Butler vs Providence: BIG EAST Tournament Showdown

0:00On March 10th, the 8th seeded Butler Bulldogs faced the 9th seeded Providence Friars in the first round of the 2026 B.I.G. A.A.S. team. Tournament on Wednesday, March 11th, at 4 p.m. at Madison Square Garden in New York. Both teams finished with losing records, Butler at 16 wins and 15 losses, Providence at 14 and 17. The winner moves on to the quarterfinals against top seeded St. John's on Thursday. These teams split their regular season meetings. Each game going to double over time with the home squad pulling out the victory. Butler's Finley Biz Jack and Michael Ajayi dominated those matchups, combining for huge scoring and rebounding outputs. Ajayi earned all B.I.G. E.A.S.T. first team honors for leading the nation in rebounding at 11.1 per game, while Biz Jack made the third team as. The conference's third leading score. Butler coach Thad Modder recently hit his 500th career win, a milestone that puts him among the elite active coaches.

1:00The Bulldogs also honor late alum Joel Cornett, a hall of famer and key player from their 2002 to 3-16 run with his. Family at the game. Providence holds a 3-1 edge in prior tournament clashes. On Providence's side, Jalen Sellers leased the B.I.G. E.A.S.T. in scoring at 18.1 per game and grabbed second team honors, but their defense has struggled, allowing over 84 points nightly. Those regular season thrillers featured record combined totals and tons of lead changes, setting up another potential barn burner. Fans can catch it on Peacock or NBC Sports Network with radio options galore. This early knockout promises fireworks as both squads chase a deep run.