College basketball is back, and so is Big East Energy Weekly. Mark Zanetto and Casey Matthews open the 2026-27 season with a full lap around the league: Bryan Hodgson bringing a new identity to Providence, Alan Huss taking over Creighton, Ronald Nored at Butler, and why Shaka Smart and Marquette belong in the Big East title conversation.
 
Plus: what Donnie Freeman's Achilles injury means for Rick Pitino and St. John's, how Dan Hurley keeps building UConn on loyalty and the right portal pieces, and whether this is a make-or-break year for Ed Cooley at Georgetown. The guys close with the Big Ten and SEC's new rule on players who signed pro contracts, why the Big East hasn't followed, and a prediction that the league gets back to six or seven NCAA Tournament bids.
 
Big East Energy Weekly is powered by MyBookie.ag. New customers get up to $1,000 in bonus bets with promo code BBE100. Must be of legal age. Please bet responsibly.
 
Subscribe to the Big East Energy Network on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts for Big East basketball all season. Who wins the Big East this year? Tell us in the comments.
 
0:00 College basketball is back
2:00 Why the sport isn't dying
5:30 Bryan Hodgson and Providence's new identity
9:10 Alan Huss takes over Creighton
11:00 Ronald Nored and Butler
12:30 Marquette is a Big East title contender
14:30 Loyalty and recruiting high school players
16:30 St. John's, Pitino, and the Donnie Freeman injury
20:30 UConn's roster and the Hurley formula
26:45 Make-or-break year for Ed Cooley
31:30 Big Ten and SEC pro contract rule
35:20 "Was that wrong?"
38:00 Big East bid prediction and sign-off
 
#BigEast #CollegeBasketball #UConn #StJohns #Marquette #Creighton #Providence #Georgetown #DanHurley #RickPitino #BigEastBasketball #BigEastEnergy
 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

College basketball is back, and so is Big East Energy Weekly. Mark Zanetto and Casey Matthews open the 2026-27 season with a full lap around the league: Bryan Hodgson bringing a new identity to Providence, Alan Huss taking over Creighton, Ronald Nored at Butler, and why Shaka Smart and Marquette belong in the Big East title conversation. Plus: what Donnie Freeman's Achilles injury means for Rick Pitino and St. John's, how Dan Hurley keeps building UConn on loyalty and the right portal pieces, and whether this is a make-or-break year for Ed Cooley at Georgetown. The guys close with the Big Ten and SEC's new rule on players who signed pro contracts, why the Big East hasn't followed, and a prediction that the league gets back to six or seven NCAA Tournament bids. Big East Energy Weekly is powered by MyBookie.ag. New customers get up to $1,000 in bonus bets with promo code BBE100. Must be of legal age. Please bet responsibly. Subscribe to the Big East Energy Network on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts for Big East basketball all season. Who wins the Big East this year? Tell us in the comments. 0:00 College basketball is back 2:00 Why the sport isn't dying 5:30 Bryan Hodgson and Providence's new identity 9:10 Alan Huss takes over Creighton 11:00 Ronald Nored and Butler 12:30 Marquette is a Big East title contender 14:30 Loyalty and recruiting high school players 16:30 St. John's, Pitino, and the Donnie Freeman injury 20:30 UConn's roster and the Hurley formula 26:45 Make-or-break year for Ed Cooley 31:30 Big Ten and SEC pro contract rule 35:20 "Was that wrong?" 38:00 Big East bid prediction and sign-off #BigEast #CollegeBasketball #UConn #StJohns #Marquette #Creighton #Providence #Georgetown #DanHurley #RickPitino #BigEastBasketball #BigEastEnergy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

College basketball is back, and so is Big East Energy Weekly. Mark Zanetto and Casey Matthews open the 2026-27 season with a full lap around the league: Bryan Hodgson bringing a new identity to Providence, Alan Huss taking over Creighton, Ronald Nored at Butler, and why Shaka Smart and Marquette belong in the Big East title conversation.
 
Plus: what Donnie Freeman's Achilles injury means for Rick Pitino and St. John's, how Dan Hurley keeps building UConn on loyalty and the right portal pieces, and whether this is a make-or-break year for Ed Cooley at Georgetown. The guys close with the Big Ten and SEC's new rule on players who signed pro contracts, why the Big East hasn't followed, and a prediction that the league gets back to six or seven NCAA Tournament bids.
 
