March is here and Madness descends on Mohegan Sun Arena, host site of the Big East Tournament. 

The status quo has prevailed most weeks in the Big East. The Connecticut women are undefeated. DePaul and Marquette have held steady in the second tier, not challenging UConn, but also avoiding losses to the bottom of the conference. 

Christmastime typically means taking a pause to gather with family. The past year has not been typical, of course, and that meant an atypical holiday season for DePaul Basketball. 

Seton Hall’s NCAA Tournament hopes were dealt a pair of swift blows over the past several days. 

Eleven days after they were upset by Arkansas, Connecticut is poised to once again claim the #1 ranking in the country. 

UConn, rightfully, commands a good portion of the headlines about the Big East. 

After opening the season a perfect 10-0, [team:Connecticut] was upset by #19 Arkansas, 90-87 last week. UConn trailed by 10 entering the fourth quarter, but pulled ahead on an Evian Westbrook three-pointer with 5:30 remaining. 

For most teams in the Big East, the halfway point in the season is fast approaching. Connecticut is dominating, DePaul is solid and three other teams are trying to make their way to the NCAA Tournament. There are no guarantees with the schedule this year, but let’s look at some of the most consequential games remaining on the calendar:

Each week, the Big East’s representation in the AP Top 25 has remained mostly static. Yes, [team:Connecticut] and [team:DePaul] have moved up and down a spot here or there, but there has been no major movement from either team and no signals that another conference team can break into the poll. 

Some Big East teams have played 10 games this season. Others have managed to get in just five. 

It was a light slate of games last week in the [category:Big East] as several programs were on pause because of COVID-19 protocols. But there were still some notable performances including the emergence of a transfer who will make an impact this season. 

With all the postponements, cancelations, and programs on pause, it's difficult to say exactly where we are in the Big East season. Some programs have played a robust schedule, others are just getting started. But it's not too early to dig into the stats and try to make sense of where each team sits in the standings.

The women's basketball season continues to be hampered by postponements. Last week, UConn's showdown with Baylor was called off after Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey tested positive for COVID-19. 

Being the new kid in the neighborhood can be intimidating — not so for Connecticut in its return to the Big East. 

When UConn inhabits your conference, there's nothing wrong with leading the chase pack.