The 2026 Big East Tournament bracket has been officially announced, with St. John’s securing the top seed after clinching the outright league title during the final weekend of regular-season play. Their decisive victory over Seton Hall, combined with UConn’s unexpected loss to Marquette, allowed the reigning Big East Tournament champions to rise to the top of the standings.
UConn will enter the tournament as the No. 2 seed, while Villanova, under the direction of first-year coach Kevin Willard, has earned the No. 3 seed. Seton Hall claims the No. 4 seed and will face the fifth-seeded Creighton in the quarterfinals. It’s important to note that the top five teams in the standings received first-round byes, setting the stage for a competitive tournament.
As the tournament approaches, only three teams—St. John’s, UConn, and Villanova—appeared in CBS Sports’ latest Bracketology projections. Meanwhile, Seton Hall finds itself outside the at-large berth conversation and will need a strong performance to boost their chances of making it to the NCAA tournament.
The first round of the Big East Tournament kicks off on Wednesday with three exciting matchups. The action starts with No. 9 seed Providence taking on No. 8 seed Butler at 4 p.m. on Peacock, followed by No. 7 seed Marquette versus No. 10 seed Xavier at 6:30 p.m. The last game of the opening round features No. 6 seed DePaul facing No. 11 seed Georgetown at 9 p.m.
The tournament will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York, with each game able to be streamed live on fuboTV. Following the first round, the quarterfinals will take place on Thursday, followed by the semifinals on Friday, before culminating in the championship game on Saturday.
This year’s tournament promises excitement and potential surprises, especially for teams fighting for NCAA Tournament inclusion. With the stage set and teams poised for intense competition, fans can look forward to an exhilarating week of college basketball.