Big East Energy Weekly is powered by MyBookie.ag. New customers get up to $1,000 in bonus bets with promo code BBE100. Must be of legal age. Please bet responsibly.
 
Subscribe to the Big East Energy Network on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts for Big East basketball all season. Who wins the Big East this year? Tell us in the comments.
 
0:00 College basketball is back
2:00 Why the sport isn't dying
5:30 Bryan Hodgson and Providence's new identity
9:10 Alan Huss takes over Creighton
11:00 Ronald Nored and Butler
12:30 Marquette is a Big East title contender
14:30 Loyalty and recruiting high school players
16:30 St. John's, Pitino, and the Donnie Freeman injury
20:30 UConn's roster and the Hurley formula
26:45 Make-or-break year for Ed Cooley
31:30 Big Ten and SEC pro contract rule
35:20 "Was that wrong?"
38:00 Big East bid prediction and sign-off
 
#BigEast #CollegeBasketball #UConn #StJohns #Marquette #Creighton #Providence #Georgetown #DanHurley #RickPitino #BigEastBasketball #BigEastEnergy
 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Big East Basketball Is BACK: UConn, St. John's, Marquette & Ed Cooley's Make-or-Break Year

Did the Big East coaches get it right? 🏀 Big East Media Day 2026 is in the books and Mark Zanetto breaks down the 2026-27 Big East preseason coaches' poll, preseason awards and the eligibility chaos hanging over the league with two guys who were in the room: Matt Janus of Holy Nova and basketball insider Adam Zagoria of ZAGSBLOG, NJ.com and The New York Times.
 
UConn is picked first with eight first-place votes, St. John's is second and Villanova is third. New commissioner Tim Brosnan says he expects six Big East teams in the NCAA Tournament. Kevin Willard says Villanova is not recruiting a single high school player. And Rick Pitino, Richard Pitino, Shaka Smart and Dan Hurley all weighed in on the NCAA's five-for-five eligibility rule and the court rulings that could reshape rosters before opening night.
 
IN THIS EPISODE
- 2026-27 Big East preseason poll reaction: UConn, St. John's, Villanova, Marquette
- Is the Big East a six or seven bid league again?
- NIL, revenue sharing and which Big East programs are spending smart
- Tyler Perkins, the Josh Hart comparison and the Player of the Year race
- Silas Demary Jr. as Preseason Big East Player of the Year: right call?
- Villanova vs. Notre Dame in Rome and the Pope
- Kevin Willard's "no high school recruits" bombshell
- Five-for-five rule, G League eligibility cases and TROs at St. John's and Georgetown
- Dan Hurley as the league's elder statesman and Shaka Smart's reset at Marquette
- Seton Hall, DePaul, Georgetown and Butler: who's too high and who's too low
- Predictions: who wins the Big East and how many bids
 
CHAPTERS
0:00 Did the coaches get it right?
0:30 Welcome to Big East Energy Weekly
1:10 MyBookie: $1,000 in bonus bets
1:40 Matt Janus joins: preseason poll reaction
3:25 NIL money and getting ROI on your roster
6:35 Tyler Perkins and the Josh Hart comparison
8:15 Silas Demary Jr. and the Player of the Year debate
10:15 Villanova in Rome: will the Pope bless the Wildcats?
12:20 Kevin Willard: "We aren't recruiting high schoolers"
15:10 Eligibility limbo: are coaches setting up excuses?
20:00 Dan Hurley, elder statesman of the Big East
21:45 Which coach won media day? Shaka Smart's evolution
26:10 Matt's picks: league winner and NCAA Tournament bids
31:25 Adam Zagoria joins: the vibe in the room
33:45 G League players, TROs and who's eligible
36:10 Demary, Braylon Mullins and Na'jai Hines to UConn
37:40 Too high, too low: Marquette, Seton Hall, DePaul, Georgetown
39:20 Adam's picks: who wins the Big East
40:35 Closing thoughts and the new Big East Energy theme song
 
💰 SPONSOR: MyBookie.ag. New customers get up to $1,000 in bonus bets with promo code BBE100. Must be of legal age. Please bet responsibly.
 
🔔 SUBSCRIBE to the Big East Energy Network for daily Big East basketball coverage all season.
🌐 BigEastEnergyNetwork.com
🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music
 
GUESTS
Matt Janus: three-time Delaware Broadcaster of the Year, lead host of Holy Nova on the Big East Energy Network
Adam Zagoria: founder of ZAGSBLOG, NJ.com, contributor to The New York Times
 
💬 Drop your Big East order of finish in the comments.
 
