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Eye On College Basketball
2025 March Madness NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Preview, Picks, Predictions, Sleepers
01:06:01
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- [00:00]
Gary Parrish
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- [00:39]
Matt Norlander
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- [01:28]
Gary Parrish
Hey there. I'm Gary Parrish. Welcome back to the Ion College Basketball Podcast where we sometimes discuss camel fighting. Dodo Birds is here with me. The Sweet 16 is still, it's still two days away, but we are like, I mean we're like seven hours closer to it since the last time we podcast. So that's exciting. How you been the past seven hours? What you been up to?
- [01:53]
Matt Norlander
You want to do a right? You know what, let's just do a rundown here. Made a bunch of calls on the carousel. Got a little bit of time with the kids in I actually am now in real time realizing that I didn't check my older son's homework. I'm going to do that after this podcast. Put the kids down, did, did a little mushroom potato medley with some salmon for dinner. Mix that in. Yeah, just been running around. What's your past seven hours been like.
- [02:13]
Gary Parrish
GP I left FedEx forum, got the kids home from school. I don't have time to make dinner. My wife's out of town.
- [02:23]
Matt Norlander
I didn't have an option tonight. It was, my wife was like, you got to do dinner tonight. And I was like, you're absolutely right.
- [02:29]
Gary Parrish
I asked my.
- [02:30]
Matt Norlander
My wife's got a dumb Mac and cheese, carrots and ranch, little pouch. Pouch dealio. Kids were good to go.
- [02:38]
Gary Parrish
No, I got home at midnight last night after being gone for six nights, you know, went to bed at three, got up this morning, took my kids to school, did two. Two shows. Three shows. I think three. Two shows. Got home, got the kids home from school, wife's out of town, so I. I'm responsible for dinner, but have no time to make it. So this was our conversation tonight. Hey, boys, what do you want for dinner? Can we have McDonald's? Yeah, Uber Eats. So we Uber Eats McDonald's, a couple big Mac mills. Healthy. We're living healthy.
- [03:10]
Matt Norlander
I'm not judging, I just. I'm surprised. It was like, that was. It was like, whatever. Okay? It's not only UberEats, it's McDonald's. No, no offense. I mean it. No offense at all.
- [03:20]
Gary Parrish
That's what they wanted. That's what they wanted. If they would have said they wanted, you know, Ruth Chris, we'd order Ruth Chris. I was just. I'm just trying to knock things off of a to do list. And then I prepared for another show and then when I get through with this, I'll take a five hour energy since I got like seven boxes of them downstairs.
- [03:43]
Matt Norlander
Our energy. You didn't listen to the show Sunday, Cobb is telling me he used all of his Paramount points to buy like three cases of Celsius.
- [03:49]
Gary Parrish
Like, I got, I got. I got seven pack. Seven boxes of five hour energy downstairs. They just, they keep sending it. So I'm. I'm down a couple five hour energies pack, say goodbye to my kids again, and then head back to New York tomorrow. So, yeah, it's been awesome, man. It's been awesome.
- [04:06]
Matt Norlander
Hey, we got a sweet 16. We got us. Listen, we got a sweet 16 to preview. This is, by the way, if you're watching live on YouTube, surprise, we're live. We are doing this specifically because GP's got. He's got stuff to do in the morning, he's got travel back to New York, and then I'm going to Newark for the regionals. So we have to get you. We are literally contractually obligated at this point to get you this episode, a non CBS Sports Network episode. And if you're watching live on YouTube, you're getting on Tuesday.
- [04:29]
Gary Parrish
This.
- [04:29]
Matt Norlander
This is technically hitting the audio feed shortly after midnight on Wednesday. All too happy to do it. I genuinely, truly hope that you are not all sick of us. I mean, I mean it. I'm happy to talk to gp. We do it plenty. It's great to see your face. It's wonderful to hear your voice. And I just hope that you're not getting podcast overload. It is March Madness. I'm ready to go break down whatever we want to talk about here, gp.
- [04:49]
Gary Parrish
So before we get to a bunch of sponsored segments, tell me about your two or three favorite storylines heading into the Sweet sixteen. I think over the past three nights we've talked about this. Three days, rather. We've talked about this so much. We've pretty much explored it from every angle. But if you were talking for the first time and nobody ever heard you say a single thing about the sweet 16. And I said. Matt Norlander, college basketball insider, CBS Sports. Tell me what to look forward to with this Sweet 16 in the 2025 NCAA tournament that lacks Cinderellas. Other than, of course, John Caliperi.
- [05:25]
Matt Norlander
Of course. Yeah. Do we go, by the way, are we going with John Cinderella or Johnny Cinderella? I feel like both of them work. You make the call.
