NEW YORK — The new Big East was not supposed to have a new champion this year. Villanova was rightly viewed as the overwhelming favorite last fall after posting a 32–4 record with a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, and winning its fourth consecutive regular-season title and second conference tournament title in four years in 2017. The Wildcats seemed at least as safe a bet as just about every other high-major team to hang a league banner before the start of postseason play, and for a good while, it looked like they would follow through without breaking a sweat.
Villanova Shows It's Still King of the Big East—and a Legitimate National Title Threat
