This Week in the Big East (2025-26)

Episode 5

SEGMENT 1 – John & Kevin welcome you to Season 12, Episode 5 of This Week in the Big East! Connecticut’s midseason dominance marches forward with their winning streak now reaching 16 games heading into this weekend. It’s the third longest winning streak in program history, and at 20-1 overall, they are ranked #2 in the media and coaches’ polls behind Arizona. The Huskies are 10-0 in Big East play and asking the question yet again, can they go undefeated in conference? Meanwhile, St. John’s behind Rick Pitino’s 900th career win has returned to the Top 25 and have just one Big East loss while winning seven straight games.

SEGMENT 2 (@6:25) – Big East Spotlight: Villanova Head Coach – Kevin Willard: John and Kevin welcome coach Willard back to the Big East! In his first season at Villanova following successful stops at Seton Hall and Maryland, coach Willard tells us what it’s like to reconstruct an entirely new roster through the transfer portal. He also speaks about how important legendary Villanova Head Coach, Jay Wright is to the program and how Wright and Willard’s long-time friendship led to Coach Willard’s difficult decision to leave Maryland for Villanova.   

SEGMENT 3 (@17:00) – Who’s Hot:  John and Kevin run through the weekly awards for the Big East Conference as well as the Big East Honor Roll! In our Big East “Blast from the Past”, we turn back the clock to 1987 and the start of a legendary Hall of Fame career for St. John’s Head Coach Rick Pitino. Pitino earned his 900th career victory last week beating his son Richard Pitino and the Xavier Musketeers. However, all the way back in 1987 a young Coach Pitino took his upstart Providence College Friars all the way to the Final Four.

SEGMENT 4 (@20:30) – Big East Focus: – Connecticut Senior Forward – Tarris Reed Jr.: John and Kevin welcome UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr. to This Week in the Big East! In his second season in Storrs after transferring from the University of Michigan, Tarris is averaging an impressive 14.5 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists for the Huskies. He talks about what it’s like to play for legendary Connecticut Head Coach Dan Hurley and the lofty expectations the Huskies have for this season.

SEGMENT 5 (@30:15) – The National Perspective: TNT/Tru TV play-by-play Announcer – Spero Dedes: Kevin and John are joined by Spero Dedes of TNT and TruTV after the networks agreed to a new broadcasting deal with the Big East Conference. In addition to calling NCAA Tournament games since 2010, Dedes is thrilled to be broadcasting Big East games this season and moving forward for Turner. He breaks down what he has seen out of the teams in the Big East this season and just how many of those teams may make it into the field come March.

SEGMENT 6 (@42:20) – Who’s Got Next?  John & Kevin wrap up the fifth episode of This Week in the Big East for the 2025-26 season by previewing the best games coming up this weekend including taking a look at an action packed Big East Conference slate of games on Saturday featuring UConn at Creighton on Saturday night in a heavyweight bout in Omaha.