GOIN’ DEEP
Xavier, Nova lead loaded Big East into MSG
The No. 1 seed isn’t favored to cut down the nets Saturday night. The sixth seed has better odds than the three teams before it. The Big East Tournament has the chance to give us a wacky four days at Madison Square Garden.
For the f irst time in the f ive years of the reconfigured conference, Villanova isn’t the top seed — Xavier is — yet the Wildcats are still the safe bet to be the last team standing. There are plenty of obstacles in their way, from the Musketeers to senior-heavy and third-seeded Seton Hall, offensively explosive teams such as No. 4 Creighton and No. 7 Marquette, and don’t forget Butler, the sixth seed that defeated Villanova once already this year.
Here is a look at the competitive 10-team field, listed by seeding:
XAVIER
Record: 27-4, 15-3 Coach: Chris Mack (Ninth season, 213-95)
Star: Trevon Bluiett (19.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg) — One of the nation’s premier scoring wings, he’s Xavier’s second all-time leading scorer and 3-point king.
X-factor: Kerem Kanter (10.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg) — The graduate transfer from Green Bay and younger brother of Knicks forward Enes Kanter, the 6-foot-10 forward is a low-post threat who keeps defenses from doubling sharpshooters Bluiett and J.P. Macura on the perimeter.
Strength: Rebounding. Their plus7.0 margin on the glass is the 16th best mark in the country.
Weakness: Rim protection. Xavier averages just 3.0 blocks per game, leaving it susceptible to quality big men. Can win title if: The Musketeers can avoid Villanova. They have lost four straight meetings with the Wildcats and 10-of-11 overall. Odds: 5-2
VILLANOVA
Record: 27-4, 14-4 Coach: Jay Wright (17th season, 413-165) Star: Jalen Brunson (19.0 ppg, 4.8 apg) — The National Player of the Year contender is shooting a blistering 52 percent from the field.
X-factor: Omari Spellman (10.9 ppg, 7.8 rpg) — The 6-9 freshman is a walking mismatch, a 43 percent 3-point shooter capable of dominating the paint.
Strength: Scoring. The topranked offense in the country, at 87.2 points per game, is deep, balanced and potent.
Weakness: Momentum. Or lack thereof. The Wildcats enter the tournament 5-3 in their last eight games, not playing their crispest basketball as starters Phil Booth and Eric Paschall work their way back from injuries.
Can win title if: The defense, shaky of late, rights itself. Limiting dribble penetration and paint scoring is a concern.
Odds: 1-1
SETON HALL
Record: 21-10, 10-8 Coach: Kevin Willard (Eighth season, 149-111)
Star: Angel Delgado (13.4 ppg, 11.6 rpg) — The league’s premier big man and all-time leading rebounder enters the tournament with 71 career double-doubles.
X-factor: Khadeen Carrington (14.8 ppg, 4.5 apg) — When the Brooklyn native is on, the Pirates are an elite team, as evidenced by their 13-2 record when he scores 15 or more points.
Strength: Experience. Senior starters Delgado, Carrington, Desi Rodriguez and Ismael Sanogo won the tournament two years ago, and believe they can do it again. Weakness: Free-throw shooting. The Pirates are last in the Big East at 69 percent. Can win title if: Health isn’t an issue, and Rodriguez and Sanogo, both nursing ankle injuries, are at full strength, and can make their usual impact.
Odds: 8-1
CREIGHTON
Record: 21-10, 10-8 Coach: Greg McDermott (Eighth season, 187-92)
Star: Marcus Foster (20.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg) — A finalist for the Jerry West award, given to the best shooting guard in the country, the physical 6-3 guard added a potent perimeter shot to his already stellar repertoire this year.
X-factor: Jacob Epperson (6.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg) — The 6-11 freshman has impressed since losing his redshirt Jan. 27 once forward Martin Krampelj went down with a torn ACL.
Strength: Sharing the ball. Creighton averages 18.1 assists per game, tied for the fifth best in the country.
Weakness: Offensive rebounds. The Bluejays’ .220 percentage rebounding their own misses is the worst in the conference.
Can win title if: Creighton can push the pace for three games, Foster and running mate Khyri Thomas play at an elite level, and Epperson provides the necessary production inside.
Odds: 8-1
PROVIDENCE
Record: 19-12, 10-8 Coach: Ed Cooley (Seventh season, 142-92)
Star: Kyron Cartwright (11.4 ppg, 5.8 apg) — The speedy Big East assists leader each of the last two years is the Friars’ engine.
X-factor: Jalen Lindsey (9.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg) — Emblematic of up-anddown Providence, the 3-point marksman is as unpredictable as the weather.
Strength: Depth. Cooley will play nine guys, all of whom can contribute.
