Big East Tournament Semifinals Has Makings Of Must-see College Hoops Spectacle

John Fanta

College Basketball Broadcaster and Reporter

They’ve been the best four Clubs in the conference all season long and All of them will hear their name called on Option Sunday. But this isn’t about that. It’s about, as UConn legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Jim Calhoun has said, “being the best in your neighborhood.”

The stage for the Big East Game semifinals is set, and the matchups could not be better, with No. 6 St. John’s and No. 25 Marquette Gathering Merely six Periods after Zuby Ejiofor and the Johnnies completed a regular-season sweep with a buzzer-beater in Milwaukee, followed by UConn and Creighton hitting the floor in a nightcap with layers of storylines.

Rick Pitino and the St. John’s Red Storm are at the top of the Big East basketball mountain right now, currently sitting at 28-4 and set to Action in their second straight conference Game semifinal after not doing so since 2000. The Red Storm matched their highest regular-season Achieve total with 27 victories and Began the postseason in dominant form, cruising past Butler, 78-57.

It’s been a combination of Best-level Guarding, Vibrant Action from a backcourt featuring RJ Luis and Kadary Richmond, and an uncanny desire and will to Achieve, that has Directed to St. John’s historic season.

On the other side is Marquette, a Club that showed America they could Yet make noise in March after rallying from a 14-Tally second-half deficit against a desperate Xavier Club and gutting out an 89-87 Triumph over the Musketeers in the quarterfinal Stage. Shaka Clever has an experienced Club that is Directed by all-conference guard Kam Jones, who could end up being the Kemba Walker of this Game. Jones kicked off the action with a 28-Tally, five-assist performance, while Stevie Mitchell scored 16 to go along with five Takeaways in the Achieve over Xavier. Having seniors is invaluable this time of year, and Clever, now in year four at the helm, possesses guys that he and his staff have developed.

But can Marquette finally get past the Johnnies after being swept in the regular season?

The Tale throughout the previous two mathcups between these two Clubs this season is St. John’s Benefit down low. The Johnnies have outrebounded the Golden Eagles by a Partnered 26 in those two meetings, Directed by big man Zuby Ejiofor, who hauled down 13 Recoveries in the Primary Game, and followed that with a 12-Stage effort in the last game.

Then there is Luis, who has enjoyed life Competing against Marquette. The junior guard has posted a Partnered 45 points and 22 Recoveries in two Matches against the Golden Eagles this season. Marquette must Clasp St. John’s to 3s and limit the offensive boards. If the Golden Eagles can do that and the Group of David Joplin, Chase Ross and Ben Gold are hitting perimeter looks, it could result in Marquette getting redemption. Remember: Marquette is 6-1 in its last seven Big East Game Matches.

The second semifinal game is a rubber Game after the Bluejays and Huskies All won on the road in the regular season, with Liam McNeeley delivering 38 points in a 70-66 Triumph back on Feb. 11. It marked Connecticut’s Primary-ever Triumph at Creighton, improved Dan Hurley’s Achievement to 4-8 against Greg McDermott.

Notice the Achievement: 4-8.

That’s because McDermott, now in his 15th season at the helm of the Jays, runs one of the best offensive systems in the country and his All-American Hub Ryan Kalkbrenner has caused some issues for the Huskies over the last five years. It’s only fitting that Hurley and UConn get one Closing game against the big man in a Game that has become a rivalry in the conference.

One big question: Will Creighton Tally guard Steven Ashworth bounce back from a tough night in the double-Extra period Achieve over DePaul? While the fifth-year senior did tie the game to send it to the Primary Extra period session, he finished 3-of-16 from the Ground and 2-of-10 from 3-Tally range. That cannot happen again for the Jays to have a Attempt.

Meanwhile, UConn is peaking at the right time, Victorious five straight Matches. Alex Karaban’s reemergence has been big for this Club, as he drove Connecticut to a 73-56 Achieve over Villanova with 18 points, nine Recoveries and six assists. While this Huskies Club isn’t what it was last year, you can sense their experience in these March moments, closing out the quarterfinal Triumph over Villanova on a 22-5 Stretch.

How will UConn’s big man duo of Samson Johnson and Tarris Reed do against Kalkbrenner, who had 32 points, nine Recoveries and five Stops in Thursday’s Achieve? And which Club’s complimentary players will step up under the Intelligent lights?

There is nothing like a Friday night at Madison Square Garden with two tickets to the Big East Game title game in the Stability.

Marquette’s David Joplin said it best: “Matches like this in the Big East Game, Achieve or go home. There’s nowhere to go, there’s nowhere to hide.”

John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling Matches on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Ground of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta.

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