College Hoops Today With Jon Rothstein

South Carolina's Lamont Paris is making headlines leading the Gamecocks' to a 17-3 start in his second year as head coach. How his cool, calm and collected demeanor has lead to success in a power conference. Why experience and maturity have been key factors. Why he wants to keep a good balance of transfers and home grown talent to sustain program success. How program culture factors into winning basketball. The influence Bo Ryan has on his coaching philosophy and style. Previewing a tough matchup with Tennessee. And why staying the course and keeping a chip on their shoulder is paramount to a possible NCAA Tournament bid. Plus, we are starting to see separation at the top of the sport. Discussing an exciting slate of games this week. And is there a real possibility the ACC only gets two teams in the NCAA Tournament if Clemson does not finish strong?

Wisconsin's Greg Gard has the Badgers off to a 14-4 start and they are scoring in a variety of ways. What has been the "secret sauce"? Why he believes they can get even better if they tighten up the defense. How experience has been a big factor along with a deep and balanced bench. How a loss to Providence in mid-November has helped propel them to where they are today. Discussing his philosophy on using the portal versus bringing in high school talent to develop. What type of "guardrails" does he think the sport needs around transferring? Why hasn't the Big Ten performed better in the NCAA Tournament of late? Thoughts on the Big Ten becoming a national conference. And why it's always about health coming down the stretch. Plus, Kentucky continues to stand out. North Carolina on a heater. And Purdue's Zach Edey continues to put up video game type numbers... Is he a lock for back-to-back National Player of the Year honors?

Auburn's Bruce Pearl has the Tigers off to a tremendous 14-2 start but knows the next two weeks will tell him a lot about his team. How efficiency, defense, and rebounding have been the backbone of their success. With his team being so deep this year, how will he decide who plays in crunch time? Discussing how the transfer rules have become unclear and why it's a "flee not fight" mentality now. Coach is closing in on becoming the winningest head coach at Auburn... Does he think about that? Is getting to a Final Four the true measure of a successful season? And does he believe this team have the requisites to make a deep run in March? Plus, eight of last week's AP top 10 teams all lost to unranked opponents! Could we have a new number one? And freshman is starting to emerge for Kansas.

Kansas' Bill Self describes the Jayhawks' 13-1 start as "good, but not great". What must improve for them to make a deep run into March? He discusses his time away from the team last spring and how it has renewed his sense of gratefulness to coach. Why does Hunter Dickinson look so effortless on offense? Could Kevin McCullar be an All-American this year? The power of the Covid Senior and transfer portal... How it has changed the recruiting dynamic. How often does coach think about winning a third National Championship? Does he think UConn could repeat as National Champs? Why the Big-12 schedule is a "Monster". And why players relish tight games and big-time moments. Plus, Purdue is starting to separate itself from the field. UConn continues to win without Donovan Clingan. And why the SEC is intriguing to Jon. Don't miss this episode of College Hoops Today with Jon Rothstein!

BYU's Mark Pope has the Cougars off to an impressive 12-1 start as they are set to play in their first Big-12 Conference game this week. How's he feeling about entering the gauntlet that is Big-12 hoops? Just how have they gotten off to such a solid start? Why it's rewarding to build something and watch it grow. Why he loves his team's balanced scoring and how it provides security knowing they have plenty of options. The luxury of having your top scorer coming off the bench. And why coach believes the key to this season will be staying true to their style of play no matter how much adversity they face. Plus, Jon gives you the 411 on conference play starting this week!

Nebraska's Fred Hoiberg has the Huskers off to a 10-2 start and is handling business in the non-conference portion of their schedule. What are the biggest keys to sustaining this success? Why he loves the chemistry of this year's team. Can they make it back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014? How about the possibility of winning a NCAA Tournament game for the first time in school history? The confidence and swagger of Keisei Tominaga. The rebounding power of Juwan Gary. A Rienk Mast update. How Pinnacle Bank Arena has become a massive home court advantage. And why defense and rebounding are always the key. Plus, parity continues to reign supreme in the sport. And find out which non-power conference teams are threatening this season.

