NEW YORK (Interstat) — The postseason paths of two Big East teams heading in opposite directions will collide Thursday when the Seton Hall Pirates face the Creighton Bluejays in a quarterfinal of the conference men’s basketball tournament.

The seed Pirates (20-11) enter Madison Square Garden as the clear favorite, having won five of their last seven games and holding a significant record advantage over the seed Bluejays (15-16). Seton Hall is a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5 points, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Seton Hall, however, is looking to rebound from a 72-65 home loss to Saint John’s in its regular-season finale. Guard Adam Clark, a key player for the Pirates, scored 15 points in that defeat. He averaged 12.8 points and 4.8 assists over his last six games.

Creighton arrives with momentum from a 76-59 road victory at Butler last Wednesday, which snapped a three-game skid. The Bluejays’ hopes largely rest on the play of guard Nik Graves, who recorded a double-double with 14 points and 13 assists in that win. Over his last seven games, Graves has averaged 14.3 points and 6.7 assists.

The season series between the teams was decided by the slimmest of margins. Creighton edged Seton Hall 69-68 in Omaha on Feb. 7, overcoming a 56-54 Pirates victory in the first meeting on Jan. 4 in New Jersey.

For Seton Hall, a strong tournament run is crucial for bolstering its NCAA Tournament resume. Creighton, sitting below .500, faces a must-win scenario to keep its season alive and potentially secure an automatic bid. The winner will advance to face top-seeded Connecticut in Friday’s semifinals, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle under the bright lights of the Garden.