SoCon Fast Break

The 2026 Ingles SoCon Fast Break Summer Tour rolls into Greensboro! UNCG Head Coach Jerod Haase and transfer guard RJ Greer sit down to discuss the Spartans' blueprint for the 2026 season.

Coach Haase holds nothing back—from the deep self-reflection that led him back to the sidelines after two years away to his "old school" refusal to let college hoops become purely transactional. Plus, RJ Greer opens up about making his commitment from a golf course, growing up as a coach's son in France, and the high-IQ family legacy he's bringing to the Southern Conference.

In This Episode:

• The Two-Year Reflection: Coach Haase on overcoming his initial apprehension about returning to a radically changed college basketball landscape.
• "Give, Grit, and Gratitude": Breaking down the three core cultural pillars built uniquely for this UNCG squad.
• RJ Greer on Family Legacy: Growing up as a baseline flag-kid in France, battling his dad in middle school hoops, and playing for an "Audience of One".
• The Floor Burns Backstory: How a Kansas business major self-published a senior-season diary and went on to sell 40,000 copies across the state.
• Human Intelligence vs. Analytics: Marrying advanced data with old-school gut instinct to scout the transfer portal.
• Roster Breakdown: Highlighting local floor-general Dionte Neal’s historic passing and the tactical spacing built around him.

Presented by Ingles Markets

The 2026 Ingles Fast Break Summer Tour rolls into Lexington! VMI Head Coach Andrew Wilson and senior guard TJ Johnson discuss the Keydets' plan for the 2026 season.

Coach Wilson holds nothing back — from the brutal reality of navigating last season's devastating injury wave to how he handled an emotional, late-night phone call involving the SEC. Plus, TJ Johnson opens up about the unique demands of cadet life, his deep-rooted faith, and why he chose to remain loyal to Coach Wilson's culture rather than walk away in the transfer portal.

In This Episode:

• Andrew Wilson's late-night portal shocker: The 11:45 PM phone call from an SEC head coach
• "We run toward hard" — Breaking down VMI’s unique military landscape and the "Rat Line" culture
• TJ Johnson on cadet life: Box springs, "Hay Downs," mandatory boxing, and performing under pressure
• Roster breakdown — Retaining all-conference stars, an international recruiting haul, and five-hour coaching whirlwind memories
• Learning from legends — How mentors Bobby Cremins and Leonard Hamilton shaped Coach Wilson's bench philosophy

Presented by Ingles Markets

The 2026 Ingles Fast Break Summer Tour kicks off in Johnson City! ETSU Head Coach Brooks Savage and senior guard Maki Johnson discuss the Bucs' plan for the 2026 season.

Coach Savage holds nothing back — from his brutal offseason self-critique to the "Illusion of Choice" mentality borrowed from Nick Saban. Plus, Maki Johnson opens up about his maturation, his faith, and why he's all-in on carrying Coach Savage's culture to the new roster.

In This Episode:

• Brooks Savage's offseason self-critique: "I felt like I failed"
• The Nick Saban "Illusion of Choice" philosophy and how it shapes ETSU's culture
• Maki Johnson on his growth, faith, and leadership role as a senior
• Roster breakdown — portal additions, depth, and team culture
• The emotional toll of ETSU's Asheville tournament run and what's next

Presented by Ingles Markets

The NCAA is on the precipice of expanding the tournament to 76 teams. Is this a win for "access," or a defeatist move that waters down the greatest event in sports?.

Richmond and Darren are joined by bracketologist Rocco Miller (Bracketeer.org/Field of 68) to peel back the curtain on the business and basketball implications of the 76-team proposal.

In This Episode:

• The 76-Team Math: Why automatic qualifiers and mid-majors might be the biggest losers in the new format.
• The Commissioner’s Statement: Breaking down Dr. Michael Cross’s controversial support for expansion.
• Financial Units: How the "slices of the pie" change when you add more games.
• The Transfer Portal Chaos: Why the current April 7th opening is "gutting" rosters and why we need a week of breathing room.

Presented by Ingles Markets

Richmond and Darren dive into the "transfer portal chaos" currently reshaping the Southern Conference. With the portal officially closed, the league is grappling with a staggering 78 players entering the transfer market, including all 12 players from the All-SoCon first, second, and third teams who still had eligibility.

In This Episode:

• The High-Major Jump: Analysis of Alex Wilkins’ move to Kentucky, Cooper Bowser’s fit at Arkansas, and Dylan Faulkner joining the Clemson Tigers.
• Eligibility Shakeup: What Charlie Baker’s proposed 5-year eligibility rule and the elimination of redshirts could mean for the future of the game.
• Major Wins in Lexington: Why TJ Johnson and Ricky Bradley Jr. returning to VMI is the biggest "Season of Hope" story in the conference.
• The Legacy Choice: Why some players, like Baraka Okojie, are navigating the portal and what "grass isn't always greener" looks like in 2026.