- [05:33]
Gary Parrish
I, I, I just, I went strictly John Cinderella because John Calipari, but if you want to go Johnny Cinderella, it's fine with me. I think either one of them works. I just like the idea of John Calipari being the Cinderella of the 2025 NCAA tournament.
- [05:46]
Matt Norlander
Correct. He is actually, this is not one of my picks, but he is coaching. How about this? He is coaching a double digit seed in the tournament for the first time ever in his career. Did you realize that?
- [05:55]
Gary Parrish
I did. 24th NCAA tournament appearance had never been, I believe, worse than an eight seat. I think eight was as low as it had ever gone, but certainly never a double digit seed. And for the first time ever as a double digit seed, he, he advances to the sweet 16. It is a neat story.
- [06:12]
Matt Norlander
We spent a lot of time on it. It's not going to be the ones I give. So these are. Yeah, I want to give at least a little. If you're consuming every podcast, we obviously super duper appreciate you, but I don't think we frame stuff like this. So Here are the three storylines slash things about the Sweet 16 that I find to be the most intriguing. Number one is the four first year coaches that are in the Sweet 16 with schools that didn't win a tournament game a year ago. That's never happened in the history of the tournament. You've got Pope at Kentucky, Kevin Young at byu, John Caliperi at Arkansas. All of those are connected from the coaching carousel a year ago. And then you have Dusty May at Michigan and not only doing it at Michigan, but doing it with the Michigan team that only won eight games a year ago. So that one is, is just pretty cool to me. And I if you told me we got it again in the next five years, I think I believe you with how just the churn of everything with the carousel and maybe what we're going to be moving forward in college basketball, maybe we don't. We never had it before this year. I'm intrigued by that angle with it. And I, I'd say, you know, even though Michigan's the worst seed, BYU is the worst seed and Arkansas is the worst seed and no, in Kentucky, they're all the worst seed. I think at least one of them will break through and make the Elite 8. I think that's a pretty cool storyline. Number two for me is the fact that Maryland is in this. It's in the Sweet 16 for only the second time since 2003. Now, to the Maryland fans that listen to the show, they're extremely aware of this, but it's not even that they haven't made all but two Sweet 16s in 22 years. It's also that they're only in a second one because of Derek Queen making the shot. He did the play. He did semi controversial fashion, hitting it at the buzzer. They, they got there barely after Jalen Lake had that awesome shot before the shot. And they're also doing it while their coach has frequently addressed his gripes and grievances with his university, which now doesn't have an athletic director. And no one really knows if he's doing this because he's out to Nova no matter what, or if he's doing it because he doesn't have a boss right now and he has the school over a barrel and he's going to get whatever he wants and he has every intention of staying at Maryland. I think that is super duper intriguing. And then my third one is Houston having to and I don't think we've talked about this too much on the show. Houston has to do this in, in Indianapolis. It's got to go against Purdue. It's got. And then if it wins, it's got to either play Kentucky or Tennessee. Houston fans will show up. But I think it is logical to expect that Purdue, Kentucky and Tennessee fans, because of the proximity and all of those fan bases being able to drive to Indianapolis, are going to be there in bigger numbers. So if Houston is going to get to the Final Four. It needs to probably win two, if not de facto road games, something that's a proxy to that overall gp. And Kelvin Sampson's had a really good program yet again. We'll see if it can get through. It's my national championship pick. Those are the three that intrigued me. Also a quick gripe. I, I literally hate that they're playing this at, at Lucas Oil Stadium where we're gonna have the Final Four. I get it. I, I, I don't know the answer. Why? Why can't wait. Can't this be played in the basketball arenas like they're doing the other three, like weak. We need to permanently move on from the regional semis and the regional finals being in football stadiums. Not needed. Put them in basketball arenas. Save the Final Four for the big one there. Could they. Did the Pacers absolutely insist on having a home game? I, I don't know the reason why. I just find it to be completely unnecessary. I think they're probably doing it for like quote unquote dress rehearsal for the Final Four year from now. You've had it in this building plenty of times before. You don't need to do that again. I don't like it. Had to get it off my chest. Those are my storylines reactions and what are yours?
- [09:43]
Gary Parrish
Isn't it as simple as you can sell a lot more tickets to Lucas Oil than you can Gainbridge Fieldhouse?
- [09:50]
Matt Norlander
If that's the case, why don't they do it in Atlanta?
- [09:54]
Gary Parrish
They probably will at some point.
- [09:56]
Matt Norlander
Well, they used to do it in the past. They've, they've moved away from it. Newark doesn't really have that option. And San Francisco. I love to see him try play play down in Santa Clara. I don't know. I do not want to give the NCAA any more ideas. That might be it, but not a good enough reason for me. You can sell plenty of tickets at the Final Four and make up for it. The basketball game should be played in basketball arenas until it is actually logistically rational to put it in a football stadium where you want to accommodate as most fans as much fans as possible. But that's a personal gripe, that's all.
