The college basketball season is about to tip off, and the Big East remains one of the most intriguing conferences thanks to the Dan Hurley and Rick Pitino rivalry. On top of that, you have the transfer portal volatility and increased roster spending! Let’s take a look at the Big East preview and break down the key changes, championship odds, and a couple of best bets for the 2026-27 campaign.
College Basketball 2026-27: Big East Preview, Odds, And Best Bets
Big East Conference Preview
The Big East has 11 teams. Last season, St. John’s repeated as both the regular-season and conference tournament champions. They were the first program to do so back-to-back in the modern Big East. UConn ended up reaching the National Championship game. The league only sent three teams to the NCAA Tournament, a step back from prior years, but spending and portal activity have risen, and I expect it to be deeper this year.
Coaching continuity is high at the top teams, including UConn, St. John’s, Marquette, Villanova, Xavier, Steon Hall, DePaul, and Georgetown. Butler has Ronald Nored taking over after Thad Matta’s retirement. Alan Huss was promoted at Creighton following Greg McDermott’s retirement. Finally, Bryan Hodgson arrives at Providence from South Florida after Kim English was fired.
In the Preseason coaches’ poll, the teams in order are UConn, St. John’s, Villanova, Marquette, Providence, Xavier, Creighton, DePaul, Seton Hall, Georgetown, and Butler. UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. is the preseason Player of the Year favorite from this conference. UConn’s Colben Landrew is the Freshman of the Year favorite.
Biggest Changes And Portal Impacts
Roster turnover remains heavy in the transfer area, and it’s no different for the Big East. UConn lost Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr. but returned its starting guards in Demary Jr. and Braylon Mullens. They also added Duke transfer Nik Khamenia and Seton Hall transfer Najai Hines. Plus, they added high-upside freshmen like the previously mentioned Landrew.
St. John’s lost several key scorers from its back-to-back title teams but reloaded under Pitino with Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou. They also added international pieces such as Quinn Ellis. There are still some eligibility questions lingering on part of the roster as we head into the season.
Marquette returns a strong core, including Nigel James Jr., who was the Big East Freshman of the Year. They also returned Royce Parham and added some pieces like Louisville transfer Sananda Fru. While the other teams also made moves, these were the biggest ones that will impact the 2026-27 season.
Odds to Win Big East Championship
Uconn +138
St. John’s +270
Marquette +640
Villanova +690
Creighton +1250
Providence +1800
Xavier +3500
DePaul +5100
Seton Hall +10000
Georgetown +11000
Butler +28000
Big East Preview + Best Bets
UConn To Win The Big East (+138)
The Huskies are the rightful favorites. Therefore, they have to be my top Big East bet. Demary Jr. is the conference’s top preseason player and a proven lead guard and defender. Mullins offers high-upside scoring after opting to return. On top of that, the additions of Khamenia and Hines address front court and shooting needs after the losses of Karaban and Reed.
Hurley has guided this program to multiple Final Fours recently. While the conference is deep enough that 17+ league wins isn’t a lock, UConn has the most complete roster and coaching edge. Plus, you get them at plus money to win the conference. This team will ride last year’s momentum right into the postseason tournament.
I’m also sprinkling some on them to win the National Championship at +1200. 12/1 is too good of a price to pass up on.
St. John’s Over 13.5 Big East Wins (-150)
St. John’s lost several of its key players from its conference win last year, and I don’t foresee them getting a third-straight conference championship. However, I do think they’ll remain highly competitive.
Rick Pitino is still one of the best coaches in this conference. Plus, adding players like Baylor transfer Tounde Yessefou will go along way toward making up for what they lost. I’m not asking them to have 17 wins. We only need 14 to cash. They’ll still be in the top conversation for this conference.
Marquette To Win The Big East (+640)
If you’re looking for a long-shot Big East bet, look no further than Marquette. The Golden Eagles look like they could be the clearest threat outside of St. John’s to UConn. However, their odds are way behind St. John’s.
James Jr. is a returning star and a Player of the Year contender. They’ve also returned other pieces like Parham. Shaka Smart has proven he can build competitive teams. If St. John’s has any eligibility or chemistry hiccups and UConn slips up for a few games, Marquette has a very realistic path.
