UConn Basketball took home the national championship for Big East last year — and the league could hoist the trophy again in 2024.

The Big East is traditionally one of the nation’s top conferences, both in terms of in-league competition and postseason success. Last season was no different. The league ranked third in KenPom’s conference rankings and sent five teams to the NCAA Tournament — four as No. 6 seeds or better. Villanova, the conference’s flagship program of the past several years, was not one of the invitees but still sent a player to the NBA Draft.

The postseason yielded positive results, with three teams reaching the second weekend: Xavier, Creighton, and UConn. Creighton bowed out in the Elite Eight — its best-ever NCAA Tournament result — with a one-point loss to San Diego State. UConn later exacted revenge for the Bluejays by taking down the Aztecs in the national title game to bring the Big East a trophy.

The Big East has now accounted for three of the last seven national championships, and the league hopes to add another to its mantel in 2023-24.

The possibility for the conference to repeat at the national title is also a real possibility. The Big East returns 10 of its 15 all-league selections last season, plus adds some highly-touted recruits and transfers. Creighton, Marquette, and UConn are all featured in the preseason AP top 10, Villanova is at No. 22, and St. John’s could be in the Top 25 in short order.

1. Creighton Bluejays

Creighton has somewhat quietly been one of the Big East’s best programs since joining the league in 2013-14. Of the 10 teams that have been in the league for each of the last 10 campaigns, only Villanova has more wins or a higher conference winning percentage than the Bluejays.

Despite the regular-season success, Creighton had not made an Elite Eight since the NCAA Tournament comprised only eight teams (1941). That is, until this past season. The Bluejays earned a No. 6 seed and knocked off three opponents before falling one point shy of the Final Four to eventual runners-up San Diego State. Looking back on the season as a whole, Creighton also tied for their highest KenPom finish (No. 12) and best Big East record (14-6).

The Bluejays then entered an offseason in which they could have theoretically returned everyone. Alas, Ryan Nembhard and Arthur Kaluma, two double-digit scorers and full-time starters, ended that possibility when they transferred. The rest of the offseason was a massive win for head coach Greg McDermott. Three potential NBA Draft picks — Ryan Kalkbrenner, Trey Alexander and Baylor Scheierman — returned to school, and the Bluejays landed an elite transfer class.

Most notably, Steven Ashworth appears to be an ideal fit to play alongside Alexander in the backcourt. The 6-1 transfer guard is as deadly of a shooter as there is in the country, elite coming off pin-downs or pulling up off the dribble. He is also a capable playmaker. Ashworth averaged 16.2 points and 4.5 assists while shooting 43.4 percent from 3-point range for an NCAA Tournament team in Utah State last season. 

Fellow transfer addition Isaac Traudt is also touted for his shooting and arrives via Virginia, where he redshirted last season. He will contend with returning sophomore Mason Miller for starting minutes at the 4, giving the Bluejays tremendous floor spacing.

There is a ton to like about Creighton this season. The Bluejays have built a substantial program standard and feature an elite lineup. Few teams in the country have a more experienced and talented top four than Alexander, Ashworth, Scheierman and Kalkbrenner. Alexander is the dynamic creator and shooter who could be a first-round pick next summer; Ashworth and Scheierman are both elite shooters and secondary playmakers; Kalkbrenner might be the best defensive player in all of college basketball.

Creighton’s floor is as high as anyone in the Big East. This isn’t just a conference title contender — this is a national title contender.