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00:00For the last day that we can possibly say this is only December
00:05This is only 2024 because in the 2024 25 college basketball season
00:12Tomorrow we will say this is January and this is 2025
00:17So to help us ring in a new year as we really get underway in conference slates around college basketball
00:25John Rothstein is here on this New Year's Eve Tuesday on the early line on sports grid joining us on behalf of the
00:32FanDuel sports book, of course doing some great work with CBS Sports as well
00:37John a happy holiday a happy new year to you. My friend. Very glad to have you here on the early line
00:44Then we'll shout out so Bob
00:46Hey, that is the truth. What is it day number six day number seven number six
00:53Number six
00:54We like those candles
00:55Continuously as we ring in a new year as well and John although we are now into the final day of
01:02December throughout this college basketball season it almost feels like a new year in part because conference action
01:09Really in full starting to pick up around the country this week and for the first few days of
01:162025 big 12 openers last night around the conference and tonight in Lawrence, Kansas
01:22Where the Jayhawks will welcome in West, Virginia big 12 opener for both sides
01:28You can see a double-digit spread John in favor of
01:32KU in the opening game of the conference slate for both teams. What do you expect to see?
01:39Well for Kansas
01:40It needs to be a step towards getting more out of its supporting cast and look bill self made it really really clear when Kansas
01:47Struggled last season that he was not going to go through another year like he had last year
01:52But if you split the atom then of the transfers that Kansas brought in the only one that is giving the Jayhawks
02:00Consistent mileage is Zeke Mayo all of the other ancillary pieces that Kansas got out of the transfer portal
02:06AJ store Diggie Koi all these players Ryland Griffin as well are not living up to the billing that they had at their previous schools
02:14Those three players that I referenced store Koi Griffin only combining to average 20.6 points per game
02:23Yeah, and it's been a big story John for Kansas in this early going to preseason number one for a second consecutive year
02:31And it will be a big story around the fog throughout the rest of this season Kansas in the big 12 a
02:38Conference with bill self they have thoroughly dominated for the last two decades
02:42But last season John ten and eight the record in the conference for KU those eight big twelve losses
02:49the most for the Jayhawks since the
02:521988 89 campaign the last time that Kansas missed the NCAA tournament
02:58So now as we take a look at the season outlook for Kansas, what are the expectations for KU this time around?
03:06the expectations are still to be a contender for the big 12 regular season title and a high seed in the NCAA tournament, but
03:13Kansas needs as I said more out of its supporting cast and that's directly related to me to AJ store
03:20Who we know was the best player on a Wisconsin team last year that earned a very high seed in the NCAA tournament
03:25It's ironic to me because I'm looking at the big 12
03:29Which has been year in year out the best conference in college basketball right now from a national perspective
03:35Kansas has not played as well as many thought it would play and
03:39Houston dare I say it is a little bit of a sleeper right now under Kelvin Sampson
03:44Houston had close losses to Auburn and Alabama early also lost the game to San Diego State in Las Vegas
03:50So the best wins for the Cougars are a neutral site win over Notre Dame and a home win over Butler last night
03:56They won a game at Oklahoma State, but Kansas and Houston two of the bellwether
04:01Programs in this conference are really I want to say off the radar, but they're not at the top of the radar
04:08Let's go from the big 12 John to the Big East a Big East battle tonight in Providence, Rhode Island
04:14The Friars play host to Marquette each team has played two games so far in Big East
04:20Conference action and Shaka starts Golden Eagles a six and a half point road favorite tonight against
04:26Providence what is the breakdown for this matchup tonight out in Rhode Island?
04:32Well when you look at Providence
04:33Obviously the ceiling is going to change if we find out that Bryce Hopkins is going to return to action
04:39There is no word from that yet out of the 401
04:42But a meek a mutual pavilion to me Ben is still one of the great home court advantages that exist in college basketball
04:49So Providence is going to be a very tough out at home with or without Bryce Hopkins beyond that though
04:55Marquette despite losing Tyler Koelig despite losing
04:59Oh, so a good Oro is now emerging as one of the model programs in the sport cam Jones
05:05Firmly separating himself at the best Garden College basketball and then get this if cam Jones gets four
05:12Assists today against Providence. He will have tied his total assist total from all of last season
05:19That is an incredible incredible feed considering that this game is being played on December 31st and another thing
05:25I want to point out to you because I know you love good nuggets this season in games played
05:30Against power conference competition and Dayton Marquette is plus 30 when Stevie Mitchell is on the court
05:37And that could be an x-factor for Shaka smart and the Golden Eagles not just today
05:43Against the Friars, but for the remainder of this big East Conference slate as you saw there plus
05:49175 the number four Marquette to win the Big East a co-favorite currently alongside
05:54Yukon John we got games on this New Year's Eve Tuesday starting at noon Eastern Time NC State, Virginia
06:01And a really robust slate the remainder of the day of the games were about to flash on the screen
06:07Which game catches your attention the most?
06:10St. John's against Creighton Rick Pitino the godfather taking his team to somewhere in Middle America
06:16St. John's since this new rendition of the Big East began in 1314 is
06:221 and 10
06:24Against Creighton in Omaha, but this is a different breed of cattle when it comes to the Red Storm
06:29And then I think you can make the case right now that st
06:33John's is the most under valued team in college basketball
06:37If the Red Storm had gotten a couple more baskets against Baylor in Georgia
06:41This team would be ranked firmly in the top ten of the country
06:45St. John's also is doing it without vintage play from Qatari, Richmond
06:51I think you can make the case right now that Qatari Richmond has been st
06:56John's fourth best player in its 11 and 2 start behind RJ Lewis Zubi Ejiofor and Davon Smith if
07:03Richmond starts playing like the Richmond we saw last year at Seton Hall the ceiling officially changes in Queens
07:08But Ben, you know as well as I do at least for another couple hours. This is only December
07:15And a happy new year to you John Roski. We're on the early line up next