Oklahoma's Porter Moser has the Sooners off to a 10-0 start and ready for a primetime matchup with North Carolina. How was he able to re-tool the program so quickly? The importance of taking it one game at a time. Why you must continue to get better as the season progresses. Thoughts on joining the SEC next season. The biggest difference from being the head coach at Oklahoma versus at Loyola Chicago? And why selling development is so important in college athletics. Plus, Kentucky's Aaron Bradshaw is a game changer. Could Kansas have two first-team All-Americans? Michigan State makes a statement. And Big East conference play beings this week!

Ohio State's Chris Holtmann has the Buckeyes off to an 8-2 start and feels good about his group and the balance between transfers and home-grown talent. Is it hard for him to believe he's been the head coach at Ohio State for seven seasons now? Why winning road league games is tough! Their back-court evolution and why it might be one of the best in the country. Can Purdue be challenged in the Big Ten? Thoughts on the Big Ten becoming a cross country conference. How hard was it to not be in the NCAA Tournament last season? And why it's all about how you perform in March. Plus, parity rules again! Jon brings you his college hoops headlines!

Tennessee's Rick Barnes wants to see more discipline, toughness, and consistency from the Volunteers after their first seven games. Why he believes their grueling non-conference schedule will benefit them at the end of the season. Getting back to full strength will be a key moving forward. Why coach is not big on complacency. Why you must get better and getting better. How much longer does he see himself coaching? Why he loves the fans in Tennessee. Could he see himself doing something other than coaching? And do they have enough to get back to the Final Four? Plus, parity reigns supreme. No dominate team has emerged and that makes for a fun season!

Miami's Jim Larranaga likes the Hurricanes early season scoring but would like to see the rebounding and defense improve. His thoughts on Kentucky ahead of their big matchup Tuesday night. What did he learn about his team after the Baha Mar Tournament? The reality of getting every teams best shot and why coach looks forward to that. Wooga Poplar... has he exceeded expectations so far? And as the games start to get tougher, can they keep their mental and emotional poise? Plus, Jon's takeaways from Feast Week!

Arizona's Tommy Lloyd gives us his thoughts on the Wildcats' first five games. Is he surprised by how in sync they've been with so many new players? Discussing the big win at Duke. Why he loves the balance of this year's team. Finding balance with Love. Why he enjoys the challenge of the non-conference schedule. Previewing their matchup with Michigan State. And why you don't get bitter, you get better! Plus, Jon's giving thanks for the amazing spread of college basketball games this week! And is this the best Maui Invitational field ever?

Illinois' Brad Underwood and the Illini are gearing up and preparing for an early season test against Marquette. Coach breaks down this heavily anticipated matchup. He also discusses the importance of early season "buy" games and exhibitions. Terrence Shannon Jr is their go-to guy but who are the candidates to emerge as other primary scorers? His assessment of their point guard play. Why he likes his team depth. Thoughts on possibly going to a 20 + league game schedule. And what are the biggest keys for the Illini to have a successful season? Plus, week one is in the books! Arizona with a monumental win at Duke. Previewing the Gavitt Games and Champions Classic.

Virginia's Tony Bennett enters the season with a new look team and a ton of excitement. But how good will they be defensively and what goes into finding that identity? Was it harder to build Virginia up to a national championship contender or keep it among the nation's elite after winning it all in 2019? Breaking down his team - Who steps up as a returner and who makes the biggest impact out of the incoming players? How can the ACC get more teams into the NCAA tournament this season? How much separation is there really between conferences? And will taking the underdog approach be the key to a successful season? Plus, College Basketball games are finally here! Jon's four big questions heading into the season. Plus, the return of games to watch!

Purdue's Matt Painter is humbled by the Boilermakers back-to-back early NCAA tournament exits and has taken a deep dive into why that has happened. How has his team been so dominate in the regular season and not been able to find success in the NCAA Tournament? But why is a teams' success only measured by their NCAA Tournament performance? Is the NCAA not listening to the coaches? His thoughts on the current NCAA system. With the core nucleus in tack for this season the expectations are sky high... What is the biggest key to getting back to the tournament? Why he's thankful for an exhibition against Arkansas. How Zach Edey continues to learn and grow as a player. The hardest part about losing to Fairleigh Dickinson as the one seed in the NCAA Tournament? And has he figured out who will get frontcourt minutes with the plethora of talent on the team? Plus, only one week away from the start of the 2023-24 NCAA Basketball season! Why Jon's impressed by Tennessee. And can Ty Berry be the X-factor for Northwestern?