- [10:21]
Gary Parrish
Yeah, I mean, I prefer basketball and basketball arenas as well, but I also understand the business of money making. And if you know you can put 50,000 in a dome or a stadium as opposed to 17 in a traditional basketball arena, well, that, that money adds up pretty quick. It so like, whatever. I agree with you fundamentally. But I also understand the more seats, the more money and that's typically the way these things go for me. The. The big story. And, and I don't hate. And we've talked about this before. I don't hate it being in Lucas Oil as much as I hate one seed Houston having to play Purdue so close to its campus. Like, I. I know that the NCAA acknowledges this as a possibility, but then steers away from addressing it. I fundamentally believe this. I do not think a two seed, three seed or four or four seed should be placed in a regional in close proximity to its campus. That at the expense of a number one seed. Like, I would make that a bracketing principle. I do not ever want to be in a situation where you're having to play a de facto road game before the Final Four as a number one seed. I don't mind Auburn getting placed close to its campus because it's the one seed. It earned that. But Houston earned a one seed and now is placed in a position where it's disadvantaged having to play so close to Purdue's campus. And I. If I were in charge of the whole thing, that is something we would. We would look closely at and. And fix. Any other storylines you want to touch on or are you ready to move on?
- [12:06]
Matt Norlander
No. A couple nuggets. Just as before, we. Because the next time we talk. Well, next time we talk will be a few shows because of logistics with shows. But we're looking to see like the SEC is going to try and get 5 into the elite Eight. That's never happened before. We'll see. The SEC is probably set the record. Probably. We'll see for tournament wins. That is 19. The ACC did it back in 2016. There's only been one elite eight ever with three coaches. I mentioned the four coaches in one spot. Only one elite ever had three coaches in their first year make. Make it that year. And that was in 98. Bill Guthridge, UNC. Tubby Smith, Kentucky. Jim Herrick. Jim Herrick. That was Rhode Island. Shouts man, oh man. Roadie back all the way in in 98. There a couple more nuggets, then we can move on. Michigan, BYU, Ole Miss and Arkansas can make it a fifth. Sorry, they're. They're a five seater. Worse, they can make it a 12th straight tournament. Getting to a Final Four with a five seed or worse. We talk about all the chalk, but that streak is still technically alive. We'll see if we get there. We have never. Not never. We haven't had. It's been a dozen years since we've had a Final Four with nothing but four seeds or better. So we'll see that Alabama, Tennessee and Purdue, they're all trying to make back to back elite eights for the first time in school history. You got to believe at least one and conceivably I guess all three could do it. But none of those schools have gone to back to back elite eight. They're going to try and do that and then last one shouts to our research team for this. This is pretty intriguing right now. Transfers in this tournament have accounted for 53% of the scoring. That figure was 8% in 2011. It was 15 in 2016 and four seasons ago in the bubble tournament it was 28. It is now 53% of the scoring in this one is is from transfers. They didn't start at the at the original school there. And 11 of the 16 teams here are 11 scoring by a transfer. So new world, that's not going to change. But I found that data to be interesting.
- [14:04]
Gary Parrish
All right, up next, we'll play Stay or Hit, brought to you by Chumba Casino. But first, let's get a quick word from our partners.
- [14:12]
Matt Norlander
Okay, let's talk about clothes that feel just right. You know those pants? You wear them once and suddenly they're your go to for everything. That's Travis Matthew and this episode is presented by Travis Matthew. Apparel designed for confidence and comfort no matter where the day takes you. Travis Matthew has so many instant classics, tees, shoes, outerwear, pants and a customer favorite, the quarter zips. I have to speak up on the jeans. I have a pair. They're the most comfortable jeans I've ever worn in my life. They are stretchy, soft, durable, can wear them out with my wife, can wear them to cover a basketball game, can wear them around the house. Excellent, excellent pair of jeans. Highly, highly recommend. So a big thanks to Travis Matthew for creating apparel that keeps up with everything my day throws at me. This apparel is designed for confidence, comfort, really, no matter where the day takes you. So go ahead, treat yourself right now. Visit travismathew.com that's Matthew with one T. New customers get 20% off their first purchase and rewards members, free shipping and returns are all yours. Don't miss out. Travismathieu.com I've been working with a nurse.
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Gary Parrish
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Matt Norlander
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Gary Parrish
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Matt Norlander
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Gary Parrish
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Matt Norlander
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Gary Parrish
94% of patients pay $0 out of pocket. Find your dietitian@usenourish.com that's usenourish.com now it's time for the Stay or hit segment, brought to you by Chumba Casino. Whether you're chilling at home or on the move, play for the chance to redeem some serious prizes with Chumba Casino. No purchase necessary. VGW Group. Void where prohibited by law. 18/ Terms and Conditions apply. Norlander. Today it's stay or hit. Final Four Most Outstanding Player. I'll name players, okay? And you tell me which one you think is more likely to end up as the Final Fours Most Outstanding player. Our starting place is Auburn's Janai Broom. Do you want to stay on Auburn's Janai Broom or hit and get Florida's Walter Clayton Jr.
