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

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

By: John Rooke & Kevin McNamara
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Now in its 12th season, This Week In The BIG EAST, hosted by Kevin McNamara and John Rooke, is the official podcast of BIG EAST basketball. Kevin, radio host, columnist and author, and John, a longtime play-by-play broadcaster, have combined to cover BIG EAST basketball for over 60 years. The show is a comprehensive look at the teams, coaches, players and storied tradition of the top basketball conference in America, welcoming guests from around the league. #TWITBE also brings sounds of the games – past and present – through @BIGEASTmbb game audio highlights from Butler, UConn, Creighton, DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Villanova and Xavier. Each episode, John (@JRbroadcaster) and Kevin (@KevinMcNamara33) recap the latest news in the BIG EAST and preview what’s to come. Post questions to John and Kevin on X while tagging #TWITBE.

© 2026 This Week in the BIG EAST - Weekly Overview of NCAA College Basketball's Top Conference
Basketball
Episodes
  • #TWITBE Ep. 12.2 - Shaheen Holloway, Alex Karaban, John Fanta
    Jan 9 2026

    Seton Hall head coach Shaheen Holloway, UConn standout Alex Karaban, and NBC Sports broadcaster John Fanta are the guests on the second episode of This Week in the BIG EAST. Now in its 12th season, This Week In The BIG EAST (#TWITBE) is distributed by Westwood One radio and is available wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

    Holloway is this week's BIG EAST Spotlight. The Seton Hall head coach has the Pirates at 13-2 overall and 3-1 in league play as they prepare to travel to Georgetown on Saturday. Holloway breaks down how he rebuilt the Seton Hall roster so quickly coming into this season after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign.

    Coming off a thrilling overtime win at Providence, Karaban joins the show as this week's BIG EAST Focus. The redshirt senior was part of two national championship teams for Dan Hurley at UConn and was recently tabbed as one of 25 players for the Wooden Award's mid-season watch list.

    NBC Sports' Fanta provides the National Perspective. Calling some of the biggest games in the BIG EAST and around the country, Fanta shares his big picture thoughts on the season so far.

    This Week in the BIG EAST is hosted by John Rooke, a longtime play-by-play voice in the league, and Kevin McNamara, radio host, columnist, author, and recipient of the 2025 BIG EAST Media Award. With episode two, the show begins its weekly run through the end of the 2025-26 regular season, providing 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.

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    45 mins
  • #TWITBE Ep. 12.1 - Finley Bizjack, Tim Welsh, Matt Norlander
    Dec 12 2025

    This Week In The BIG EAST Radio Show, distributed by Westwood One, begins its 12th season with guests Butler junior guard Finley Bizjack, ESPN Analyst Tim Welsh and CBS Sports Senior Writer Matt Norlander.

    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.

    Prior to Saturday's league opener between Providence and Butler, the first episode of TWITBE takes a look at the upcoming conference season and the landscape of BIG EAST Basketball.

    The BIG EAST Spotlight is on former Providence coach and current ESPN color analyst Tim Welsh, who discusses the challenges of the transfer portal era, roster construction and schedule composition.

    The BIG EAST Focus shines on Butler guard Finley Bizjack. Now in his third season with the Bulldogs, Bizjack leads the team with 18.0 points per game, nearly double his average of 10.3 as a sophomore.

    CBS Sports senior writer Matt Norlander gives a view on the national perspective. With so many compelling games through the first month of the season, Norlander breaks it all down as well as gives his thoughts on how the top BIG EAST teams rank in the national picture.

    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.

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    45 mins
  • #TWITBE Ep. 11.9 - Rick Pitino, Val Ackerman, Jerry Walker
    Mar 7 2025

    This Week In The BIG EAST Radio Show, distributed by Westwood One, continued its 11th season with guests St. John's head coach Rick Pitino, BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman and BIG EAST Legend and former Seton Hall star Jerry Walker.

    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.

    The ninth episode of TWITBE looks at the landscape of the BIG EAST heading into the final weekend of regular season action. With five games remaining before the BIG EAST Tournament Presented by JEEP, eight of the 11 seeds are up for grabs.

    The BIG EAST Spotlight is on St. John's head coach Rick Pitino, fresh off clinching the first outright regular season BIG EAST title in 40 years. Pitino now has the Red Storm poised for a pair of deep runs in the BIG EAST and NCAA Tournament, and talks about how the team will enjoy the home court feel at Madison Square Garden as the No. 1 seed.

    The BIG EAST Focus shines on BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman, who provides an informed account of where NCAA Athletics stand today and where it could be heading. Wrapping up her 12th season as Commissioner, Ackerman looks ahead to the 43rd playing of the BIG EAST Tournament in the world’s most famous arena, MSG.

    Rooke and McNamara are then joined by current BIG EAST Legend Jerry Walker. The former Seton Hall forward was the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year in 1993, as well as a two-time All-BIG EAST member and a two-time BIG EAST Champion in 1991 and 1993. Walker takes the time to talk about his playing days as well as the work he has been doing in the community over the years.

    The episode’s “Who’s Hot” segment features the return of “Blast from the Past”, turning back the clock 40 years to 1985. St John’s, Villanova, and Georgetown were all in the Final Four during a magical run for the BIG EAST in the 1985 NCAA Tournament. In the first edition of the 64-team field, the eighth seeded Wildcats shocked the world, knocking off Georgetown to win the National Championship.

    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, March 8 at 11:00 a.m. ET on Sirius 161 XM 201 Online 963 leading into St. John's at Marquette.

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    45 mins
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