Creighton’s move to the Big East has worked out for just about everyone — the league has received a major boost from having the best player in the country in Doug McDermott and the school in Omaha, Neb., is enjoying the rewards of being part of a major conference.
Creighton is expecting 3,000 to 4,000 fans at the Garden this week, and — peering into the crystal ball — they will have plenty to celebrate.
McDermott, the sport’s leading scorer, will have his MSG moment Saturday night, beating St. John’s — one night after the Red Storm shock Villanova — with one of his signature marquee performances full of step-back jump shots and 3-point bombs, and adding to his already-impressive legacy.
The Bluejays are the pick to win it.
Here’s a look at all of the teams coming to the Garden:
The Favorites
♦ No. 1 Villanova (28-3, 16-1)
Coach: Jay Wright
Star: F James Bell (14.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG) — An unsung player and clutch performer, Villanova looks for the senior in crunch time.
X-Factor: F JayVaughn Pinkston (14.3 PPG, 52% FG) — Brooklyn product is a mismatch nightmare — too quick for bigs, too strong for wings.
Strength: Depth, depth and more depth. Seven Wildcats average at least 5.6 points and 16.9 minutes a game.
Weakness: 3-point defense, allowing 35 percent from behind the arc.
Will win title if: They can avoid Creighton. Villanova doesn’t match up well with the Bluejays, losing twice by a combined 49 points.
Odds from Bovada.lv: 3-2
♦ No. 2 Creighton (24-6, 14-4)
Coach: Greg McDermott
Star: F Doug McDermott (26.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG) — Naismith Player of the Year favorite and coach’s son turned down the NBA to come back to school for his senior year. Folk hero in Omaha.
X-Factor: F/C Ethan Wragge (10.7 PPG, 47% 3-point FG) — Lethal weapon from the perimeter, scoring the majority of his points from beyond arc.
Strength: Best offensive team in the conference. Second in nation in assists (17.9 per game), feature a boatload of long-range marksmen (42 percent from downtown).
Weakness: Susceptible to long, athletic teams that force ball out of Doug McDermott’s hands.
Will win title if: Doug McDermott gets enough help. He will be double- and triple-teamed and needs role players to have big week.
Odds: 7-4
Contenders
♦ No. 3 Xavier (20-11, 10-8)
Coach: Chris Mack
Star: G Semaj Christon (17.0 PPG, 4.1 APG) — Next season’s Big East Preseason Player of the Year, the elite point guard can dominate a game without scoring.
X-Factor: F Jalen Reynolds — Freshman needs to play big with center Matt Stainbrook (MCL) out until at least Saturday.
Strength: Patient, smart team will pass up good shot for better one.
Weakness: Strength in paint has become a weakness without Stainbrook.
Will win title if: Christon performs like best player in the tournament and veterans Isaiah Philmore and Justin Martin make up for Stainbrook’s absence in the paint.
Odds: 12-1
♦ No. 4 Providence (20-11, 10-8)
Coach: Ed Cooley
Star: G Bryce Cotton (21.7 PPG, 5.9 APG) — Take away Doug McDermott and the do-it-all guard would be the league’s MVP by a landslide.
X-Factor: G Josh Fortune (8.0 PPG) — Streaky 3-point shooter, needs to make shots to keep defenses honest.
Strength: Friars shoot a conference-best 78 percent from the free-throw line.
Weakness: Fast-break opportunities are plentiful against quick-trigger Providence.
Will win title if: It isn’t the Bryce Cotton Show. Providence is at its best when Cotton is the orchestrator.
Odds: 15-1
♦ No. 5 St. John’s (20-11, 10-8)
Coach: Steve Lavin
Star: G D’Angelo Harrison (17.6 PPG) — St. John’s heartbeat, this passionate leader will take the big shot, and has made it often in Johnnies’ strong finish.
X-Factor: G Rysheed Jordan (9.4 PPG, 3.1 APG) — An electric talent, he has NBA written all over him. When the freshman point guard is at his best, St. John’s can beat anybody in the country.
Strength: A talent-filled deep roster is playing with confidence, has an athleticism edge on everyone in the bracket and has shutdown capability on defense.
Weakness: The Storm struggle in half-court and prone to long offensive droughts.
Will win title if: The frontcourt produces at both ends of the floor three nights in a row.
Odds: 6-1
Sleepers
♦ No. 6 Marquette (17-14, 9-9)
Coach: Buzz Williams
Star: F Davante Gardner (15.1 PPG, 52% FG) — The two-time Sixth Man of the Year is a wide body with a soft touch. Think poor man’s DeJuan Blair.
X-Factor: G Todd Mayo (11.0 PPG) — The junior has clutch gene, unafraid to take big shot.
Strength: Gardner and Mayo are instant offense off the bench.
Weakness: The Golden Eagles shoot a conference-worst 31 percent and allow a league-best 36 percent.
Will win title if: Their overtime luck evens out. With four OT losses, the Golden Eagles may be better than their record.
Odds: 12-1
♦ No. 7 Georgetown (17-13, 8-10)
Coach: John Thompson III
Star: G Markel Starks (17.1 PPG, 4.1 APG) — Versatile senior is catching fire at the right time, one of underrated players in conference.
X-Factor: G Jabril Trawick (8.8 PPG, 52% FG) — Emotional leader and best perimeter defender, Georgetown excels when he’s at his best.
Strength: Starks and fellow guard D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera average nearly half of the Hoyas’ points.
Weakness: This isn’t your father’s Georgetown. Hoyas are weak on the glass.
Will win title if: Starks and Smith-Rivera get help. Hoyas need production from their frontcourt.
Odds: 12-1
♦ No. 8 Seton Hall (15-16, 6-12)
Coach: Kevin Willard
Star: F Fuquan Edwin (14.7 PPG, 2.8 SPG) — League’s Defensive Player of Year has next-level ability.
X-Factor: F Eugene Teague (10.8 PPG, 60% FG) — One of league’s premier low-post threats, but doesn’t get enough touches.
Strength: When clicking, lethal offense with variety of weapons.
Weakness: Inconsistency. Nearly beat Creighton one night, get blown out by Butler the next.
Will win title if: Next year’s top 10-recruiting class gets started early. But they’re not available.
Odds: 100-1
The Rest
♦ No. 9 Butler (14-16, 4-14)
Coach: Brandon Miller
Star: G Kellen Dunham (16.8 PPG, 4.0 RPG)
X-Factor: F Kameron Woods (7.5 PPG, 8.9 RPG)
Strength: You’re not beating Butler from the 3-point line. Bulldogs play to their nickname beyond the arc.
Weakness: Scoring is a chore. Average 69.2 points per game, last in the conference.
Will win title if: Gordon Hayward, Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack can gain extra eligibility and Brad Stevens returns to the bench.
Odds: 66-1
♦ No. 10 DePaul (11-20, 3-15)
Coach: Oliver Purnell
Star: F Brandon Young (16.2 PPG, 3.6 APG) — Has carried the load since star forward Cleveland Melvin was dismissed from school Feb. 11.
X-Factor: G Billy Garrett Jr. — Smooth Rookie of the Year candidate carries DePaul’s hopes on his shoulders.
Strength: The future. Garrett and Tommy Hamilton IV made the all-rookie team.
Weakness: There is a big E-ZPass sign in the middle of the DePaul defense — it is last in the league in scoring defense, field-goal percentage and 3-point percentage.
Will win title if: Oddsmakers are dead wrong and regular-season struggles are reversed. It’s not happening.
Odds: 500-1