#BigEast #UConn #Villanova #StJohns #BigEastBasketball #CollegeBasketball #BigEastMediaDay #DanHurley #RickPitino #KevinWillard #Marquette #SetonHall #NIL #MarchMadness #CollegeHoops Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Did the Big East coaches get it right? 🏀 Big East Media Day 2026 is in the books and Mark Zanetto breaks down the 2026-27 Big East preseason coaches' poll, preseason awards and the eligibility chaos hanging over the league with two guys who were in the room: Matt Janus of Holy Nova and basketball insider Adam Zagoria of ZAGSBLOG, NJ.com and The New York Times. UConn is picked first with eight first-place votes, St. John's is second and Villanova is third. New commissioner Tim Brosnan says he expects six Big East teams in the NCAA Tournament. Kevin Willard says Villanova is not recruiting a single high school player. And Rick Pitino, Richard Pitino, Shaka Smart and Dan Hurley all weighed in on the NCAA's five-for-five eligibility rule and the court rulings that could reshape rosters before opening night. IN THIS EPISODE - 2026-27 Big East preseason poll reaction: UConn, St. John's, Villanova, Marquette - Is the Big East a six or seven bid league again? - NIL, revenue sharing and which Big East programs are spending smart - Tyler Perkins, the Josh Hart comparison and the Player of the Year race - Silas Demary Jr. as Preseason Big East Player of the Year: right call? - Villanova vs. Notre Dame in Rome and the Pope - Kevin Willard's "no high school recruits" bombshell - Five-for-five rule, G League eligibility cases and TROs at St. John's and Georgetown - Dan Hurley as the league's elder statesman and Shaka Smart's reset at Marquette - Seton Hall, DePaul, Georgetown and Butler: who's too high and who's too low - Predictions: who wins the Big East and how many bids CHAPTERS 0:00 Did the coaches get it right? 0:30 Welcome to Big East Energy Weekly 1:10 MyBookie: $1,000 in bonus bets 1:40 Matt Janus joins: preseason poll reaction 3:25 NIL money and getting ROI on your roster 6:35 Tyler Perkins and the Josh Hart comparison 8:15 Silas Demary Jr. and the Player of the Year debate 10:15 Villanova in Rome: will the Pope bless the Wildcats? 12:20 Kevin Willard: "We aren't recruiting high schoolers" 15:10 Eligibility limbo: are coaches setting up excuses? 20:00 Dan Hurley, elder statesman of the Big East 21:45 Which coach won media day? Shaka Smart's evolution 26:10 Matt's picks: league winner and NCAA Tournament bids 31:25 Adam Zagoria joins: the vibe in the room 33:45 G League players, TROs and who's eligible 36:10 Demary, Braylon Mullins and Na'jai Hines to UConn 37:40 Too high, too low: Marquette, Seton Hall, DePaul, Georgetown 39:20 Adam's picks: who wins the Big East 40:35 Closing thoughts and the new Big East Energy theme song 💰 SPONSOR: MyBookie.ag. New customers get up to $1,000 in bonus bets with promo code BBE100. Must be of legal age. Please bet responsibly. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to the Big East Energy Network for daily Big East basketball coverage all season. 🌐 BigEastEnergyNetwork.com 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music GUESTS Matt Janus: three-time Delaware Broadcaster of the Year, lead host of Holy Nova on the Big East Energy Network Adam Zagoria: founder of ZAGSBLOG, NJ.com, contributor to The New York Times 💬 Drop your Big East order of finish in the comments. #BigEast #UConn #Villanova #StJohns #BigEastBasketball #CollegeBasketball #BigEastMediaDay #DanHurley #RickPitino #KevinWillard #Marquette #SetonHall #NIL #MarchMadness #CollegeHoops Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did the Big East coaches get it right? 🏀 Big East Media Day 2026 is in the books and Mark Zanetto breaks down the 2026-27 Big East preseason coaches' poll, preseason awards and the eligibility chaos hanging over the league with two guys who were in the room: Matt Janus of Holy Nova and basketball insider Adam Zagoria of ZAGSBLOG, NJ.com and The New York Times.
 
UConn is picked first with eight first-place votes, St. John's is second and Villanova is third. New commissioner Tim Brosnan says he expects six Big East teams in the NCAA Tournament. Kevin Willard says Villanova is not recruiting a single high school player. And Rick Pitino, Richard Pitino, Shaka Smart and Dan Hurley all weighed in on the NCAA's five-for-five eligibility rule and the court rulings that could reshape rosters before opening night.
 
