Loaded East Region Puts Duke No. 1, UConn No. 2 and St. John’s No. 5 on Same Path

Overview

• Duke drew the tournament’s top overall seed in the East, with UConn on the 2 line and St. John’s at 5 in a region stacked with Kansas and Michigan State.
• St. John’s opens Friday in San Diego against No. 12 Northern Iowa, with a potential Round of 32 meeting against No. 4 Kansas.
• UConn begins Friday in Philadelphia against No. 15 Furman; Dan Hurley called the draw tough and said he expects Silas Demary Jr. to be available, with Jaylin Stewart a close decision.
• Committee chair Keith Gill pointed to St. John’s limited nonconference résumé and a 5–5 record in Quad‑1 games, noting a NET ranking in the mid‑teens.
• Rick Pitino acknowledged the West Coast trip and likely fan imbalance yet urged his team to see the bracket as an opportunity; Villanova joined UConn and St. John’s as the Big East’s only entrants.