Weakness: 3-point shooting. Providence hits just 34.6 percent from beyond the arc, making Lindsey that much more important. Can win title if: The Friars can bottle up the home wins over Villanova and Xavier, and mimic those high-level performances over three games.
Odds: 16-1 BUTLER Record: 19-12, 9-9 Coach: LaVall Jordan (First season, 19-12) Star: Kelan Martin (21.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg) — Arguably the league’s best pure scorer, the 6-7 senior can beat you in the post and from the perimeter. X-factor: Paul Jorgensen (10.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg) — It’s no coincidence Butler was 4-8 when the reserve guard scored in single-figures. Strength: Defensive rebounding. The Bulldogs’ .761 percentage of grabbing boards on the defensive glass is one reason they were third in the conference in points allowed at 72.3 per game. Weakness: The Garden. The Bulldogs have lost their Big East Tournament opener every season since joining the reconfigured conference five years ago. Can win title if: Martin plays up to his sky-high ceiling, and the supporting cast of Jorgensen, Kamar Baldwin and Tyler Wideman provide two-way consistency for three games. Odds: 7-1
MARQUETTE
Record: 18-12, 9-9 Coach: Steve Wojciechowski (Fourth season, 70-57)
Star: Andrew Rowsey (19.9 ppg, 4.7 apg) — It’s no coincidence Marquette has gotten hot of late as Rowsey has caught fire, averaging 24 points and 6.8 assists over his last six games, four of them wins.
X-factor: Sam Hauser (15.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg) — The 6-8 sophomore is a potential All-Big East first-team player next year, a lights-out shooter with a strong mid-range game. Strength: 3-point shooting. Marquette makes 41.6 percent of its attempts, fourth-best in the country, with five rotation players who shoot it at 39 percent or better.
Weakness: Defense. The Golden Eagles still struggle to defend, allowing the opposition to shoot a Big East-best 47.5 percent from the field. Can win title if: The 3-pointers are falling at a rapid enough rate to stun Villanova in the quarterfinals, and the magic from that upset carries through the weekend.
Odds: 25-1
GEORGETOWN
Record: 15-14, 5-13 Coach: Patrick Ewing (First season, 15-14)
Star: Marcus Derrickson (15.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg) — Nearly doubled his scoring and rebounding numbers from a year ago, developing into one of the league’s best forwards.
X-factor: Jamorko Pickett (9.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg) — The Hoyas have a potentially bright future, and Pickett, a sharpshooting wing, is a big part of it.
Strength: Paint scoring. Big men Derrickson and Jessie Govan are a load inside, averaging 33.2 points, 18.1 rebounds and 9.6 free-throw attempts between them.
Weakness: Guard play. The Hoyas average 15.3 turnovers per game, in large part due to their backcourt issues. Can win title if: Ewing gains a few extra games of eligibility and brings a few of his old NBA buddies with him. Odds: 50-1
ST. JOHN’S
Record: 15-16, 4-14 Coach: Chris Mullin (Third season, 37-59)
Star: Shamorie Ponds (21.6 ppg, 2.5 spg) — The smooth southpaw from Brooklyn led the league in scoring, and averaged 28 points in four games against Xavier and Villanova, the top two seeds.
X-factor: Tariq Owens (8.0 ppg, 3.0 bpg) — The backbone to St. John’s defense, the wire-thin, 6-11 shot-blocking menace impacts the game at both ends — when he can stay out of foul trouble.
Strength: Taking care of the ball. St. John’s plus-4.6 turnover margin led the conference, keyed by its 8.7 steals per game.
Weakness: Rebounding. The undersized Johnnies are minus5.7 on the glass per game, the 335th-worst figure in the nation.
Can win title if: Ponds regains his mid-February form when he was one of the best players in the country, Owens avoids foul woes, and the Johnnies’ lack of depth isn’t exposed.
Odds: 50-1
DEPAUL
Record: 11-19, 4-14 Coach: Dave Leitao (Third season, 81-95)
Star: Max Strus (16.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg) — The former Division II player scores in bunches, and has no conscience, attempting 7.7 3-pointers per game.
X-factor: Eli Cain (11.7 ppg, 4.5 apg) — The 6-6 guard is DePaul’s top playmaker and one of its best finishers.
Strength: No pressure. Or expectations. DePaul can play fast and loose. The Blue Demons aren’t expected to be in the city for long.
Weakness: Defending the 3. Opponents shoot 37.1 percent against DePaul, the 301st-worst mark in the nation.
Can win title if: Leitao and DePaul were playing possum, waiting for the right moment — this week — to strike. Don’t hold your breath.
Odds: 100-1 zbraziller@nypost.com