- [16:28]
Matt Norlander
I'll stay. I think that Auburn's more likely to be in the Final Four than Florida, so I will take broom as default.
- [16:34]
Gary Parrish
Do you want to stay on Janai Broome or hit and get Houston's LJ Crier?
- [16:42]
Matt Norlander
Final Four Mop.
- [16:44]
Gary Parrish
Mop.
- [16:46]
Matt Norlander
I mean, I suggest you hit, sir.
- [16:50]
Gary Parrish
You're taking LJ Cryer over Janai Broom.
- [16:52]
Matt Norlander
Keep it moving. I'm gonna have to do this again. Yeah, I'll explain it.
- [16:55]
Gary Parrish
Do you want to stay on LJ Cryer, or do you want to hit and get Michigan State's Jace Richardson?
- [17:02]
Matt Norlander
I suggest you hit, sir. Keep it going.
- [17:06]
Gary Parrish
You're taking Jace Richardson.
- [17:08]
Matt Norlander
Oh, sorry. I'll stay.
- [17:10]
Gary Parrish
You don't know how to play stairs. Is this your first time inside Jumbo Casino? Is this your first time inside Jumba Casino? You don't know how to play. You don't know how to play the stay or hit segment. When are we going to teach you how to play stay or hit?
- [17:25]
Matt Norlander
It's been a successful venture since the first time we did it. I'll stay. Okay. Maybe I'll just start saying it instead.
- [17:32]
Gary Parrish
Yeah, maybe. Maybe eliminate some of the variables here. All right. Do you want to stay on Houston's LJ Cryer or hit and get Alabama's Mark Sears?
- [17:45]
Matt Norlander
Hey, I got a question for you before you get out. Okay. So I've got Houston winning the national title.
- [17:51]
Gary Parrish
That's right.
- [17:52]
Matt Norlander
So logically, shouldn't I. Shouldn't I stay with the player on the team? But, like, it could conceivably Emmanuel Sharp or JoJo Tuggler could be the. The mop instead. So I'm. I'm A little bit. I'm a little bit lost as to what to do.
- [18:08]
Gary Parrish
Well, you better figure it out.
- [18:11]
Matt Norlander
You know what effort I suggest you hit. I got Bam in the Final Four. Give me Sears.
- [18:19]
Gary Parrish
Last one. Do you want to stay on Alabama's Mark Sears or hit and get Duke's Cooper Flower?
- [18:28]
Matt Norlander
Stay. I'll stay. I've got Bama in the Final Four. I've got Bama over Duke going down with the strip. So yeah, give me Mark Sears and. And we mostly got through that without a scratch, except not at all. It's been a joy.
- [18:42]
Gary Parrish
Oh man, you did. You tried hard. I could tell you were trying hard. At least you were given a good effort. You just got a little confused along the way. It happens. It happens. Nobody ever said stay or hit in a little. Nobody said stay or hit. Can't get a little confusing sometimes. That was the Stay or hit segment brought to you by Chumba Casino. Ready to dive into some excitement? Chumba Casino is where it's at. It's free to play. So just jump right in and explore over hundreds of social casino style games with fresh new releases every week. Play anytime, anywhere and enjoy free daily login bonuses and an amazing welcome offer. No purchase necessary. VGW Group voidware prohibited by law. 18/ Terms and Conditions apply now. Now it's time for the flashback segment brought to you by Travis Matthew Apparel designed for confidence and comfort no matter where the day takes you. Norlander Heading into the sweet 16, do you mind if we flash back to A memorable Sweet 16 game? The date was Friday, March 28, 2008. Final score Davidson 73, Wisconsin 56. It happened in Detroit. After scoring 40 points in a tournament opening win over Gonzaga and then 30 in a second round win over Georgetown, a young man named Stephen Curry put 33 on the baggers to launch Davidson into the elite eight of the 2008 NCAA tournamen Norlando. What do you remember about Steph torching Wisconsin on a Friday night in Detroit?
- [20:14]
Matt Norlander
I remember so they beat Gonzaga, they get some buzz first round and then the win over Georgetown was like they Beacon Zaga. And everyone was like all right, this dude on, on Davidson. Like there was, there was like college hoops buzz about him going into the tournament and then he did it against Gonzaga. I was like we might really have something here. And then they beat a good Georgetown team, like top 10 level Georgetown team and then that carries over into the sweet 16 and you had, you know, four days in between or whatever, five days in between the games and then the Wisconsin win. It's a Wisconsin team that was 30. People realize this team was 31 5. What do you know about Joe Krabbenhoff other than he's an assistant now and might have been assaulted in a handshake line by Joanne Howard for that. Before that, he was a starter on that very team. Jason Bohannon.
