Pct.
Villanova             140-41        .774
Connecticut         37-19         .661*
Creighton            109-76        .589
Providence         106-76        .582
Xavier                 103-70        .557
Seton Hall            97-87         .527
Marquette           96-88         .522
Butler                 84-102        .452
St. John’s            70-114        .380
Georgetown       55-121        .313
DePaul                39-142        .215
 
*three seasons (2020-23)