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00:00Welcome to our number two live right here on this Thursday morning on the early line on sports grid
00:05He is Donnie right side. I am Ben Stevens a big second hour coming your way
00:10We will take an early look to San Antonio and a final four on Saturday night some of the biggest headlines
00:17Storylines and narratives that we need to discuss for our final four that starts on Saturday and in just five days from now
00:24We will crown a national champion on a Monday night inside the Alamo Dome Donnie and I we shall never
00:32Forget joining us up next. We hope is John Joyner an NFL draft prospect edge rusher out of, Minnesota
00:39We'll be rowing the boat with Joyner looking forward to him and hearing what he is doing to prepare for that next level in the NFL
00:46Draft exactly three weeks from tonight is where it begins in Green Bay, Wisconsin
00:51Donnie's just mad the sports grid network not setting him to outside Lambeau Field in Titletown
00:57USA plenty of final four early line looks here in this second hour as well. The RS big second hour on this Thursday
01:05Yeah, you know what's interesting now? You got me at my mind cooking a little bit on Green Bay, Wisconsin
01:09You know, sometimes you look at the raw
01:10It's like man, I wonder why like this player is out fishing or he's with his family doesn't show up to Green Bay
01:16I don't think any of the prospects are gonna go to Green Bay because why would you there's nothing to do in Green Bay?
01:21And it's cold have your celebration part like Shador Sanders. No way. He's going to Green Bay like this guy will be partying in Vegas
01:28Hawkinson having fun and cam which would be doing the same thing in Miami who would want to go to Green Bay and walk across that
01:34Freezing cold stage over there would never go there. Never
01:38What was that Joe our producer extraordinaire Joe Frieza? What did you say?
01:43Yeah, I think they both are going to be there but all that Donnie just say that what do you do
01:47They say that because they want to be beautiful day on Thursday, April 24th
01:51Should we take an early look at what the forecast is supposed to be three weeks from right now? Let's take a look
01:57Yes, I'm really doing your job. You're the forecaster right now. Not great 46 degrees, but to be honest
02:04It wasn't great in New York either today. Let's try to get out monthly here
02:09In the winter you're supposed to in the winter months
02:12You're supposed to be a warmer weather where everybody can enjoy like every single draft should be in Vegas
02:16That's just where it should be every single national college football championship game should be in Vegas. It's where it should be
02:23It's not true whatsoever as it stands right now
02:26average for late April April 24th in Green Bay
02:3158 degrees, however, I will say record high
02:3686 degrees when did that happen?
02:38Probably Don McCaskill was Don McCaskill the quarterback of the Packers when that was going on. I mean, come on now Don McCaskill
02:45Magic man, I'm up. What a flow
02:51Breaking it up. How do you feel about San Antonio as a hosting city for a final four?
02:56Why not?
02:57Well, I mean sure Charles Barkley will tell you don't go to San Antonio and what it has to offer
03:00But for me, San Antonio seems fantastic. And by the way, can you get a good burrito and good tacos in San Antonio?
03:06That's all I'm interested in right now. I'm on a taco kick as I watch it on like insta
03:10I don't have Instagram but like the YouTube reels. They probably got some great tacos in San Antonio, man. Let me tell you
03:16Yeah, I'm sure that they do. I have no idea what Joe Friso just sent me
03:22What he sent you? Oh
03:24Green bait this time your Sanders will likely not be in Green Bay for the NFL
03:31Most likely doing Colorado or Dallas is what should or Sanders had to say
03:37Exactly you got destinations put it this way. Did you ever sit down with your lovely fiancee Ben?
03:42It'd be like it's vacation time Green Bay
03:46Indianapolis nobody's ever said that you want to go vacation where everybody can enjoy with weather and appropriate festivities around
03:53Well, that's how it should be graded
03:55championship games big events need to be in vacation
03:59destinations period or
04:02Indianapolis, Indiana, I will say this though
04:04My fiancee and I have booked numerous trips to the state of Wisconsin because of weddings
04:10Beautiful out there in the summer DRS late June outside of Madison was there for a wedding on the lake?
04:17gorgeous
04:20What'd you do did you go to Camp Randall though, like see I'm in I'm in the same new stadium
04:23You go to Camp Randall. Did you now see you could have went to Camp Randall yourself?
