Hoops Cap Pod

UConn rolls Syracuse 72-52 without Braylon Mullins or Solo Ball, and freshmen and sophomores score 53 of the 72 points. Is this the most talented young team Dan Hurley has ever had? Start of something big? On this episode of The Hoops Cap, Mark Zanetto breaks down UConn men's basketball's 72-52 exhibition win over Syracuse at Mohegan Sun. Na'jai Hines (17 pts, 8 reb), Nik Khamenia, Junior County and Colben Landrew powered the Huskies. Mark covers the roster by the numbers, the five-star class of 2027 pipeline, the honest counterpoint (shooting, 23 fouls, Silas Demary Jr.'s off night), and pays tribute to Henry "Little Red" Blethen, who walked 62 miles from Granby to Mohegan Sun to raise money for the Husky Ticket Project. CHAPTERS (times are estimates; adjust to the final edit) 0:00 Cold open: Hurley's most talented young team? 0:20 Welcome to The Hoops Cap 1:00 The roster, by the numbers 3:15 The proof at Mohegan Sun: UConn 72, Syracuse 52 7:45 The pipeline: class of 2027 8:45 The honest counterpoint 10:15 Little Red's 62-mile walk 12:45 What's next and the grade 14:00 Viewer question 14:30 Close LINKS Big East Energy Network: https://bigeastenergynetwork.com Follow Mark on X: @markzanetto (https://x.com/markzanetto) Subscribe for more UConn and Big East basketball, and hit the bell so you don't miss Michigan State and Purdue. #UConn #DanHurley #BigEast New: Big East Energy Weekly with Mark & Subbi — Pat Kelsey's 'no rules' testimony and more. Watch: https://youtu.be/SXWzUUCgal0 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2024 I told you UConn to the Big 12 was imminent, and I was wrong. Now the rumblings are back, and this time the reasons are different. On this episode of Big East Energy, Mark Zanetto breaks down the latest UConn Big 12 expansion buzz: the CBS-Turner merger and what it means for the Big 12's next TV deal, the Protect College Sports Act and its 20-team conference cap, why UConn is a "clean" candidate, the Big East exit fee, and what UConn football's 34-20 win at Temple says about where Jason Candle's Huskies stack up against Kansas, Cincinnati, UCF and West Virginia. Nothing is imminent. But is UConn to the Big 12 actually a good idea? Heart says no. Head says by 2030. Sorry not sorry. Drop your take below: should UConn leave the Big East for the Big 12? 👇 🔔 Subscribe for UConn basketball, Big East hoops and conference realignment: / @bigeastenergynetwork 🌐 https://bigeastenergynetwork.com 🐦 Follow Mark on X: https://x.com/markzanetto #UConn #Big12 #ConferenceRealignment #UConnFootball #BigEast #UConnHuskies #CollegeFootball #CollegeBasketball #DanHurley New: Big East Energy Weekly with Mark & Subbi — Pat Kelsey's 'no rules' testimony and more. Watch: https://youtu.be/SXWzUUCgal0 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5-star wing Jordan Page is a Husky. The Raleigh native picked UConn and Dan Hurley over North Carolina, Kansas, Houston and Michigan, announcing live on NBA TV, and summed up why in three words: hats and rings. Lottery picks and championships. On this episode of The Hoops Cap Pod, Mark Zanetto breaks down the Jordan Page commitment, why UConn now holds the No. 1 recruiting class in 2027 with two 5-stars, what "hats and rings" says about Dan Hurley's pitch, and the full 2026-27 UConn basketball schedule game by game: Michigan at TD Garden, Ohio State, Arizona, Duke in Las Vegas, Kansas at Gampel, and the toughest road trips in a deeper Big East. CHAPTERS 0:00 Hats and Rings 0:50 Jordan Page commits to UConn live on NBA TV 1:45 Hurley wins in North Carolina's backyard 2:45 Two 5-stars: the No. 1 class in 2027 3:30 Where Page ranks among UConn's top commits 4:30 What "Hats and Rings" really means 6:00 Why Hurley's pitch is unbeatable 7:30 The Hats and Rings shirt 10:00 2026-27 UConn schedule breakdown 10:50 Michigan at TD Garden 12:15 Ohio State and Arizona 12:50 Duke in Las Vegas and the Najai Hines test 14:45 Kansas comes to Gampel 15:45 Virginia at MSG, Georgetown and New Year's Eve at Butler 17:15 Toughest Big East road games 19:00 How deep is the Big East this year? 20:20 Recruiting outlook and a note to the audience 21:30 Outro GET THE SHIRT Hats and Rings tee, $19.99: https://onlylegends.co/products/hats-rings SPONSOR This episode is brought to you by MyBookie. New customers get $1,000 in bonus bets with promo code BBE100. SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you never miss a show. Listening on Apple or Spotify? Follow the pod and leave a 5-star rating. The Hoops Cap Pod is part of the Big East Energy Network: BigEastEnergyNetwork.com What does Hats and Rings