This Week in the BIG EAST - Weekly Overview of NCAA College Basketball's Top Conference

This Week In The BIG EAST Radio Show, distributed by Westwood One, continued its 10th season with guests Georgetown sophomore guard Jayden Epps, Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley and legendary play-by-play announcer Rich Chvotkin.

The third episode of This Week in the BIG EAST (TWITBE) takes a look at the league as a whole. Depth is a strength this season for the league with nine of the 11 teams ranked among the top 62 in KenPom metrics and seven listed among the top-50 of the NET rankings.

The BIG EAST Focus shines on Georgetown sophomore guard Jayden Epps, who discusses joining head coach Ed Cooley and the Hoyas after transferring from Illinois. Epps goes in depth on the overall pros and cons of the transfer portal, including the positive impact it has had on him personally. Epps also talks about the BIG EAST, with his favorite aspect being how competitive it is and the challenges each opponent brings night in and night out.

The BIG EAST Spotlight is on UConn head coach Dan Hurley. After capturing the fifth national title in program history this past April, the Huskies are once again taking the bull by the horns as they maintain the top-ranking in both the AP Poll and USA Today Coaches Rankings with a 17-2 (7-1 BIG EAST) overall mark. Hurley discusses the great expectations for his team as the Huskies head toward March, and how his team has continued to battle all season long.

Georgetown’s legendary play-by-play announcer Rich Chvotkin, celebrating 50-years as the Voice of the Georgetown Hoyas, gives a view on the national perspective. Chvotkin discusses the start of his career with the Hoyas in 1974 and the journey he has been on over the past 50 years. Opening the interview sharing some of his fondest BIG EAST memories, Chvotkin also gives his thoughts on the current state of the Hoyas and the impact he already sees Cooley having on the program.

The episode’s “Who’s Hot” segment features the return of “Blast from the Past”, rewinding the tape to 1994, when Providence’s Michael Smith pounded Syracuse on the glass for a BIG EAST record 26 rebounds. Smith’s rebounding record still stands today, and his 11.66 career rebounds per game still ranks first among the BIG EAST all-time leaders. “Who’s Got Next?” takes a look at the upcoming schedule, highlighting the big matchups.

To join the conversation and send questions to Rooke (@JRbroadcaster) and McNamara (@KevinMcNamara33), use #TWITBE on Twitter. Fans may submit questions to be featured on the show.

Please subscribe, rate and review to keep #TWITBE top of the podcast charts.

This will air Saturday, Jan. 27 at 12 p.m. ET on Sirius 160 XM 201 Online 964 leading into the Marquette men’s basketball broadcast of Seton Hall @ No. 14 Marquette.

NEW YORK – This Week In The BIG EAST Radio Show, distributed by Westwood One in in its seventh year. The eighth episode of the season welcomes Providence head coach Ed Cooley, NCAA Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt and Sporting News Columnist and FOX Sports College Basketball bracketologist Mike DeCourcy.
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The TWITBE BIG EAST Spotlight shines on Cooley, who discusses the Friars recent performances. He gives his take on Providence’s memorable wins this season along with some tough losses. The BIG EAST Focus narrows in on Gavitt, who has been through a year unlike any other for college basketball. Gavitt touches on the challenges of playing a full season amid the pandemic as well as the scheduling and health challenges surrounding the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The National Perspective comes from DeCourcy, FOX Sports’ bracketologist. As the calendar flips to March, DeCourcy gives his take on the landscape of college basketball, where the BIG EAST ranks and which has the best hope to make the NCAA Tournament.

The 2021 season of This Week in the BIG EAST (#TWITBE) is available for download on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Overcast, Castro, Castbox and Podfriend in addition to its Westwood One distribution. The show airs on three Sirius XM stations on Saturdays preceding the first BIG EAST contest of the day. This week, TWITBE will be carried on Sirius 133, XM 201, Online 964 at 1:30 p.m. ET, leading into the Marquette at Connecticut broadcast at 2:30 p.m.

In the “Blast from the Past” segment, TWITBE takes a dive into the 1985 BIG EAST matchup between No. 1 St. John’s and No. 2 Georgetown at Madison Square Garden, fondly known as “The Sweater Game.”

The returning hosts for This Week In The BIG EAST (#TWITBE) are John Rooke, a longtime BIG EAST play-by-play voice, and Kevin McNamara, BIG EAST reporter, columnist and author. Rooke and McNamara give a comprehensive look at the teams, coaches, players and storied tradition of the top basketball conference in America in each episode.

