St. John's, Rick Pitino Will Dominate The Big East Men's College Basketball Tournament
No. 6 St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino lived up to his reputation for revamping programs with the Johnnies winning the 2024-25 regular season Big East title in Pitino's second season in Queens. With three more wins at home, Madison Square Garden, St. John's will win the 2025 Big East Conference Tournament for the first time in 25 years.
READ: Jimmy Fallon's 'The Tonight Show' Cold Opens With St. John's, Rick Pitino 'Sea Shanty' Spoof
Of course, the Red Storm is the 1-seed in the Big East tournament and could earn a 2-seed in the Big Dance by winning the conference tourney. One of the two Big East teams to beat St. John's, the Creighton Bluejays, are the 2-seed and second-betting favorite to win the Big East tournament.
The 2025 Big East Men's College Basketball Conference Tournament bracket. (Courtesy of @BIGEASTMBB on X)
The other three teams to earn a bye into the conference semifinals are the 3-seed and reigning back-to-back national champion UConn Huskies, the 4-seed Xavier Musketeers, and the 5-seed, and the 2023 Big East tourney champ Marquette Golden Eagles. Unfortunately, for the Big East, it's the Red Storm's world and the rest of the conference is just living in it.
2025 Big East Conference Tournament Odds (DraftKings)
- ST. JOHN'S (+155)
- Creighton (+370)
- UConn (+400)
- Marquette (+550)
- Xavier (+850)
- Villanova Wildcats (+1500)
- Butler Bulldogs (+6500)
- Georgetown Hoyas (+9000)
- Providence Friars (+25000)
- Seton Hall Pirates (+30000)
- DePaul Blue Demons (+30000)
While I usually don't bet on favorites, my Johnnies should bulldoze this field despite being the worst 3-point shooting team in the conference. Their biggest concern entering the postseason is the injury to starting PG Deivon Smith, who sat out their regular-season finale against Marquette.
However, even if Pitino chooses to rest Smith for the NCAA Tournament, the Red Storm can still win the Big East tourney because they are the best defensive team in the country, let alone the Big East. St. John's leads the conference in defensive efficiency with a bullet, defensive 3-point percentage, and defensive turnover rate, according to Ken Pom.
The Johnnies are 18-0 at home this season and have only lost two conference games to Villanova and Creighton by a combined three points. Plus, they have a legit "Big 3" featuring the probable 2024-25 Big East Player of the Year, forward R.J. Luis, the conference's Most Improved Player of the Year, big Zuby Ejiofor, and second-team All-Big East guard Kadary Richmond.
Lastly, Pitino applied what he learned from coaching in Greece in the EuroLeague from 2018-20 to college basketball. Rather than recruiting high school players, Pitino hit the transfer portal and built a team of grown men. As a result, the Johnnies have a bunch of long, athletic wings that can defend ball-handlers and bigs.
Bet on St. John's Red Storm winning the 2025 Big East Tournament (+155)
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