- [21:06]
Gary Parrish
In the same lifetime, you get torched by Steph Curry and slapped by Juwan Howard. In the same lifetime, he's one of a kind.
- [21:13]
Matt Norlander
Joe Krabbenhoff. John Lure was on this team as a freshman. That was a good, that was a good Wisconsin team. And then Curry absolutely torched him in. You know, I did the, I did the story a couple weeks ago. Biggest stars in the sport in the past 25 years and Steph Curry cracked the top, top 10 because of this list. And frankly, you know, ending in the sweet 16 versus ending in the elite eight has, has an impact on that. Overall, they got knocked out by two, two days later against Kansas. I think that game was also in a football stadium. Oh, by the way. Right.
- [21:46]
Gary Parrish
Hey, by the way, somebody in the chat said the reason they're doing this at Lucas Oil is because Indiana high school state tournament is in game bridge or something like that.
- [21:55]
Matt Norlander
So, you know, what's, what's interesting about.
- [21:57]
Gary Parrish
That, and I don't know why I'm repeating that out loud. I've got this person. But just know that. Just, just know that the chat is often wrong about what it's talking about.
- [22:07]
Matt Norlander
Taking the chat's word for it. And I believe it because in Indiana, like, they don't mess around with their high school hoops. And I actually believe high school ball means so much to that state that they're like, no, you're not getting, you're not getting the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 in this building. You're going to take it down the street to Lucas Oil. I actually believe that there would be enough people that cared about it enough that that's why it's happening. But that is interesting on the same. But yeah, no, the Curry stuff was, was a major moment and it's, it's, it's interesting to look back on where he was at that point in his career. You know, he did return, by the way, the next season and Davidson didn't make the tournament. But we see Steph now as the greatest shooter of all time. You know, unquestionably one of the 20 best, 15 best even you can make the case NBA players of all time and one of the most influential players of all time just because of what he's done over the years. But it's fun to go back and, and for us who are old enough to do so, to transport back in time to that point in his career when we did not. There were serious questions about if he could actually sustain and have the ability to be a player that could make a second NBA contract. And he became this March Madness star, this college basketball celebrity. And it's pretty cool now all these years later that he's maintained a strong bond with Davidson and it's going to be like their, they're like de facto side gm. I think that's absolutely awesome. And also speaks to where we are in college athletics.
- [23:27]
Gary Parrish
I believe. Not. Not just believe. Let me, let me actually double check this. I know I was in Charlotte that night. There was a regional final in Charlotte and Tennessee was there, North Carolina was there, Louisville, Washington State. It was a Thursday, Thursday site. So you know how it is when you're at these sites on the days you got games, you're in the arena, and then on the other days you do your off day, press availability, knock out a column, gather up your media friends, find a place to watch the games, get some drinks and some quesadillas or whatever. And how about this? I don't remember a single thing about what I actually covered in Charlotte.
- [24:17]
Matt Norlander
Why am I not surprised?
- [24:19]
Gary Parrish
I mean, I know North Carolina came out of there because that was the year all four number one seeds made it to the Final Four. I don't remember who played who, I don't remember who scored. I don't remember a single thing about the games. But I remember being in Charlotte watching Steph Curry play Wisconsin. I remember that, but I don't remember the games I actually attended in Charlotte, but I remember watching Steph and that felt like the big breakout moment and is among the reasons making the sweet 16 is such a bigger deal than just getting to the round of 32.
- [24:50]
Matt Norlander
Sing it.
- [24:50]
Gary Parrish
Yes, it's just such a bigger deal because on Thursday we're just, from the time we wake up to the nine we go to bed, it's just games, it's just stuff happening. And like congratulations if something cool happened for you, but like something cool happened for somebody else and there's a lot of stuff happening and then there's a lot of stuff happening on Friday and then if you're gone on Saturday, it's like whatever. But when you go to the sweet 16, you get that Monday where people are talking about you and focused on you, Tuesday talking about you and Focused on you Wednesday, talking about you and focused on you. And for Steph, you actually had the extra day because this was a Friday, Sunday regional final. And so you get them in there against a Georgetown team that had recently been in the final Four with Roy Hibbert. Now they're there. Roy Hibbert's senior year. And this was coming off of, of STEPH Doing the 40 against Gonzaga and the 30 against Georgetown. And it felt like the whole world was like, okay, Dell Curry's kid can really shoot it and he's going crazy for a mid major. And then rather than like throw up one of those three of 17, he did it again. He was awesome again. And it really felt like that was the introduction to Steph Curry. I've talked to Roy Hibbert about this. We obviously work together now somehow. Yeah, some documentary. Some documentary was a Steph Curry documentary a few years ago. And they called, they reached out to Roy and they were like, hey, we want to sit down with you. You know, we know your final college game was against Steph and Davidson. And he just said, I can't do.