IN THIS EPISODE
- 2026-27 Big East preseason poll reaction: UConn, St. John's, Villanova, Marquette
- Is the Big East a six or seven bid league again?
- NIL, revenue sharing and which Big East programs are spending smart
- Tyler Perkins, the Josh Hart comparison and the Player of the Year race
- Silas Demary Jr. as Preseason Big East Player of the Year: right call?
- Villanova vs. Notre Dame in Rome and the Pope
- Kevin Willard's "no high school recruits" bombshell
- Five-for-five rule, G League eligibility cases and TROs at St. John's and Georgetown
- Dan Hurley as the league's elder statesman and Shaka Smart's reset at Marquette
- Seton Hall, DePaul, Georgetown and Butler: who's too high and who's too low
- Predictions: who wins the Big East and how many bids
 
CHAPTERS
0:00 Did the coaches get it right?
0:30 Welcome to Big East Energy Weekly
1:10 MyBookie: $1,000 in bonus bets
1:40 Matt Janus joins: preseason poll reaction
3:25 NIL money and getting ROI on your roster
6:35 Tyler Perkins and the Josh Hart comparison
8:15 Silas Demary Jr. and the Player of the Year debate
10:15 Villanova in Rome: will the Pope bless the Wildcats?
12:20 Kevin Willard: "We aren't recruiting high schoolers"
15:10 Eligibility limbo: are coaches setting up excuses?
20:00 Dan Hurley, elder statesman of the Big East
21:45 Which coach won media day? Shaka Smart's evolution
26:10 Matt's picks: league winner and NCAA Tournament bids
31:25 Adam Zagoria joins: the vibe in the room
33:45 G League players, TROs and who's eligible
36:10 Demary, Braylon Mullins and Na'jai Hines to UConn
37:40 Too high, too low: Marquette, Seton Hall, DePaul, Georgetown
39:20 Adam's picks: who wins the Big East
40:35 Closing thoughts and the new Big East Energy theme song
 
💰 SPONSOR: MyBookie.ag. New customers get up to $1,000 in bonus bets with promo code BBE100. Must be of legal age. Please bet responsibly.
 
🔔 SUBSCRIBE to the Big East Energy Network for daily Big East basketball coverage all season.
🌐 BigEastEnergyNetwork.com
🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music
 
GUESTS
Matt Janus: three-time Delaware Broadcaster of the Year, lead host of Holy Nova on the Big East Energy Network
Adam Zagoria: founder of ZAGSBLOG, NJ.com, contributor to The New York Times
 
💬 Drop your Big East order of finish in the comments.
 
#BigEast #UConn #Villanova #StJohns #BigEastBasketball #CollegeBasketball #BigEastMediaDay #DanHurley #RickPitino #KevinWillard #Marquette #SetonHall #NIL #MarchMadness #CollegeHoops Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Did the Big East Coaches Get It Right? | 2026-27 Preseason Breakdown

🎧 Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…@https://youtube.com/@bigeastenergy?si=k3X1YYA75jS8obbX  📢 Follow US on Socials!• Instagram: @BigEastEnergy @TheHoopsCap• Twitter/X: @BigEastEnergy @THeHoopsCap  Welcome to The Hoops Cap — the only daily podcast covering UConn men’s and women’s basketball. In today’s episode, we break down the latest UConn transfer portal buzz, react to Dan Hurley’s raw and revealing media availability, and rank the top 5 players of the Hurley era. Plus, we preview the Sweet 16 and what’s ahead for the Huskies. Available on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. Part of the Big East Energy Podcast Collective — where passion meets precision.
 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