Presented by Ingles Markets

The NCAA Tournament is often called the "perfect" sports event, but is the push for expansion about to break what makes March magical? In this Insider Edition, we're joined by Vince Wolfram of The Field of 68 and The College Sports Company to go deep into the "steam" picking up behind tournament expansion.

In This Episode:

• The Expansion Debate: Exploring whether moving beyond 68 teams is inevitable and if it truly offers more "access" or just more "play-in" hurdles for mid-majors.
• The SoCon 2-Bid Dream: Why the current metric system makes it nearly impossible for the Southern Conference to earn multiple bids without expansion.
• The Business of "Units": A breakdown of the roughly $2 million payout per unit and why some conferences are strategizing for the "opening round" just to secure the bag.
• Eye Test vs. Analytics: A look at teams like Miami (OH) that won 31 straight games but were still forced into a play-in scenario.
• The "Play-In" Narrative: Discussing why the "half-priced games" in Dayton shouldn't be viewed as the "Dollar Tree" version of the tournament.
• Storytelling in March: How national media brings the stories of mid-major stars to life and why those narratives are the heartbeat of the tournament.

Presented by Ingles Markets

The transfer portal has officially entered a state of chaos. Richmond and Darren Angell break down the "boots on the ground" reality from the Final Four and the NABC convention in Indy.

With 69 players from the Southern Conference already in the portal, the league is facing a total roster reset. We dive into the staggering new market rates for talent—where point guards are reportedly commanding $3M to $4M—and discuss the widening talent gap that threatens the future of the Mid-majors.

In This Episode:

• The Price of Admission: Why it now takes a $14M–$16M commitment to assemble a national championship-caliber roster.
• The SoCon Roster Exodus: Analyzing the 69 players leaving the league and what it means for program culture.
• The Great Debate: Is the Southern Conference’s intra-conference transfer rule an archaic barrier or a necessary tool for competitive balance?.
• Transactional vs. Transformational: How coaches are navigating "renting" players for a single year versus building lifelong mentorships.
• Recruiting Over: The harsh reality of roster management and why "resetting" a roster is easier now than ever before.

Presented by Ingles Markets

Richmond and Darren put a bow on the 2025-26 Southern Conference basketball season. From Furman’s run as a 6-seed in Asheville to the shocking coaching changes at UNCG, we analyze why the SoCon remains one of the most talented leagues in the country—regardless of what the national metrics say.

In This Episode:

• The Seeding Struggle: Why the conference’s lowest KenPom ranking since 2015 doesn't reflect the actual talent on the floor.
• The "Reset": How a week off helped Bob Richey's Paladins reboot for a championship run and a competitive showing against UConn.
• Transfer Portal Be Damned: A deep dive into an elite freshman class, headlined by Alex Wilkins, that proved high school recruiting is still alive and well in the SoCon.
• National Stat Leaders: Breaking down how Jadin Booth, Baraka Okojie, and Justin Neely topped the national charts in major categories.
• Coaching Carousel: Reaction to the "shocking" news out of UNCG regarding Mike Jones and the arrival of Jerod Haase.
• The New Member: Welcoming Tobin Anderson and Tennessee Tech to the league for the upcoming season.

Presented by Ingles Markets

A 15-seed bid for an upset fell just short, but Furman made the Southern Conference proud in a physical battle against the Huskies. Richmond and Darren break down the key runs and the standout performers from a wild night in Philly.

In This Episode:

1. First Half Resilience: How Furman weathered a 6-0 UConn start.
2. Tarris Reed Jr.: The historic individual performance with 31 points and 27 rebounds
3. Alex Wilkins: Welcome to the big stage, young fella
4. The X-Factor: Why Alex Karaban was the stabilizer UConn needed.
5. The Closing Minute: A look at the late-game offensive rebounds that killed the momentum.

Presented by Ingles Markets

The heart and soul of the 2022-2023 "Better Together" squad. Mike Bothwell joins the show just hours before the Furman Paladins take on the UConn Huskies in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Mike doesn't hold back, revealing the "tough love" text messages he sent this year's team during their mid-season slump, his memories of scoring 18 straight points at Samford, and the emotional reality of watching JP Pegues' shot 500 times in the upset over Virginia.

• The "Tough Love" Texts: Why Mike told the current team he was turning off their games in the second half.
• Upsetting UConn: Mike breaks down why Furman's 6'11" bigs and "House Money" mentality are the ultimate equalizers.
• The Virginia Bench Speech: Mike reflects on fouling out and leading the team to an upset while sitting next to Bob Richey.
• Pro Life in Greece: The "no excuses" reality of international basketball and the transition to the professional ranks.
• Three Peas in a Pod: Mike’s future in media and his take on the Cavs' James Harden trade.

Presented by Ingles Markets