Big East Tournament: Butler, Villanova, and DePaul Move On
The Big East Tournament tipped off with three opening-round matchups, as Butler, Villanova, and DePaul secured victories to advance to the quarterfinals.
Butler Takes Down Providence, Snaps Losing Streak
Butler 75, Providence 69
- Pierre Brooks II led Butler with 25 points, marking his ninth 20-point game of the season.
- Jahmyl Telfort added 16 points, and Butler shot 48.4% from the field.
- The Bulldogs dominated in the paint, scoring 40 points inside.
- Providence’s Bensley Joseph scored 17 of his 20 points in the second half, but the Friars ended their season on a six-game losing streak.
- Providence (12-20) finished with its first losing season since 2011-12 and reached 20 losses for the first time since 1984-85.
With the win, Butler (14-18) moves on to face top-seeded St. John’s in the quarterfinals.
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Villanova Handles Seton Hall to Set Up UConn Clash
Villanova 67, Seton Hall 55
- Eric Dixon scored all 19 of his points in the second half, taking over the game when Seton Hall closed the gap.
- Wooga Poplar (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Tyler Perkins (11 points) helped secure the win.
- Villanova led by 18 at halftime and shot 45.5% overall.
- Seton Hall’s Isaiah Coleman led all scorers with 25 points, but the Pirates ended their season on a seven-game skid.
With the win, Villanova (19-13) advances to play third-seeded UConn in the quarterfinals.
DePaul Upsets Georgetown, Continues Turnaround
DePaul 71, Georgetown 67
- NJ Benson scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half as DePaul held off a late Georgetown rally.
- Layden Blocker added 16 points, and DePaul shot 51% from the field.
- The Blue Demons improved significantly from last season’s 3-29 record, earning their 14th win.
- Georgetown’s Micah Peavy led all scorers with 26 points, but the Hoyas struggled from three (5-for-20) and lost for the fifth time in six games.
With the win, DePaul (14-18) advances to face No. 2 seed Creighton in the quarterfinals.
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Big East Quarterfinal Matchups
The quarterfinals are set, featuring intense battles for a spot in the semifinals:
- No. 1 St. John’s vs. No. 9 Butler
- No. 2 Creighton vs. No. 10 DePaul
- No. 3 UConn vs. No. 6 Villanova
With March Madness spots on the line, can these lower-seeded teams continue their Cinderella runs?