The episode’s “Who’s Hot” segment features audio clips from some recent big performances around the league and a recap of the league’s weekly honors. “Who’s Got Next?” takes a look at the upcoming schedule, highlighting the big matchups.

To join the conversation and send questions to Rooke (@JRbroadcaster) and McNamara (@KevinMcNamara33), use #TWITBE on Twitter. Fans may submit questions to be featured on the show.

Please subscribe, rate and review to keep #TWITBE top of the podcast charts.

This Week In The BIG EAST Radio Show, distributed by Westwood One, continues its ninth season with guests Xavier graduate guard Souley Boum, St. John’s head coach Mike Anderson and FOX Sports Analyst Andy Katz.

The sixth episode of TWITBE reviews the past week of BIG EAST basketball, taking a deep dive into the league’s top contenders for the regular season title. As the home teams continue to dominate, the top four teams in the standings–Marquette, Xavier, Providence and Creighton–are currently 8-0 against each other on their home floors, in addition to being a perfect 27-0 combined at home in overall conference action.

The BIG EAST Spotlight is on Xavier guard Souley Boum, who runs the point for the BIG EAST leading Musketeers. Ranking at the top of the BIG EAST with a 4.6 assist-turnover ratio in league play, tied-for-second at 5.7 assists per game and seventh with 15.7 points per game, Boum discusses his growth from starting his career at San Francisco, competing at UTEP and now leading the charge at Xavier. With the ability to defend, dish, drive, and shoot, Boum is drawing well deserved national notoriety.

The BIG EAST Focus shines on St. John’s head coach Mike Anderson, ahead of the Red Storm’s showdown with No. 20 Providence at Madison Square Garden Saturday at Noon ET on FOX. Outside the everyday tasks of teaching and coaching, there are many outside factors affecting coaches these days. Recruiting, the transfer portal and NIL are making the profession more challenging by the day. Anderson provides his take on his team and the day-to-day life of being a BIG EAST head coach.

FOX Analyst Andy Katz gives a view on the national perspective. March Madness is officially just around the corner, but there is still much to decide in terms of regular season and conference tournament champions. In addition, the process of seeding the NCAA Tournament field will be particularly difficult this season with the strengths of conferences such as the BIG EAST, Big 12 and Big 10. Katz takes the time to break down the top conferences and teams with an eye toward the Big Dance.

The episode’s “Who’s Hot” segment features the return of “Blast from the Past”, rewinding the tape to just a season ago, February 15th, 2022. Villanova’s do-everything guard Collin Gillespie went off for a career best 33 points in an 89-84 win at Providence. The win paved the way to a strong end of the year finish for the Wildcats and Gillespie, with the latter earning BIG EAST Player of the Year, the Dave Gavitt Trophy winner as Most Outstanding Player in the BIG EAST Tournament, as well as a Final Four appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

The returning hosts for This Week In The BIG EAST (#TWITBE) are John Rooke, a longtime BIG EAST play-by-play voice, and Kevin McNamara, BIG EAST radio host, columnist and author. Rooke and McNamara give a comprehensive look at the teams, coaches, players and storied tradition of the top basketball conference in America in each episode.

To join the conversation and send questions to Rooke (@JRbroadcaster) and McNamara (@KevinMcNamara33), use #TWITBE on Twitter. Fans may submit questions to be featured on the show.

Please subscribe, rate and review to keep #TWITBE top of the podcast charts.

This will air Saturday, Feb. 11 at 11 a.m. ET on Sirius 138 XM 201 Online 964 leading into the St. John’s broadcast of Providence @ St. John’s.

This Week In The BIG EAST Radio Show, distributed by Westwood One in in its seventh year. The seventh episode of the season welcomes Villanova head coach Jay Wright, St. John’s sophomore guard Julian Champagnie and college basketball analyst Steve Lappas.

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The TWITBE BIG EAST Spotlight shines on Champagnie (6:52) this week as the Red Storm sophomore gives insight into St. John’s resurgence and NCAA tournament hopes. Champagnie averages a league-leading 19.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game this season. The BIG EAST Focus turns to Wright (22:46), who again has his Wildcats at the top of the BIG EAST standings. This week, Villanova is 10th in the AP Poll. Wright discusses the challenges he has faced this season coaching amid the pandemic as well as how he thinks his team can evolve as VU heads toward March Madness. Lappas (32:23) gives the National Perspective from the overhead view of a CBS Sports Network analyst. Lappas, the former Villanova head coach, breaks down the NCAA Tournament contenders within the conference as well as other schools making moves as the calendar turns toward March.

