Basketball in the Northeast just feels different when January hits. The air gets that specific kind of bite, the gyms get louder, and the Big East starts cannibalizing itself. Honestly, if you aren’t paying attention to what’s happening in this league right now, you're missing the most chaotic brand of hoops in the country. Everyone expected a certain narrative coming into the 2025-26 season, but as we cross the midway point of the conference schedule, the reality on the ground is way more complicated than the preseason polls suggested.
Basically, we all thought it was UConn and then a massive gap. We were wrong. Sorta.
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While Dan Hurley’s Huskies are sitting at the top—shocker, I know—the middle of this league is a literal street fight. Teams that were picked to finish near the basement are suddenly making the "experts" look a little silly. If you're looking for a big east basketball preview that actually reflects the current state of the conference, you have to look past the blue-and-white jerseys in Storrs.
The UConn Juggernaut and the "Reload" Myth
Let’s be real: UConn didn’t just reload. They reinvented.
After failing to grab that elusive three-peat last year, Hurley went into the lab. He didn't just look for talent; he looked for "UConn-level" grit. People wondered how they’d replace the scoring punch of guys who jumped to the league, but then Silas Demary Jr. showed up and started playing like a seasoned vet from day one. Demary is currently leading the Big East in assists, dropping about 8.0 per game in league play.
And then there's the freshman. Braylon Mullins.
Most freshmen hit a wall in January. Mullins? He just dropped 24 points at Providence in a hostile environment, hitting six triples like he was playing in an empty gym. UConn is sitting at 17-1 overall (7-0 in the Big East) for a reason. They have the best scoring margin in the league ($+15.9$), and they are holding opponents to a measly 38.7% from the floor.
But here’s the thing: they aren’t invincible. They had to claw back from a deficit to beat Providence in overtime. The gap is closing.
St. John's and the Pitino Effect
Rick Pitino told everyone he was going to fix the offense. He actually did it.
Last year, the Red Storm was a defensive nightmare that couldn't throw a pebble into the ocean. This year? They are the second-highest scoring team in the conference, putting up 86 points a night. Zuby Ejiofor has lived up to the Preseason Player of the Year hype, anchoring a unit that finally has the spacing it needs.
St. John's is currently 5-1 in the league. Their only real blemish was a weird stumble, but they just absolutely dismantled Marquette by 24 points. When they play at Madison Square Garden, they look like a Final Four team. When they travel? Well, that’s where things get interesting. The chemistry between the seven transfers Pitino brought in is finally "clicking," but we’ll see if it holds when the pressure of February hits.
The Surprise Team Nobody Saw Coming
If you had Seton Hall ranked as a Top 25 team in your preseason bracket, you're either a liar or Shaheen Holloway’s relative.
The Pirates were picked to finish dead last. Last.
Instead, they are 14-3 and sitting in the AP Poll at #25. How? Defense. It’s always defense with Holloway. They have the best scoring defense in the Big East, allowing only 63.1 points per game. Savannah Catalon (on the women's side) and the men's veteran core have turned Newark into a place where ranked teams go to die. They just pushed UConn to the brink and beat Marquette.
They don't play pretty. They win ugly. In this league, that's a compliment.
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The Villanova "Wild Card" Era
Villanova is weird this year.
After moving on from the previous staff and bringing in Kevin Willard, the Wildcats are essentially a start-up. They only returned two players. You'd think that would lead to a disaster, but they are actually sitting at 5-1 in the conference. Acaden Lewis is the name you need to know. He's a freshman combo-guard who plays with a level of fearlessness that Villanova fans haven't seen since the Jay Wright era.
They lead the league in three-point percentage ($36.1%$). When they are hot, they can beat anyone. When they aren't? They look like a group of guys who just met in the parking lot ten minutes before tip-off.
Why the Middle Matters: Creighton and Marquette
It’s been a tough stretch for the birds and the eagles.
- Creighton: Greg McDermott landed the "whale" of the portal in Owen Freeman from Iowa. Freeman is a beast (16.7 PPG), but the Bluejays are struggling to replace the pure shooting of Ryan Kalkbrenner and Steven Ashworth. They are still 5-2 in the league, but they feel more vulnerable than usual.
- Marquette: Shaka Smart decided not to use the transfer portal at all. It was a bold move. Right now, it looks like a mistake. The Golden Eagles are 1-6 in the Big East. They have the worst field goal percentage in the league ($40.7%$). Without Kam Jones, they lack a true "alpha" who can create a bucket when the shot clock is winding down.
Hard Truths and Misconceptions
People think the Big East is a "two-bid league" some years. That's nonsense.
Looking at the current NET rankings, this conference could easily send six or seven teams to the Big Dance. The depth is staggering. Even a team like DePaul, which has been a doormat for a decade, is showing life under Chris Holtmann. They just lost Jeremy Lorenz for the season to hip surgery, which is a brutal blow, but they’ve already won ten games—more than most expected for the entire year.
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The biggest misconception? That you can win this league with just talent.
You can't. You win it with "old" rosters. Look at the teams succeeding: UConn (experienced guards), Seton Hall (seniors), St. John's (grad transfers). In the age of NIL and the portal, the Big East has become a "grown man" league.
Actionable Insights for the Second Half
If you're betting on or just following the Big East for the rest of 2026, keep these things in mind:
- Home Court is Everything: Aside from UConn, almost everyone in this league is a different team on the road. Watch for "trap games" when St. John's or Villanova travel to Butler or Georgetown.
- The February 6th Date: Mark your calendar. UConn vs. St. John's at MSG. That game will likely decide the regular-season title and the #1 seed for the Big East Tournament.
- Watch the "Bubble" Teams: Providence and Xavier are currently fighting for their lives. If Jason Edwards at Providence can find his rhythm again, the Friars are a dangerous out in March.
- Monitor Injuries: The Lorenz injury at DePaul is a reminder of how thin these rosters are. One twisted ankle for a guy like Alex Karaban (UConn) or Owen Freeman (Creighton) changes the entire trajectory of the conference.
The Big East isn't just about who wins the trophy in March; it's about the survival of the fittest over the next six weeks. It's loud, it's physical, and it's honestly the best show in college sports right now.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check the updated NET rankings every Monday; the Big East currently has four teams in the top 30.
- Watch the Villanova vs. Butler matchup this Sunday on ESPN+ to see if the Wildcats’ shooting holds up.
- Track the "Last Four In" projections on Bracketology; Creighton and Seton Hall are currently the two most volatile teams on the bubble.