- [26:30]
Matt Norlander
It out of the kindness of this. Already thought I, I gotta do this. Never lose my number.
- [26:38]
Gary Parrish
He has the kindest heart. Roy Hibbert is the nicest man in the world. Like, I wish Roy Hibbert. I love working with Roy Hibbert and I also wish he lived next door to me. That's the greatest compliment I could ever give former athletes. Like, I would have loved for him to be the starting center on my favorite NBA team. And I would love for him to be my neighbor. He's just an awesome guy. But that's how much it hurt him to have his college career ended by Steph Curry. He was like, I can't. I just, I just don't want to talk about it. And so he declined, respectfully, declined to participate. And then, of course, Davidson goes to the elite eight, they play Kansas, they lose 59, 57. Trivia time. Who took the potential game winning three at the buzzer for Davidson? It was not Steph.
- [27:18]
Matt Norlander
The White Lobster.
- [27:20]
Gary Parrish
Do you remember his name?
- [27:21]
Matt Norlander
We've done. You know what, you know what's crazy is we've done this on the show before. We've done this exact thing. It's Andrew something. I'm almost positive. Am I right?
- [27:29]
Gary Parrish
Or Jason Richards?
- [27:30]
Matt Norlander
Oh, no, yeah. Andrew Lovedale is the other, the other player.
- [27:32]
Gary Parrish
Sorry, yeah, Jason.
- [27:33]
Matt Norlander
Jason Lovedale, not.
- [27:37]
Gary Parrish
Jason Richards. Missed a game, winning three in the final seconds. And if he makes that, I really believe the Entire course of college basketball history has changed because I really believe. If he makes that.
- [27:51]
Matt Norlander
Where does Bill Self go?
- [27:53]
Gary Parrish
Oklahoma State. He's the head coach at Oklahoma State. He leaves after 2008 season because Kansas fans are yelling, this guy has one seed every year but can't ever actually get to the Final Four. And he says, enough of this, I'm out. I'm going to my alma mater. And he would have spent the next 20 years beating Kansas's brains in at Oklahoma State. As it is, he's won multiple national championships at Kansas, including one that season. But I genuinely believe that that Davidson Kansas game goes differently. Bill Self, that is, that is not. That is Bill Self's last game as the Kansas coach. I think that's true.
- [28:31]
Matt Norlander
I actually, I like that you brought this up. I know we're going to Preview the Sweet 16 in a second, but we won't have it this year. So in absence of that, it was kind of a fun little walk down memory lane. And my last point here, I was on the radio with our colleague Bill Ryder earlier today who had awesome kind things to say about you in the pod and very much appreciated that. But I made the point. The thing I love about the sport and the tournament is it's really, it's really the only sporting event in America, in my opinion, where making the sweets, like for some schools making the tournament, you hang a banner, other schools making the Sweet 16, that's a major, major accomplishment. You hang a banner, you make a Final Four, you hang a banner and then obviously win a title. I just love how you get rewarded and celebrated even if you don't ultimately end up being the last team standing. And I think that's a great thing. It doesn't get talked about enough and it's kind of unique to American sports.
- [29:23]
Gary Parrish
All right, that was the flashback segment brought to you by Travis Matthew. Apparel designed for confidence and comfort no matter where the day takes. Appreciate Travis Matthew being a part of the Ion College basketball podcast. Send us along some stuff. Terrific quality. Feels great. You can learn more travismathew.com we come back, it's time for the Final Four and one presented by fanduel. But first, let's get a word from our partners.
- [29:48]
Matt Norlander
It's that time of year again. My schedule is packed with bracket busting, three point shooting, nonstop basketball action. I don't want to miss a second of it. And I find myself staying up late to catch all the action I can't be dragging the next morning. That's why I go for a five Hour Energy shot. They're perfect for my days packed with back to back games or when my favorite team is playing late. With over 15 flavors to choose from like watermelon, Tropical Burst, blue, raspberry, peach, mango and more, there's a flavor for everyone on their website. You have the option to build your own 12 pack or 24 pack and have it delivered delivered right to your door. And if you're out and about, you can always pick up a five Hour Energy shot at your local grocery or convenience store. They're everywhere. Five Hour Energy keeps me going during the broadcast and the next morning when I need to get myself up and work. Visit 5hourenergy.com for great deals and to stock up before the next tip off. Oh my God. It's the coolest thing ever. Hey guys, have you heard of Gold Belly? Well, check this out. It's this amazing sun where they ship the most iconic famous foods from restaurants across the country anywhere nationwide. I've never found a more perfect gift than food. They ship Chicago deep dish pizza, New York bagels, Maine lobster rolls and even Ina Garten's famous cakes. Seriously. So if you're looking for a gift for the food lover in your Life, head to goldbelly.com and get 20% off your first order with promo code gift. We are back from break and there's my buddy GP. I see we are TI. It's time for the final four and one presented by FanDuel. Make every moment more we are. What we're going to do here is we're going to pick the four Thursday games and then we're going to pick. We're going to pick Auburn vs. Michigan as the Friday game. We do this every week, obviously, and there's still five to pick, but we won't have another show to do this appropriately so before then. So that's what we're going to do. I assume GP is named the Arenas, but I have no idea.
