UConn baseball’s Big East Tournament scenarios

The final regular weekend of the regular season is here and the Big East Tournament begins Thursday at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio.

The tournament, which includes the top four teams in the Big East standings, is a true double-elimination format, modeled after an NCAA Tournament Regional.

UConn, sporting an impressive 16-2 record in league play, clinched its second consecutive regular-season championship on Sunday, as the Huskies finished off their series victory over Xavier with a pair of statement wins.

Jim Penders’ crew has yet to lose a weekend set this season and with an RPI of 43, in addition to their 43-10 overall record, seem to be well on the way to securing a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive time, whether by winning the Big East Tournament or with an at-large invite from the NCAA Tournament committee.

By virtue of their impressive season, the Huskies will be the top seed in Mason, regardless of what happens this weekend on the road against Georgetown. UConn is three games up on Creighton, which can still secure a share of the regular-season championship, though they are locked into the tournament’s 2-seed, as the Huskies swept the Bluejays at Elliot Ballpark over Mother’s Day weekend.

Xavier could still tie Creighton for second place in the Big East, but the Bluejays went to Cincinnati and took two of three from the Musketeers April 29-May 1.

Though UConn and Creighton will be the tournament’s top two seeds, there is more drama as to which teams will vie for the Big East title and its automatic bid than last year, when all four teams had secured a spot heading into the final weekend of play.

Butler is the only team eliminated from tournament consideration, while Xavier needs just one win at home against St. John’s to clinch a berth, regardless of what happens elsewhere.

This leaves a four-way competition between Georgetown, Villanova, St. John’s, and Seton Hall for that last spot. For each of these teams, which are below No. 100 in the RPI and will not receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, making and winning the conference tournament is the only way to extend their seasons.

With just three games to play, the Huskies could match up against any of those four squads, as well as Xavier, should they stumble against the Red Storm and fall to the 4-seed.

UConn plays Georgetown if...

Georgetown finishes 3-0 against UConn

No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 Xavier/St. John’s and No. 4 Georgetown would make Big East Tournament

OR

Georgetown finishes 2-1 against UConn AND Xavier finishes 1-2 or better against St. John’s AND Villanova finishes 2-1 or worse against Creighton

No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 Xavier and No. 4 Georgetown would make Big East Tournament

OR

Georgetown finishes 1-2 against UConn AND Xavier finishes 2-1 or better against St. John’s AND Villanova finishes 1-2 or worse against Creighton AND Seton Hall finishes 2-1 or worse against Butler

No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 Xavier and No. 4 Georgetown would make Big East Tournament

OR

Georgetown finishes 0-3 against UConn AND Xavier finishes 3-0 against St. John’s AND Villanova finishes 0-3 against Creighton AND Seton Hall finishes 1-2 or worse against Butler

No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 Xavier and No. 4 Georgetown would make Big East Tournament

UConn plays Seton Hall if...

Seton Hall finishes 3-0 against Butler AND Georgetown finishes 1-2 or worse against UConn AND Villanova finishes 1-2 or worse against Creighton AND Xavier finishes 1-2 or better against St. John’s

No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 Xavier and No. 4 Seton Hall would make Big East Tournament

OR

Seton hall finishes 2-1 against Butler AND Georgetown finishes 0-3 against UConn AND Villanova finishes 0-3 against Creighton

No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 Xavier and No. 4 Seton Hall would make Big East Tournament

UConn plays St. John’s if...

St. John’s finishes 2-1 against Xavier AND Georgetown finishes 1-2 or worse against UConn AND Villanova finishes 1-2 or worse against Creighton

No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 Xavier and No. 4 St. John’s would make Big East Tournament

OR

St. John’s finishes 1-2 against Xavier AND Georgetown finishes 0-3 against UConn AND Villanova finishes 0-3 against Creighton

No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 Xavier and No. 4 St. John’s would make Big East Tournament

UConn plays Villanova if...

Villanova finishes 3-0 against Creighton AND Georgetown finishes 2-1 or worse against UConn

No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 Xavier/St. John’s and No. 4 Villanova would make Big East Tournament

OR

Villanova finishes 2-1 against Creighton AND Georgetown finishes 1-2 or worse against UConn AND Xavier finishes 1-2 or better against St. John’s

No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 Xavier and No. 4 Villanova would make Big East Tournament

OR

Villanova finishes 1-2 against Creighton AND Xavier finishes 2-1 or better against St. John’s AND Georgetown finishes 0-3 against UConn AND Seton Hall finishes 2-1 or worse against Butler

No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 Xavier and No. 4 Villanova would make Big East Tournament

UConn plays Xavier if...

Xavier finishes 0-3 against St. John’s AND Georgetown finishes 2-1 or worse against UConn AND Villanova finishes 2-1 or worse against Creighton

No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 St. John’s and No. 4 Xavier would make Big East Tournament