Inside College Basketball Now

When the stakes were highest, UConn and Duke delivered one of the greatest endings in NCAA Tournament history, and now, Duke has to sit in it.
On this episode of Inside College Basketball Now, Jon Rothstein breaks down the instant classic finish, what it means for both programs, and why this moment will stick with Duke moving forward.
Plus, Illinois, Arizona, and Michigan punch their tickets to the Final Four, including a dominant run from Michigan and a scorching stretch from Arizona’s Brayden Burries. Rothstein also catches you up on the latest movement in the coaching carousel, including a major contract update for Rick Pitino at St. John’s.
And of course, Rothstein delivers his signature Three Good Nuggets:

If you love college basketball, this is where you tap in.

On the Draymond Green Show, no topic is off limits. In this episode Draymond welcomes Skip Bayless to discuss Michael Jordan, Stephen A Smith, LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and they debate whether or not Draymond is really the dirtiest player of all time. 

3 Big Things are headlined by the news of Hubert Davis being out at North Carolina, before shifting into a full Sweet 16 preview across all four regions—East, South, West, and Midwest, as the path to the Final Four comes into focus. In “3 Good Nuggets,” the conversation highlights key angles to watch this weekend, including Joshua Jefferson’s injury status for Iowa State, Houston’s pseudo home-court advantage just minutes from campus, and the pressure on Arizona to break through under Tommy Lloyd. It all sets the stage for a loaded Sweet 16 slate with every game in the spotlight.

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer joins Jon Rothstein to discuss his journey leading the Blue Devils into the NCAA Tournament, reflecting on his first Duke tournament memory and the surreal experience of coaching against Rick Pitino. Scheyer breaks down his transition from player to head coach, the resilience of his team as a 1-seed, and the importance of enjoying the moment during March. He provides updates on key players like Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngonbga, shares thoughts on Cayden and Cam Boozer, and previews Duke’s matchup with St. John’s, including the challenge of their frontcourt and the keys to advancing in the East Region.

Jon Rothstein chats with Sean Miller to discuss Texas’ run into the NCAA Tournament, reflecting on the past 12 days, what changed after the SEC Tournament, and the pressure of Selection Sunday. Miller shares insight into navigating travel and road environments, embracing the moment, and the unique intensity of March. He breaks down Texas’ defensive improvements, his mindset around a potential Final Four run, and previews the matchup with Purdue, including the challenge of Braden Smith and the impact of Dailyn Swain. Miller also touches on the grind of SEC play, his toughest wins and losses, and the keys Texas needs to advance.

Jon Rothstein recaps the first week of the NCAA Tournament, breaking down each region, from Duke surviving a scare in the East and St. John’s reaching its first Sweet 16 since 1999, to Iowa stunning defending champion Florida and Nebraska’s dream season continuing in the South. The West sees Purdue take care of business and Texas flip its season, while the Midwest features Michigan and Alabama looking like contenders and Iowa State continuing to battle. The show then shifts to a full Sweet 16 preview before hearing from Duke head coach Jon Scheyer and Texas head coach Sean Miller. Rothstein also runs through the latest coaching carousel news across the country and wraps with key nuggets, including the ACC’s struggles, Purdue’s tournament-tested core, and Kentucky’s issues without a true point guard.

Jon Rothstein breaks down the First Four matchup between NC State and Texas before breaking down the matchup between SMU and Miami, breaks down his national title contenders and gets into what makes Texas Tech and UNC so heartbreaking.

(0:00) Intro

(2:00) First Four - Texas/NC State recap, SMU/Miami (OH) Preview

(9:38) How many teams can win a national title?

(16:49) My heart breaks for Texas Tech & North Carolina

(20:10) Job market continues to turn in CBB

(24:00) Chat Questions

(27:25) News & Notes

(28:02) Games to Watch

Jon Rothstein breaks down the bracket.

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Jon Rothstein breaks down his bracket.

Syracuse coaching legend Jim Boeheim joins Jon Rothstein to talk about some of the most unforgettable moments of his career, including Syracuse's 6OT win in the Big East tournament in 2009 being one he'll never forget. He also takes inventory of the ACC tournament, including Cayden Boozer stepping into the starting lineup for Duke, and who some other teams are that could make the Final Four.

They finish by discussing Syracuse's head coaching opening, and what makes this "the most important thing he ever does in his life" when it comes to the new athletic director hiring the team's next head coach.