- [31:51]
Gary Parrish
Oh, you know I've named the arenas. Game one Thursday, 709 Eastern. It's Alabama BYU inside the Ray Liotta Center.
- [31:59]
Matt Norlander
Okay. Do I need to know why?
- [32:02]
Gary Parrish
He's born in Newark.
- [32:03]
Matt Norlander
Okay, there we go.
- [32:05]
Gary Parrish
Ray Leota. The late, great Ray Liotta was born in Newark. You can watch it on CBS. Alabama -5 and a half.
- [32:11]
Matt Norlander
Bama -5 and a half. I am psyched to be on the building for this one. This is BYU's first Sweet 16 game since Jim Fredette was in uniform. BYU if it were to win being the elite for the first time since 81. Danny Ainge was on the team then. That was before I was born. If they get there, by the way, BYU, the 43 year gap between elite, they got to win it. But if they do, it would tie Clemson for the fourth longest gap ever between elite appearances there. Yeah, this is a, this is pretty cool. I'm looking forward to this one. A note about this region by the way. All four coaches in this region have never missed the tournament when they've been at their current school. Now Kevin Young just got there but NATO's Tommy Lloyd, John Shire, every, every, every year there's been a tournament and they've been at the current school. They've made it there and, and they haven't been there long. Everyone's been there six seasons or fewer. BYU's been hot 111 in this past 12 games. Alabama coming off of a game against St. Mary's where it pretty much dominated the conversation. I'm wondering Richie Saunders, how does Alabama contain him? He had 25 points. Jaeger demon, is this, you know, does he have a sweet 16 moment running the point for BYU here. I've got Bama in my bracket but I think there is a scenario in which BYU actually wins this game and, and exhibits again just how good and not if not great. It's been parish over the past six weeks. So I will take, I will take Bama to win, I will take BYU to cover and I really really want to see a cover. I want, I want 102, 100. Give me something like that. Give me the Cougars cover.
- [33:52]
Gary Parrish
I'm also going to take BYU plus the points. They're 11 and 1 in their past 12 which we've talked about before. Loan loss to Houston. They started this run, this 12 run game stretch on February 11th and if you go back to February 11th and just run the numbers from that point forward. The only teams in the country ranked higher@bartorvic.com from February 11th to this day are Duke, Houston and Florida. Three number one seats. BYU is a top four team. Not over the past week or two weeks. For six weeks now, for six weeks now, BYU has been performing like a top four team. According to bartorvic.com I will take the Cougars plus the five and a half game two Thursday 7:39pm Eastern Maryland, Florida inside the Bruce Lee Center. You can watch it. Bruce Lee born in San Francisco.
- [34:47]
Matt Norlander
How about that?
- [34:48]
Gary Parrish
How about that? How about that? You can watch it on tbs. Florida minus six and a half.
- [34:55]
Matt Norlander
How about this nugget? Florida has won and now this doesn't really mean anything, but it is a pattern nonetheless. Florida has not lost a Sweet 16 game since 1999. It has won eight in a row, and it has played in a regional semi. That's the second longest streak ever. Carolina went 11 in a row from 93 to 2012. Gators average. Okay. Gators average 85.4 points per game. This season, Maryland has not allowed a single team to hit 85 in a game over under 84.5 points for Florida in this game. GP under. I would also say under, but I've used. If it was 80.5, I might take the over. Maryland's really good. Another interesting note. In the past 10 tournaments, teams that hit a buzzer beater. Now, some of these teams are obviously underdogs. Maryland wasn't. But teams the game after they hit a Buzzer Beater are one in seven in the past 10 tournaments. Maryland is in that situation right here, right now. Florida coming off of a genuinely tiresome game against UConn in which the Huskies could have well won it. Walter Clayton Jr. Had 13 points in the final eight minutes and carried them to the win there. Impressive stuff. And you know, sometimes teams get to a title game Parrish. And we look and they, we look at the previous five wins they have and sometimes it's like, wow, this team's kind of strutted here. And there was only one, one, one team that might have picked them off. And I wonder if Florida might be faded to that now. What I have in my bracket, I have Maryland over Florida. Had that since selection Sunday. I'm not changing it now. The Terps, if they can avoid foul trouble and continue to get enough from the Crab Five, then they've got a shot. But they've got a couple other things working against them. Nine straight losses against top six seeds in the tournament. For Maryland. Last be the top six seed in 2003 when they beat three seed Xavier. Again, that doesn't affect this team, but it's a pattern nonetheless. Can't help but notice it. Florida's 14 and 1 is past 15, but Maryland is 15 and 4 and it's past 19. And all four games came on buzzer beaters. I will say Maryland wins straight up. I'm gonna stick with my bracket pick, but I'm not ultra confident in it. I say the crab five gets it done. They're averaging 69 points collectively. I say they best that. I say they get to like 73, 74, and the bench picks up the rest. And they get it done narrowly Against Florida. Florida.