The 2021 season of This Week in the BIG EAST (#TWITBE) is available for download on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Overcast, Castro, Castbox and Podfriend in addition to its Westwood One distribution. The show airs on three Sirius XM stations on Saturdays preceding the first BIG EAST contest of the day. This week, TWITBE will be carried on Sirius 136, XM 201, Online 964 at Noon ET, leading into the Connecticut at Villanova broadcast at 1 p.m.

In the “Blast from the Past” segment, TWITBE takes a dive into the 1995 BIG EAST matchup between Villanova and then-No. 1 UConn. Wildcat Kerry Kittles outbattled Husky Ray Allen to take down top-ranked Huskies. Guest Lappas was head coach of Villanova at the time.

The returning hosts for This Week In The BIG EAST (#TWITBE) are John Rooke, a longtime BIG EAST play-by-play voice, and Kevin McNamara, BIG EAST reporter, columnist and author. Rooke and McNamara give a comprehensive look at the teams, coaches, players and storied tradition of the top basketball conference in America in each episode.

The episode’s “Who’s Hot” segment features audio clips from some recent big performances around the league and a recap of the league’s weekly honors. “Who’s Got Next?” takes a look at the upcoming schedule, highlighting the big matchups.

To join the conversation and send questions to Rooke (@JRbroadcaster) and McNamara (@KevinMcNamara33), use #TWITBE on Twitter. Fans may submit questions to be featured on the show.

Please subscribe, rate and review to keep #TWITBE top of the podcast charts.

This Week In The BIG EAST Radio Show, distributed by Westwood One, begins its 10th season with guests Seton Hall senior guard Kadary Richmond, Villanova head coach Kyle Neptune and FOX Sports National NCAA Basketball Color Analyst Donny Marshall.

The returning hosts for This Week In The BIG EAST (#TWITBE) are John Rooke, a longtime BIG EAST play-by-play voice, and Kevin McNamara, BIG EAST radio host, columnist and author. Rooke and McNamara give a comprehensive look at the teams, coaches, players and storied tradition of the top basketball conference in America in each episode.

Two weeks into the New Year, the first episode of TWITBE takes a look at the jumpstart of conference play, while taking a look at the landscape of BIG EAST Basketball, including a look back on UConn’s national championship run in 2023.

The BIG EAST Spotlight is on Seton Hall guard Kadary Richmond, who discusses the role the transfer portal has played in the landscape of college basketball over the past couple seasons. Transferring from Syracuse, Richmond discusses his first year in the BIG EAST and what it’s been like to help lead Seton Hall to a red-hot start. At 4-1 and tied for first in league play, The Hall has defeated a trio of top-25 teams and are riding a three-game winning streak into Saturday’s road contest against Butler. The reigning BIG EAST Player of the Week leads the Pirates in scoring with 15.9 points per game, while also averaging 6.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.

The BIG EAST Focus shines on Villanova head coach Kyle Neptune. Back at the helm for the Wildcats, Neptune has Villanova (10-5, 3-1 BIG EAST) once again in the national spotlight. The Wildcats have shown balance, defensive prowess, athleticism and experience under Neptune’s leadership. Neptune takes the time to discuss the team’s current mindset, as well as the future with the impact the transfer portal has had on recruiting.

FOX Sports Basketball Color Analyst Donny Marshall gives a view on the national perspective. A four-year standout at UConn (1991-95) Marshall touches on the outstanding performances thus far by Seton Hall, St. John’s and Villanova, as well as what he views as the biggest surprises at the start of conference play.

The episode’s “Who’s Hot” segment features the return of “Blast from the Past”, rewinding the tape to 1987, reliving Providence’s Cinderella run to the Final Four under its former head coach and current St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino. “Who’s Got Next?” takes a look at the upcoming schedule, highlighting the big matchups.

To join the conversation and send questions to Rooke (@JRbroadcaster) and McNamara (@KevinMcNamara33), use #TWITBE on Twitter. Fans may submit questions to be featured on the show.

Please subscribe, rate and review to keep #TWITBE top of the podcast charts.

This will air Saturday, Jan. 13 at 1 p.m. ET on Sirius 161 XM 203 Online 966 leading into the UConn women’s basketball broadcast of No. 13 Connecticut @ St. John’s.