04:27Use your press pass got in there and jumped around by yourself playing the music would have been sensational. Yeah
04:33Listen, I was with a large group, right? We didn't go to downtown Madison. We had brunch right outside the Capitol building
04:39It was absolutely gorgeous. And let me tell you something
04:42So, you know that I'm a real ball knower Donnie might go to Wisconsin and have a spotted cow from New Glarus
04:48That's not what you want spotted cow is fine. It's basically a glorified blue moon. You have a moon man
04:54You have a moon man and that's how you know
04:56You are doing it right in the state of Wisconsin if you were to go to San Antonio
05:01Probably should have a Lone Star great beer. Ah
05:05No, you know, I'd look food is right. Like you go to Wisconsin. I'm sure I'm getting some good cheese down there
05:10San Antonio's Charles Barkley would say some good churros down there and everything else
05:14But at the same time like I like new destinations you take me to the Alamo Dome as much as I don't think it's that
05:19Aesthetically pleasing
05:21It can place in the Alamo Dome like that
05:23You don't and by the way, is it and I always hear like I go to the Alamo be like man
05:27This is it. What is this here right here?
05:28So but I still would like to see where the Alamo is to be honest. I would
05:32Even though the ratings maybe you know, you go get the Yelp ratings one two, you know
05:36I'm on down
05:39Remember that moment in your life Davy at where's Davy Crockett at man? Can he explain himself with what the Alamo looks like now?
05:45Come on
05:46Listen it went through a lot to be there to be still standing for all of us to remember that moment
05:52All right, we're supposed to be previewing the final four
05:54So let's take a look at the big storylines and those big questions from the mind of our producer extraordinaire
06:01Joe Friezo, of course the RS for just the second time ever in the history of the men's NCAA tournament
06:06All four one seeds have reached the final four the other time
06:112008 where was that final four contested also inside the Alamo Dome?
06:15In San Antonio, here are the odds right now
06:18Duke has been the national championship favorite from pole to finish before the year got underway a plus
06:25950 price before the big dance got started plus 280 now entering the final four weekend in San Antonio
06:32even money at plus
06:34100 Florida second best number at plus 280
06:37Houston and plus 430 and despite Auburn being that number one overall see the Tigers the longest price at 5 to 1 it is
06:45Absolutely stacked we have talked about the net ratings on Ken Palm for all four of these teams
06:51some of the best teams not just this year in college hoops, but in the last two and a half decades of
06:57College basketball all meeting in one spot the last four teams standing still in the chase for a national championship
07:04So Donnie, I asked you a rather simple question, but probably with a more complex answer to discuss
07:09Is this the best final four ever?
07:12It could be and I'm gonna say yes right now because the most anticipated final four for me now growing up as a kid there
07:18Were extenuating circumstances like we're not gonna see the fourth and fifth year seniors back
07:22Like when I was growing up in early 1990s, you're talking about UNLV and Duke lining up in the final four
07:27I mean you want to talk about must-see TV back in the day with stars left and right it was there now
07:31You do have stars left and right
07:32They're just newer stars to us that will shine bright as they do and then move on to the NBA
07:36Let's just say after a year or two, but for my money, I love it
07:39And I equate it like this so many times in the past Ben you would roll up to the final four and say to yourself
07:44Hey, you know what? They're gonna put the
07:46It's wrong to say this like the meaningless game first and the star-studded game second both games
07:52And unbelievable and fantastic all the way through you got to be in your seat for game number one and game number two
07:58But for me, I love it all one seats here all deserving from the betting market
08:02So I think Duke wins probably so don't want to take a bit plus 100. No, I don't you know another team
08:06I don't want to bet even though they're five to one. It's the Auburn Tigers
08:09You know, I broom too many questions will hit that in this hour
08:12But Florida and Houston seemingly in that sweet spot
08:15Would you be surprised if Houston cut down the Nets Florida cut down the Nets? Absolutely not man. What a great final four
08:21Because of the short number on the Blue Devils there is a lot of value elsewhere
08:25Especially for either Florida or maybe perhaps Auburn on the other side of a final four matchup in San Antonio
08:33We will talk about this more later on in this second hour
08:37We continue to get you ready for a final four on Saturday evening in San Antonio, Texas
08:43All four one seeds into the final four for just the second time ever in the history of the men's NCAA
08:50Tournament that is Auburn the number one overall seed facing off against the one seed in the champions of the West region their conference made
08:57In Florida on the other side, it's the national title favorites the Duke Blue Devils taking on the Houston Cougars DRS
09:04We showed you those odds to win a national championship
09:07Duke has been the favorite the entirety of this year before the season got started back in November before the big dance got underway
09:14Just over two and a half weeks ago as we look at Duke
09:19Of course if they were the favorites to win a national championship
09:22Their best player Cooper flag is the favorite to win most outstanding player as we continue to break down the biggest
09:28Storylines for the weekend of the Lone Star State
09:31Where would Cooper flag rank in your mind among the best one and done's to ever do it in college basketball?
09:37With a national championship added to the resume. I mean, yeah, if you have the national championship added there, you're automatically up now
09:45They're granted there been a lot of great one and done's who have passed through the college basketball system
09:49And again, the guy that is going into the Hall of Fame or just got inducted in the Hall of Fame Carmelo Anthony
09:53One of those guys that you know what? Let me play big for a year
09:56Let me win the national championship and move on that's legendary stuff because you're not talking about like hey
10:01I'm a transfer where I played three years, but I finally got to the big time and made my mark like no
10:05You're a 17 18 year old kid heading into college basketball for the first time and ending your only season with a national championship
10:11How hard that is to do because it's a single elimination tournament
10:14So maybe one of the best and also if he is the MOP at the same time on a great Duke Blue Devils team
10:19You're gonna certainly go down in history as one of the best to ever do it and rightfully so in the biggest moment
10:25So for myself Cooper flag probably the best player in the tournament and the expectations are if Duke wins it
10:30He is gonna win MOP, but one of the legendary performances. We need two more games Eddie Cooper flag to get to that pedestal
10:37Yeah, and DRS there has been some conversation of course about the one-and-done era in college basketball
10:43It looks a little bit different now
10:44Of course than it did early on when you really think about the great teams led by a one-and-done player to win a national
10:51Championship 2012 Kentucky with so many guys there the team in 2015 that being Kentucky
10:57That was unbeaten entering the NCAA tournament and the final four that came up short against Wisconsin on the other side of that bracket
11:05Was 2015 Duke that ended up cutting down the nets as a national champion as well
11:10Duke expected to be there your number three under John Shire, but DRS we have a coach in Kelvin Sampson who has
11:18798 career victories the second most from an active head coach in college basketball at the d1 level
11:26without a national championship
11:28In fact, the elite eight matchup in Indianapolis on Sunday afternoon between Kelvin Sampson's Cougs and Rick Barnes's, Tennessee volunteers
11:36The two winning his head coaches actively in college hoops without a national championship
11:41Barnes still just one final four to show for Kelvin Sampson leading Houston to their second final four appearance in the last
11:48Five years. He is one of the great college basketball head coaches
11:52we have seen in the last two and a half decades if
11:54Houston can play spoiler their Duke in the final four in the nightcap on Saturday and cut down the nets as a national champ
12:01What does it do to the resume in the legacy of Kelvin Sampson Oh
12:06Immensely like he's already known as a really good basketball coach and maybe his time at other
12:11Institutions isn't recognized as what it should have been and maybe he shouldn't have moved on so many different times
12:16But also the fact here you didn't find your landing spot like what you say
12:20Oh, I wound up in Kentucky and we won a championship
12:22I wound up at Duke and finally got one Houston has always been a proud basketball program
12:26But we're not talking about proud basketball back to the early 1980s
12:29You know and they had a fly slam a jammer trying to make runs there with the chemo large one Clyde Drexler and the boys
12:34we're talking about a Houston, you know team that has been good but now elevated to the Pantheon of like
12:38Are we gonna reconsider what a blue blood actually is because this team coming from the American?
12:42Ah step up in class. They can't handle it. No even better than they were in the American stepping up to the big 12th year
12:48So I love what he's done at Houston a boy
12:50what a crowning achievement if he gets Houston in the final four which they are in San Antonio and wins a
12:56Championship in their home state of Texas. That would be phenomenal. I love Calvin Sampson
13:01Houston is really been phenomenal leveling up in competition and getting better every year impressive
13:07it really has been impressive DRS and when you think about where Houston was before Calvin Sampson came to H town a
13:14Proud basketball program going back to those five slam a jam of days
13:18But that was the mid 80s when you had a chemo lies at one and Clyde Drexler coached by guy Lewis
13:24in fact
13:24that final four appearance back in 2021 for Sampson and Houston was the first final four bid for the Cougars since
13:331984 nearly four decades now
13:35They have been there twice in the last five seasons
13:38Trying to get to the pinnacle trying to cut down the nets atop the ladder as a national champ on Monday night
13:45the final four in San Antonio just two days away a doubleheader of action
13:50Starring at 6 o 9 p.m. Eastern Time
13:53And by the way, our SportsGrid bracket central coverage is back on Saturday myself
13:58And Donnie right side live in studio together for the first game of two on final four Saturday night
14:05That will be Florida and Auburn for the night cap. It'll be the coach James young
14:10Jy alongside Kevin Walsh
14:12So DRS as we look at the early lines for this game here on the early line
14:18Between these conference foes you and I will be breaking it down live having those bets that we are sweating out with
14:25everybody two and a half point spread in favor of the Gators a total that opened at
14:29160 and a half that has worked its way down to 159 and
14:34Uh-huh. Let's start DRS with the number for this game
14:38Auburn is the number one overall seed and yet booked as an underdog entering their final four matchup
14:44Does that sit right with you?
14:47Here's what doesn't sit right with me
14:48Understand this like usually we head into the final four and it's like, okay
14:51We know the teams are gonna play and see what happens what happens in the game in the game different story
14:55Foul trouble injuries and you go away with it. Correct me if I'm wrong
14:58But like Jani Broome just might be the best player in the country
15:02He couldn't hold his arm up against Michigan State in the final couple minutes of that game
15:06Yes, Jani Broome has not practiced yet this week up till today sitting out the past couple days
15:11So when I look at this spread and say are we getting one of the bargains of the century?
15:15Honestly on Florida right now who yes, they needed to come back in a miraculous come back to be Texas Tech
15:19I understand that when I look at the Auburn Tigers the minute he went down in that game
15:24I started this way back over to Michigan State now granted Michigan State might not be talented enough to come back from a 10-point deficit
15:30Against Auburn great player or no player
15:32But at the same time I don't think you can roll into this Florida game and say Jani Broome's 50% can't you know?
15:38Go down low and grab enough rebounds and play great defense and his shot is going to be affected by it because his elbow still
15:44Hurts at this point, but you're looking from an odds-maker perspective. That's it. Okay. Well, we know about the injury
15:48It's two and a half and it still sits two and a half today
15:51Am I the only one that's making a big deal of a Jani Broome where I don't think he's gonna be a hundred percent and
15:56I say to myself
15:56Auburn can't win unless he is a hundred percent because you saw Ben all year long and also the Michigan State game
16:02He was absolutely phenomenal in the first half of that Michigan State game
16:06He was like the only offense they had the only rebound that they had and if he's damaged goods, where does that leave Auburn?
16:12Yeah, it's a really good point DRS and this is not just one of the guys in the rotation
16:17This is Jani Broome who is probably going to finish runner-up for the National Player of the Year only behind
16:24Cooper flag
16:25Of course
16:25He checked out with about ten and a half minutes remaining in that game in the second half
16:30Against Michigan State dealing with the right elbow injury now
16:33He is a lefty but still dealing with it
16:36It looked really serious DRS because as he was escorted off the floor with the help of training staff
16:42He looked over at his head coach and his players in Bruce Pearl and said listen, I'm done
16:46He came back in about five minutes later didn't have to do much
16:50He did hit a three but he was really taking care of that right elbow again to your point
16:56Injury status at this moment has not practiced as of yet still more than 48 hours out from tip in
17:04the final four
17:05I think it is something to especially monitor because at the point where Jani Broome was injured with ten and a half minutes
17:12Remaining in that game Auburn was ahead by double digits, right? You didn't need him from the very start
17:17They could ice away that game against an MSU offense. That was struggling
17:21You need him for all 40 minutes against a really dangerous Gators team that is playing incredibly
17:27Well DRS nearly 79% of the bets in terms or the money I should say on the spread wagers
17:34Backing, Florida at this moment. I asked you one final question
17:38comparing these two teams that are
17:41Conference foes they only met once this year that was back in early
17:46February on the road on the plains for the Gators in Auburn. They were a double-digit dog
17:51They won that game outright 90 to 81 that was back on February 8th again as we compare these two teams
17:57We look at the whole of this season in what that game
18:01Represented DRS. Do you think any of that really kind of carries over from early?
18:05February to where we are now in a final four weekend
18:08I mean it sort of does if you told me that Jani Broome missed that game
18:12Okay, this is what Auburn looks like when Jani Broome doesn't play but correct me if I'm wrong
18:16He played in that game
18:17So when I look at it
18:18I don't take anything away because I don't know what I'm getting out of Auburn here now
18:22We might get a lot of these issues cleared up over the next 24 to 48 hours as you said before this game tips off
18:27But if you tell me right now, my best player is a question mark heading into this game
18:32I don't see how I can bet Auburn. Look I understand to the top seed. Yes, they have depth
18:37They have a great coach in Bruce Pearl and they can have other players step up in big moments
18:41But in the biggest moments against other number one seeds
18:44Yeah
18:45I think I need my player of the year candidate there going full gas with 25 and 15 to give me a chance down the
18:51Stretch that's what I'm waiting to see but right now as it stands I look at Florida and say I don't see any other way
18:56Possible right now. I can bet Auburn without the certainty of knowing if you and I broom is a hundred percent
19:03What his capability is gonna be and also understand this just because he plays doesn't mean he's ready to go
19:07Hey second quarter goes down hard Valley falls to the ground
19:10There goes a hyper extension again of that elbow and he's out for the game. Those are worries for me
19:15Yeah DRS they have to be there's no doubt about it
19:18By the way, the Gators over in all four games so far in the NCAA tournament Auburn at its best under in
19:25Three of the four so far in the big dance. We'll talk more about that game a little bit later on
19:30Let's get to the nightcap on Saturday highly anticipated between Houston and Duke
19:36the Blue Devils open as a four and a half point favorite got quickly up to five and a half bet back down to four
19:42And a half now five and a half in favor of the Blue Devils with a total that really represents what you can expect in
19:48a game against the Cougs
19:50335 and a half DRS. Where do you begin your breakdown between the Blue Devils and the Cougars?
19:55I begin that we're going to have this game in Texas now
19:59Does that mean you have an overwhelming support for Houston?
20:01They're not necessarily Duke does have a big fan base
20:03but as we tend to believe that when Duke is playing and your team is looking to play the next game and your fans are in
20:09The building or the team that just lost the teams tend to cheer against Duke as their fan bases
20:13we'll see how that plays into but also understand this the beginning of look at both of these totals one sixty one and a half the
20:19Opening number in the first game against Florida and Auburn. It's in a dome football stadium
20:23We now see 159 and a half you take a look at the total for Houston Duke to really good offenses
20:28But not a ton of pace. You still figure they'll score one thirty six and a half now to one thirty five and a half
20:33The reason I'm bringing this up is you see both of those lines dropping because we aren't in that normal collegiate NBA
20:38Arena, you're not a football stadium, but understand this the Houston Cougars Ben where they play the last two games
20:44Elite eight sweet 16 in a football dome stadium and look good doing it here
20:48Maybe there's the advantage of been there done that now granted new sight lines new city
20:52I understand that but they don't get that shock of Wow. Look how big this arena is
20:57I wonder how we're going to play in an arena. Yes, Duke is gonna practice there. They're gonna get those shots up
21:02They're gonna try to get used to it, but nothing beats game day in the moment and you've had Houston have that
21:06So for me, it's interesting to me for that lines bouncing back and forth where I think it ends up
21:11I don't think it ends up five and a half to be honest
21:13I think it's five or less by the time we get the game time
21:16So advantageous now to take the Cougars probably so
21:2175% of the money on the spread backing the Blue Devils
21:24It was a lot of early money on Duke only to be answered by Houston
21:28I would not overlook the Cougs entering this matchup and when the total is only one thirty five and a half
21:34Houston can stay within that five and a half point number even if the Blue Devils emerge victorious
21:39I think we would be surprised the RS if the first game between the Gators and the Tigers
21:44The winner did not cover the number with only a two and a half point spread unless we get games that are
21:50Sensational second ever time in the NCAA tournament
21:54We have seen all four of the one seeds reach the final four the other time also in San Antonio back in
22:012008 we expected that to be a final four unlike we had ever seen it really was Kansas beat, North Carolina
22:0884 66 in one of the national semifinals in the second game Memphis beat UCLA
22:167863 those games were a little bit lopsided each decided by a 15-point margin
22:21But then we got to a great national championship game the Mario Chalmers 3 to force overtime
22:26Against John Calipari Derrick Rose and the Memphis Tigers one of the all-time great national title games
22:32We have ever seen we are hoping for two very competitive games the RS on Saturday night in San Antonio
22:39Yeah, we're gonna get them too
22:40I do I truly believe that and you also have the dichotomy of the early game expected a little bit more tempo the second game
22:45Really ratchets up on the defensive end, but two great games here
22:48No complaints from anybody all four seeds top seeds got there
22:51They deserved it and I can't wait to see it play out here live with us on the grid
22:55Yeah, it's going to be sensational again. Our bracket central coverage starts on Saturday night at 6 p.m
23:01Eastern Time DRS and myself
23:04Welcome to our number three live right here on the early line on sports grid
23:08This is our third and final hour and this is now April
23:13Let's not bury any leads live from San Antonio at the hosting site of the final four
23:20John Rothstein joins us live right here on this Thursday morning from San Antonio on the early line
23:27Of course on behalf of the FanDuel Sportsbook doing great work covering all the madness in the big dance for CBS Sports
23:34John as always we appreciate your time now in the month of April and just two days out from a final four
23:41inside the Alamo Dome
23:44Great to be here Ben always awesome to visit with you
23:48It is always great to have you here as well my friend more than 48 hours away from final four Saturday night in
23:55San Antonio, of course, we know the story for the second ever time in the history of the men's NCAA tournament joining the year
24:022008 all four one seeds have reached the final four
24:06So let's go step by step match up by match up piece by piece
24:10For what we still have remaining in the chase for a national championship John our first game on Saturday is a matchup of two
24:17Conference foes it's the number one overall seed in Auburn taking on the one seed in
24:23Florida the Gators a two-and-a-half point favorite in a total at
24:27159 and a half before we dive into the specifics of this game. Let's start with the big injury status
24:33We all want to know
24:34Janai broom, of course injuring that right elbow late in the second half in the elite eight matchup last weekend against Michigan State
24:42Bruce Pearl telling media that Janai broom is still a few days away from practicing John from what you are hearing there in San Antonio
24:51What do you expect that status to be for Janai broom come game time on Saturday night against, Florida
24:57Well, Ben ironically enough
24:59I was just texting with Bruce Pearl about 20 minutes ago and he informed me that the hope is that Janai broom will return to
25:06practice today
25:07so that is obviously big news for
25:09Auburn as Auburn is trying to move forward and get to a step that it wasn't able to get to
25:14Six years ago when it went to the final four for the first time in program history
25:18And let's get to the national championship game
25:20So according to Bruce Pearl, he has told me that the hope is that Janai broom will return to practice today
25:26That is huge news for the Auburn Tigers
25:29and of course the number one overall seed Janai broom had a double-double at the break against the Spartans still finished with 25 points and
25:3714 boards scored at least 22 in each of the matchups in Atlanta in the South region this past weekend
25:44All right, John now to the actual matchup Bruce Pearl and one of his disciples in Todd Golden again conference foes
25:50That should know each other very well only one meeting throughout the regular season in early February
25:56Florida one on the road against the Tigers on the plains outright as a double-digit dog
26:02But John that's now nearly two months ago. How much does that regular season familiarity carry over into the final four?
26:10You know, I think it's gonna be its own separate entity to be honest with you Ben
26:14I think that the SEC was such a grind this year that every game felt like an NCAA tournament game when I talked to Todd
26:20Golden on Monday
26:22the biggest thing that he kind of pointed out was that
26:24Auburn was in a funk toward the end of the regular season and it seems like the Tigers now are stepping out of that funk
26:31So that's obviously a good sign for Auburn. We'll see whether or not it's a bad sign for Florida coming up on Saturday night a
26:37Two and a half point spread in favor of the Gators Auburn has only been an underdog three previous times this season John
26:45let's get to the nightcap on Saturday night inside the Alamo Dome between Duke and
26:50Houston a rematch of a sweet 16 battle exactly a year ago Duke winning that game as a slight underdog
26:595451 a five and a half point spread now in favor of the Blue Devils and a total of 135 and a hook John
27:06This is one of the most anticipated final four games of recent memory. How do these two teams stack up against one another?
27:14Well, if you're looking in terms of NBA talent and players that are forecasted to obviously be stars and real contributors the next level
27:21Obviously Duke is gonna have a decisive advantage, but this game is not played in the NBA
27:25It is played in college basketball and Houston has put together an elite program really because of retention then and that's one storyline that I hope
27:34Gets more attention over the next couple days here in San Antonio
27:3829 players last week in the elite eight among the four teams that are in the final four played double-figure minutes in the regional finals
27:4620 of those players were in their respective programs a year ago
27:51Four were freshmen and five were transfers
27:54Even though we are in this transfer portal climate where everything is about the edit the post the announcement
28:01Retention is still the most important thing at the highest level of basketball
28:05Of course for John Shire and Duke plenty of new faces led by this outstanding freshman class
28:11but still some guys that were there last year like Tyrese Proctor on the other side for Houston a lot of familiar faces for a
28:18Coogs team that had their NCAA tournament run cut short by Duke in the sweet 16 John as we look at these two teams
28:26Of course, it's been well reported by now that all four of these one seeds are some of the best teams
28:31We have seen in college basketball in the last two decades when you look at Duke the national
28:37Championship favorites before the year got started the national favorites national title favorites
28:41Entering the big dance and of course the even money national title favorites entering final four weekend in San Antonio
28:48What is the best thing about what the Blue Devils do on the basketball floor?
28:52Their defense and I think that's the thing that really deserves more attention
28:56You know
28:57I saw this when I was at a Duke practice early in the year Dukes positional size is the most
29:02Undervalued thing about this basketball team really all season long Ben
29:07There is not a player on the Blue Devils roster that stands smaller than 6-4 and you saw that against, Alabama
29:14Alabama in the sweet 16 against BYU put up a hundred and thirteen points against the Blue Devils only
29:221665 and that's an Alabama team again that averaged 91 points per game
29:2725 made threes in the sweet 16 only eight against the Dukies on
29:32Saturday night in Newark John to the other side for this Cougars team
29:36They have reached the sweet 16 six consecutive years now
29:39this is their second final for birth in the last five years, but for Kelman Sampson and
29:45Houston we know what it's like playing against the Cougars
29:48They make life miserable on the defensive side of the four
29:52What's the biggest difference about this year's Houston team as compared to the past few seasons?
29:59Well, if we're looking at a compared to last year Ben, it's simply health and death last year
30:04I had the good fortune of being in a situation where I was with Houston in the first and second round of the NCAA
30:10Tournament and remember this was a Houston team that lost Terrence Arsenault to a season-ending Achilles injury
30:16It was a team that lost Joseph Tugler to a season-ending foot injury
30:18And if you remember Houston played Duke in the sweet 16 last year and Jamal shed left that game with an ankle injury
30:26So Houston was a shell of itself from a depth perspective from a health perspective knock on wood right now
30:33Everything is aligned from a health and a depth perspective for Kelvin Sampson steam
30:37And that's why they're the pick that I made prior to the NCAA tournament to cut down the nets and I'm not wavering from that prediction
30:44John you took the words right out of my mouth the official John Rothstein prediction for our national championship game in San Antonio
30:52Was the Houston Cougars facing off against the Florida Gators with the Cougs reaching that pinnacle in cutting down the nets?
31:00Why do you remain confident John Rothstein that that will be what we see on Monday night. I
31:06Said it before the tournament. I'm not wavering from that prediction. I think it's the continuity
31:10I think it's also the fact that Houston has so many different players who can be the assassin. It can be crier
31:17It can be use and it can be arsenal. It can be Roberts
31:20And I also want to point this out
31:22Jawan Roberts has the obviously unique unique distinction of being the only player in Houston's program
31:29That was a part of the run in 2021 and was a part of the run this year in 2025
31:33He's gonna go down in special lore when it comes to obviously to the history of Houston's program
31:38The legacy for this Cougs team and of course with Kelvin Sampson one of the storylines this weekend in San Antonio
31:45Where John Rothstein will be we appreciate your time as always John. We're on the early line up now