The college basketball season is still in its early stages, but the Big East conference's overall performance outside of Connecticut and St. John's is showing concerning signs that could impact St. John's NCAA Tournament seeding.
Several key conference opponents have already suffered disappointing losses. Marquette was dominated by Michigan, with star guard Nigel James Jr. failing to score any points and missing all of his field-goal attempts. Providence lost a game at Mohegan Sun to Nebraska, a defeat made more significant by the absence of talented guard Dink Pate, who was ruled ineligible and has since returned to the G League.
Villanova also began its season with a loss to Notre Dame in Italy. The Wildcats may face point guard challenges after Acaden Lewis transferred to Miami. Notre Dame was projected to finish 16th in the ACC.
These early stumbles by Marquette, Villanova, and Providence could devalue wins earned by St. John's against these teams later in the season, potentially affecting their standing in NCAA Tournament considerations. The early season performance of the Big East as a whole could become a factor in how the selection committee views the conference's strength.