mean to you? Which game are you most excited for? Drop a comment. #UConn #UConnBasketball #JordanPage #DanHurley #HatsAndRings #UConnHuskies #BigEast #CollegeBasketball #Recruiting #HoopsCapPod New: Big East Energy Weekly with Mark & Subbi — Pat Kelsey's 'no rules' testimony and more. Watch: https://youtu.be/SXWzUUCgal0 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Multiple sources tell Mark Zanetto that five-star wing Jordan Page, the No. 12 player in the class of 2027, is committing to UConn. The Raleigh native visited Chapel Hill one weekend and Storrs the next, and he's picking Dan Hurley over North Carolina, NC State, and more than 20 other offers. Mark breaks down who Jordan Page is: a 6-5 lefty wing with a near 6-11 wingspan, an elite rebounder and defender, and a two-time USA Basketball gold medalist who already won alongside fellow UConn commit Navarro Bowman. Then the story you won't hear anywhere else. A source tells Mark what happened in DeMarcus Henry's recruitment after his visit to Storrs, and why UConn's staff put commitment and loyalty ahead of money. First Bowman out of California, now Page out of the Hoop State. Dan Hurley can recruit anywhere. CHAPTERS 0:00 Sources: Jordan Page is committing to UConn 0:45 Welcome and MyBookie 1:20 Who is Jordan Page? 2:55 The jump shot question 4:15 Stealing one from the Hoop State 5:45 MyBookie: $1,000 in bonus bets 6:50 The DeMarcus Henry story 9:35 Loyalty over money: how Hurley vets players 11:25 Hurley can recruit anywhere 13:05 The Hurley doctrine and sign-off This episode is brought to you by MyBookie.ag. New customers get up to $1,000 in bonus bets with promo code BBE100. Must be of legal age. Please bet responsibly. Subscribe to the Big East Energy Network so you never miss the Hoops Cap Pod. Where does Jordan Page rank among Hurley's recruiting wins? Tell us in the comments. #UConn #JordanPage #DanHurley #UConnHuskies #UConnBasketball #CollegeBasketball #BigEast #CBBRecruiting #DeMarcusHenry #NIL #HoopsCapPod #BigEastEnergy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NaVorro Bowman Jr. is a UConn Husky. The five-star guard and son of four-time All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman committed to Dan Hurley on Thursday — the first commit of the 2027 class, and the fourth five-star of the Hurley era after Stephon Castle, Liam McNeeley and Braylon Mullins. Within a day, UConn cancelled visits with Cayden Daughtry, King Gibson and Micah Gordon. That's not a coincidence — that's Hurley showing you his board. On this episode of The Hoops Cap Pod we break down Bowman's film (pace, handle, the stop-and-start, why he's a Hurley guy), then finish what last week's audio cut off: the Final Four and what it means now that the backcourt is set. Then the crown jewel — DeMarcus Henry, the top-five wing and son of the late Bengals receiver Chris Henry, who just wrapped a three-day official visit in Storrs. Can UConn beat BYU, Ohio State and North Carolina for a second NFL legacy? Plus Kamsi Awaka, Tobe Awaka's 6'10" brother, is on campus right now — and why you should stop worrying about seven-footers. Big thank-you to our sponsor MyBookie. Head over to MyBookie, sign up, and use promo code BEE to get your first deposit matched up to $500. UConn football is this weekend and the NFL is back — get in the game. Powered by the Big East Energy Network. New episodes every Wednesday until the season tips, then Monday–Friday covering both the men's and women's teams. If Henry or Awaka commit, there's a bonus show coming. Chapters 0:00 — Cold open: Bowman Jr. is a Husky 0:45 — Three visits cancelled: Daughtry, Gibson, Gordon 1:35 — MyBookie / Big East Energy intro & today's rundown 2:40 — How UConn beat Arizona and Texas in 72 hours 4:00 — The dad: NaVorro Bowman Sr. and the household factor 5:00 — Fourth five-star of the Hurley era: Castle, McNeeley, Mullins 5:45 — Film breakdown: pace, handle, stop-and-start, defensive upside 8:15 — Last week's Final Four, revisited 9:15 — DeMarcus Henry: who he is, the Chris Henry story 11:00 — The competition: BYU, Ohio State, Carolina, Arkansas 12:15 — Hurley's pitch vs. the compilers 13:45 — My read: has UConn moved up? 14:45 — Why the cancelled visits aren't bad news 15:20 — Kamsi Awaka: the bruiser on campus right now 17:10 — Class picture, Solo Ball, and outro #uconn #uconnbasketball #huskies #danhurley #NaVorroBowmanJr #DeMarcusHenry #KamsiAwaka #UConnRecruiting #BigEast #CollegeBasketball #NCAAB #2027Recruits #fivestarhotels #TheHoopsCap #HoopsCapPod #BigEastEnergy #MyBookie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices