Eye On College Basketball: 2025-2026 Big 12 Season Preview

Podcast: Eye on College Basketball
Date: October 24, 2025
Hosts: Matt Norlander & John Gasaway (filling in for Gary Parrish)

Overview

Live from Big 12 Media Day in Kansas City, Matt Norlander and John Gasaway deliver an in-depth, on-the-ground preview of the 2025-26 Big 12 Men's Basketball season. They break down the league’s key storylines, dig into team-by-team analysis, debate player and coach outlooks, and preview one of college basketball’s most loaded conferences. Major topics include Houston’s shot at redemption, Kansas’ bounce-back potential, and the new wave of freshmen stars set to dominate both the league and NBA draft boards.

Main Discussion Points and Insights

1. State of the Big 12: Media Day Vibes

[01:44–06:52]

• Hosts highlight the energy and organization of Big 12 Media Day in Kansas City.
• Norlander reflects:
  “This might be the best media day you could be at… national championship coaches, hall of famers, and maybe the top two picks in the NBA draft. It hits you, you’re talking to the possible face of the NBA someday.” [06:14]
• Both praise the unique opportunity to interact personally with coaches and players.

2. Top 5 Storylines in the Conference

1. Can Houston Get Over the Hump?

[06:52–14:19]

• Houston lost the national title game after leading by double digits in the second half.
• Kelvin Sampson’s calm but determined approach:
  “He doesn’t need to retire with a national championship... but absolutely he wants to get it. There’s a certain confidence with him right now.” [08:15 - Norlander recounting Sampson’s words]
• Gasaway has Houston preseason No. 1:
  “Splitting hairs, I’ve got Houston No. 1 and Purdue No. 2. This Houston staff, their culture, everything there… they’re my preseason pick.” [12:38]
• Emphasis on Houston’s resilience and culture, highlighted by player routines and their 34–4 Big 12 record since joining the league.

2. The Big 12 Player of the Year (POY) Race: DeBanza vs Peterson vs Toppin

[17:01–21:36]

• The POY race features preseason favorites:
  • AJ DeBanza (BYU freshman)
  • Darren Peterson (Kansas freshman)
  • JT Toppin (Texas Tech, reigning POY)
• Norlander on DeBanza:
  “He is going to be a monster... capable of winning games in a variety of ways.” [18:45]
• Matt on Peterson:
  “You talk to Bill Self about him… never coached a freshman like this. He’s gonna put the ball in that young man’s hands and ask him to get Kansas back.” [20:10]
• Gasaway adds:
  “This could also double as the National Player of the Year race.” [21:28]
• JT Toppin gets respect but trails the two freshmen on most preseason ballots.

3. Can Kansas Bounce Back Strong?

[21:42–24:56]

• Gasaway ranks Kansas No. 7 nationally, second in the Big 12:
  “It’s hard to resolve around the idea that KU would go three straight seasons not making a Sweet 16 or being a top-4 seed.” [22:51]
• Peterson’s arrival sparks optimism, Bill Self’s motivation noted:
  “He hears what people are saying… has the program slipped? And he wants to stop people from asking those questions.” [24:11]
• Debate over depth and talent compared to past KU teams.

4. Texas Tech’s Leap: Final Four Contender?

[26:13–28:19]

• Focus on Grant McCasland’s coaching growth following last year’s Elite Eight loss.
• Norlander:
  “He actually watched [the loss] the night of the game, and says he goes back to it all the time… just trying to learn from it. That’s really impressive.” [26:46–27:42]
• Praises McCasland’s overachievement at every D1 stop.
• Texas Tech’s depth beyond Toppin: Chris Andersen, Luke Bamboy, Tyree Bryan, Lawan Watts.

5. Is the Big 12 Still The Best League?

[29:21–31:30]

• Can the Big 12 retake the mantle from the SEC?
• “It’s a three-league race: SEC, Big Ten, Big 12. I think the Big Ten will rank No. 1 in the metrics at the end, but the Big 12 wouldn’t be a surprise...” [29:25, Gasaway]
• Norlander gives the Big 12 roughly a 40% chance of being No. 1 in computer rankings, but says it will be “the most entertaining league” regardless. [30:12–31:26]

Team-by-Team Projections & Deep Dives

Preseason Rankings – Consensus Top 9

([33:09–47:43], see table for team order) | Norlander | Gasaway | |------------------|--------------| | 1. Houston | 1. Houston | | 2. BYU | 2. Kansas | | 3. Texas Tech | 3. Arizona | | 4. Arizona | 4. Texas Tech| | 5. Iowa State | 5. BYU | | 6. Kansas | 6. Iowa State| | 7. Baylor | 7. Baylor | | 8. Kansas State | 8. Cincinnati| | 9. Cincinnati | 9. K-State |

BYU Is a Popular Sleeper

• Norlander moves them to No. 2 due to off-season talent upgrades and last year’s stretch as a top-10 team.

Baylor’s Complete Roster Reset

• “Baylor does not return a single player that played for them a season ago. It’s wild.” [38:33]
• Both hosts praise Scott Drew’s positivity and adaptability.

Kansas State’s Underrated Star

• PJ Haggerty (transfer from Memphis) might be the league’s most overlooked preseason All-American.
• “He had one of the greatest individual seasons in Memphis history... Tang thinks he'll reenter that (All-American) conversation pretty quickly.” [43:48–44:36]

Other Teams Discussed

• Arizona: Jaden Bradley, Toby Iwaka, Braden Burries as key pieces [36:20].
• Iowa State: Returns more minutes per game than any other Big 12 team, core of Tamen Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson, Milan Momcilovic [37:55].
• Cincinnati & West Miller: A tournament-or-bust year after dismissing Jizzle James [41:01].
• TCU/Oklahoma State/West Virginia/Colorado/Utah/UCF/Arizona State:
  Lots of coaching pressure at the bottom (Bobby Hurley, Johnny Dawkins potentially on hot seat) [45:34–47:14].

Key Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Houston’s dominance:
  “34–4 over a two-year span in the Big 12… you’re not supposed to do that. Nobody’s supposed to do that.” [14:56 – Norlander on Sampson]
• Peterson’s expectations at Kansas:
  “Bill has coached the No. 1 pick, coached an MVP, but he doesn’t mince words: he’s never coached a freshman like Darren Peterson.” [20:10 – Norlander]
• On Baylor's rebuild:
  “They’re really just plugging numbers into an algorithm… it’s almost completely backwards [recruiting].” [39:42 – Norlander on Scott Drew’s approach]
• On the transfer scene:
  “There was a Baylor—Cincinnati trade: Celestine went from Baylor to Cincy, Skillings from Cincy to Baylor.” [41:35]
• On why the league will entertain:
  “Whether it’s the best or not… it’s the most interesting: national champs, rising stars, two NBA top picks.” [31:23 – Norlander]
• On preseason awards voting logic:
  “There is no scenario where you watch a season of Big 12 basketball and decide Darren Peterson is the best player in the league but someone else is the freshman of the year. That’s stupid. I will not stand for that.” [54:02 – Norlander, classic rant]

Predictions & Awards

NCAA Tournament Bids

[52:34–52:38]

• Both hosts think 9 Big 12 teams will dance:
  Houston, BYU, Texas Tech, Arizona, Iowa State, Kansas, Baylor, Kansas State, Cincinnati.

Preseason Conference Awards

[54:40–57:35]

• Player of the Year / Freshman of the Year

  • Matt Norlander: AJ DeBanza (BYU)
  • John Gasaway: Darren Peterson (Kansas)
  • Both: “If a freshman wins POY, he's also FOY, period!”

• Transfer of the Year

  • Both: PJ Haggerty (Kansas State)
    • “Consensus second-team All-American is an option, you take him.” [57:15]

Notable Timestamps

• 06:01 – Introduction of this year's top storylines
• 08:15 – Houston’s quest for a title, Sampson's focus
• 14:56 – Houston’s incredible Big 12 record, Sampson’s scheduling philosophy
• 17:01 – The Big 12 Player of the Year race heats up
• 21:42 – Kansas’ bounce-back and roster deep-dive
• 26:13 – Texas Tech’s March heartbreak and McCasland’s evolution
• 29:21 – Is the Big 12 still the country’s best conference?
• 34:01 – Hosts reveal and debate their team rankings
• 43:48 – Kansas State’s PJ Haggerty love fest
• 52:34 – Tournament bids: 9 is the consensus over/under
• 54:40 – Player, Freshman, and Transfer of the Year picks and the annual Norlander rant

Tone and Highlights

• The hosts are energetic, occasionally irreverent, passionate for inside jokes (e.g., Norlander's “dead arm” story at [03:13]) and committed to both sharp analysis and high entertainment value.
• Memorable banter includes light ribbing about the voting process and Norlander’s hilarious frustration over possible ballot anomalies.

Summary Table: Top Projected Teams (Preseason)

| Rank | Matt Norlander | John Gasaway | |------|----------------|---------------| | 1 | Houston | Houston | | 2 | BYU | Kansas | | 3 | Texas Tech | Arizona | | 4 | Arizona | Texas Tech | | 5 | Iowa State | BYU | | 6 | Kansas | Iowa State | | 7 | Baylor | Baylor | | 8 | Kansas State | Cincinnati | | 9 | Cincinnati | Kansas State |

For Listeners

If you’re seeking the most up-to-date and comprehensive breakdown of the Big 12 as it enters its deepest, most talent-packed season in years, this preview is required listening. From on-the-ground Media Day color to deep roster dives, award debates, coaching hot seats, and NBA lottery projections, Norlander and Gasaway have you covered.

[End of episode content. All timestamps above in MM:SS format. Ads, intros, and outros omitted.]