North Carolina's Hubert Davis enters his third season as the Tar Heels head coach and wants to bring their vintage pace back to the forefront. Will filling the court with multiple playmakers accomplish that? Why he loves this year's mix of veterans and incoming freshman... Armando Bacot and RJ Davis are back and there is major buzz around freshman Elliot Cadeau and his playmaking ability. But can they sure up their defense this season and become dominant again in the rebounding department? Discussing the necessity of blocking out the outside noise. Reflecting on last season and why they didn't get the results they wanted. And why it's all about teaching life lessons through basketball. Plus, only two weeks away from games starting up! Is Marquette the Big East Favorite? A dark horse Final Four contender lurking in the SEC? And find out who is shining in Tennessee, Alabama, and USC practices!

UConn's Dan Hurley is coming off a National Championship season and believes this year's team has tremendous potential to repeat. Why the development of the bench is of the upmost importance. Which freshman will be able to produce? A Donovan Clingan update. Why he believes UConn is the college basketball Capital of the world. His emotions when UConn was being mentioned as a possible target for the Big 12? Why the Beg East is a beast. Why they have earned the right to play in big time non-conference games. And how has his life changed since wining it all? Plus, Jon is feeling good as we are just 3 weeks away from college basketball! Cincinnati and Xavier updates.

Houston's Kelvin Sampson is entering his 10th season with the Cougars and is proud of the program that he has built. How he's made Houston his "next job". Why he credits his staff continuity for their success. His thoughts on entering Big 12 play this season. Which returning player makes the biggest jump? How about a newcomer poised to make an impact? Why he believes growth is the biggest key to success this season. Win or lose you must grow. Does going to the Big 12 re-invigorate him as a coach? How much longer can he see himself coaching? And thoughts on going back to Oklahoma to play a game. Plus, only four weeks away from the start of college basketball! Jon gives you updates from visits to Arizona and Arizona State.

UCLA's Mick Cronin has a brand-new challenge with lots of foreign appeal as the Bruins lost over 80% of its scoring from last season. Will an influx of talent from abroad be the answer to getting back to a Final Four? What can we expect from big man, Adem Bona? Is Dylan Andrews the next quintessential guard at UCLA? Just how good is their incoming class of freshman and how much will they need to rely on them this season? Why we can expect to see a lot of "big man ball" from the Bruins. Why he's enjoying the team attitude. Thoughts on playing the last season in the historic Pac-12. Why he believes the true measure of a coach is the ability to bridge drills at practice into the games. And what are realistic expectations and the biggest keys to UCLA again being a tough out in late February and March? Plus, a recap of Jon's visits to Florida Atlantic, Miami and Syracuse.

Michigan State's Tom Izzo has a loaded team and is excited to get their first official practice under the belt. Are the Spartans built to get back to a Final Four for the ninth time under Coach Izzo? Why it's all about the chemistry. Which returning players will have the biggest jump in production this year? Discussing their talented Freshman class. Could they have up to a 12-player rotation? Thoughts on the Big Ten becoming a coast-to-coast league? And why hasn't the Big Ten done better in the in the NCAA Tournament? Plus, a report from Jon's road travels! How's Villanova and the Big East looking?

Duke's Jon Scheyer knows continuity is a major factor in the Blue Devil's success this year, but you can't assume anything, and every day is a chance to get better. How has the summer progressed for the team? Have they been getting better each day? An update on Kyle Filipowski's health. Who steps up and makes the biggest jump this year? Excitement around their incoming Freshman class. Why he wants to be tough and together. Thoughts on their style of play this year. Conference realignment and how the ACC is a coast-to-coast league now. And why he believes the key to the season is blocking out the noise and being present in the moment. Plus, just seven weeks away from the start of College Basketball!