🎧 Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… @https://youtube.com/@bigeastenergy?si=k3X1YYA75jS8obbX 📢 Follow US on Socials! • Instagram: @BigEastEnergy @TheHoopsCap • Twitter/X: @BigEastEnergy @THeHoopsCap Welcome to The Hoops Cap — the only daily podcast covering UConn men’s and women’s basketball. In today’s episode, we break down the latest UConn transfer portal buzz, react to Dan Hurley’s raw and revealing media availability, and rank the top 5 players of the Hurley era. Plus, we preview the Sweet 16 and what’s ahead for the Huskies. Available on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. Part of the Big East Energy Podcast Collective — where passion meets precision. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎧 Follow &amp; Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…@https://youtube.com/@bigeastenergy?si=k3X1YYA75jS8obbX&nbsp;&nbsp;📢 Follow US on Socials!• Instagram: @BigEastEnergy @TheHoopsCap• Twitter/X: @BigEastEnergy @THeHoopsCap&nbsp;&nbsp;Welcome to The Hoops Cap — the only daily podcast covering UConn men’s and women’s basketball. In today’s episode, we break down the latest UConn transfer portal buzz, react to Dan Hurley’s raw and revealing media availability, and rank the top 5 players of the Hurley era. Plus, we preview the Sweet 16 and what’s ahead for the Huskies. Available on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. Part of the Big East Energy Podcast Collective — where passion meets precision.
 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

DEVELOPING: Inside UConn’s Portal Plans & Hurley’s Raw Reaction to Season’s End

Welcome to Big East Energy, your new go-to show for everything Big East basketball — unfiltered, fiery, and fearless. In our debut episode, we dive headfirst into a whirlwind of March Madness disappointment, shocking coaching moves, and transfer portal chaos. 🚨 Topics this week:• What went wrong in the NCAA Tournament for the Big East?• Is Kevin Willard eyeing the Villanova job?• Richard Pitino arrives in the Big East — bold move or bad fit?• Dan Hurley under fire: overblown controversy or real concerns?• The TRANSFER PORTAL IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS — who’s leaving, who’s coming, and what it means for the league. From locker room whispers to front-office shakeups, we’re bringing heat, context, and insider buzz you won’t get anywhere else. 🔥 Subscribe and turn on notifications — Big East basketball just got louder. #BigEast #NCAATournament #DanHurley #RichardPitino #TransferPortal #CollegeBasketball #Villanova #KevinWillard #MarchMadness #BigEastEnergy
 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Welcome to Big East Energy, your new go-to show for everything Big East basketball — unfiltered, fiery, and fearless. In our debut episode, we dive headfirst into a whirlwind of March Madness disappointment, shocking coaching moves, and transfer portal chaos. 🚨 Topics this week: • What went wrong in the NCAA Tournament for the Big East? • Is Kevin Willard eyeing the Villanova job? • Richard Pitino arrives in the Big East — bold move or bad fit? • Dan Hurley under fire: overblown controversy or real concerns? • The TRANSFER PORTAL IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS — who’s leaving, who’s coming, and what it means for the league. From locker room whispers to front-office shakeups, we’re bringing heat, context, and insider buzz you won’t get anywhere else. 🔥 Subscribe and turn on notifications — Big East basketball just got louder. #BigEast #NCAATournament #DanHurley #RichardPitino #TransferPortal #CollegeBasketball #Villanova #KevinWillard #MarchMadness #BigEastEnergy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Big East Energy, your new go-to show for everything Big East basketball — unfiltered, fiery, and fearless. In our debut episode, we dive headfirst into a whirlwind of March Madness disappointment, shocking coaching moves, and transfer portal chaos.&nbsp;🚨 Topics this week:• What went wrong in the NCAA Tournament for the Big East?• Is Kevin Willard eyeing the Villanova job?• Richard Pitino arrives in the Big East — bold move or bad fit?• Dan Hurley under fire: overblown controversy or real concerns?• The TRANSFER PORTAL IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS — who’s leaving, who’s coming, and what it means for the league.&nbsp;From locker room whispers to front-office shakeups, we’re bringing heat, context, and insider buzz you won’t get anywhere else.&nbsp;🔥 Subscribe and turn on notifications — Big East basketball just got louder.&nbsp;#BigEast #NCAATournament #DanHurley #RichardPitino #TransferPortal #CollegeBasketball #Villanova #KevinWillard #MarchMadness #BigEastEnergy
 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

BREAKING: BIG EAST ON FIRE, The PITINOS, Hurley, Portal Drama and Kevin Willard to Nova...

Join Co-Host's Mark Zanetto and Casey Matthews for Big East Energy Weekly, On the Big East Energy Network! It's your all-access pass to everything Big East basketball and beyond. Hosted by passionate hoops heads who live and breathe the conference, this podcast delivers sharp analysis, hot takes, player interviews, and plenty of banter about the teams, rivalries, and moments that define Big East hoops. Whether you’re a diehard fan or just here for the madness, get your fix of weekly recaps, previews, and bold predictions—because in the Big East, the energy never stops.

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