- [37:15]
Gary Parrish
Florida's awesome. But six and a half points. That's a lot to give to Derek Queen when he gets to take all those steps.
- [37:21]
Matt Norlander
You know that's true.
- [37:23]
Gary Parrish
I mean, it's true. Points, six and a half points and the other team's best player gets to take all those steps.
- [37:30]
Matt Norlander
I have to, I have to listen to it. But apparently Van Pelt and Stanford Steve, they do their own pod. Apparently Van Pelt, like I gotta. Someone said, hey, Van Pelt called out. The fact that you called out the traveling on Twitter. I didn't call it out. I, I hit up an official. Now Vampel's a Maryland fan, so I get it. But I, I hit up an official and they said that's a travel. And then it just. I, I'm fine with the call, but you know.
- [37:52]
Gary Parrish
Yeah, you hit up, you hit up. You hit up an official. But more specifically an anti Maryland official. Yeah, any of us can text an anti Terrapin official. We all have those in our phone.
- [38:06]
Matt Norlander
Again, I think it was a travel. It doesn't bother me that it wasn't called. And I recognize that there is a group of people out there that are very much like, nah, man, you got to call it. He traveled. But I just don't think it's a reasonable expectation when it was that much for when it was just within the realm of interpretation that they're going to call it in that spot. So here we are.
- [38:25]
Gary Parrish
Six and a half points too many to give to a Derek Queen led team when he gets to take all those steps. So I'm taking the points. Game 3 Thursday, 9:39pm Eastern. It's Duke Arizona inside the Joe Pesci Center. Does that surprise you? Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta, both from Newark.
- [38:41]
Matt Norlander
Not surprised whatsoever. It's Joe. Hold on, I'm fact checking you in real time. He's really from Newark. That's what it said on Wikipedia, which is obviously flawless. First, first.
- [38:53]
Gary Parrish
What happened?
- [38:54]
Matt Norlander
What's with the photo of Joe Pesci on his Wikipedia? We've done this on this show. What is with this photo? Bring it up. Nada. This is what is with some of the photos of people on Wikipedia.
- [39:05]
Gary Parrish
I can actually, I actually think I have an answer for this because it.
- [39:09]
Matt Norlander
Can'T be like license. I know that, like you can't put a gay image for someone. It's got to be an independent thing.
- [39:14]
Gary Parrish
It's got to be an independent thing.
- [39:16]
Matt Norlander
I mean, I see it now and I know it's Joe Pesci, but If someone just showed me a picture and said, who is this? I'd be like, I don't know. Joe Pesci can't be okay with that photo. He's in sunglasses. Not as bringing it up on the YouTube stream. What is that? I mean, maybe he's on set for another movie role, I don't know. But him being from Newark, that's a great pull by you. A great pull.
- [39:37]
Gary Parrish
It's not even a pool as much as it's a Google search of famous people from Newark.
- [39:42]
Matt Norlander
Okay, fair enough, but.
- [39:43]
Gary Parrish
But I appreciate the compliment. Joe Pesci, center. That's what we're doing this. You can watch it on CBS. It's America's most watched network. Network of stars. Duke -9 and a half.
- [39:56]
Matt Norlander
Does it surprise you that this is only the third time these two schools have met in the tournament? Doesn't it feel like it's more.
- [40:03]
Gary Parrish
If you would have just asked me blindly, have Duke and Arizona already played more than two times in the incidentally tournament, I would have said yeah, I imagine Luton K got into it a few more times than that.
- [40:15]
Matt Norlander
Yeah, they. They match in the title game back in oh one. And then Arizona has been in the spot before, not as a four, but a five seed. Derek Williams 2011. They knocked off a good Duke team there. We'll see if they can. If they can repeat it. By the way, I'm lucky. In the east, four of the top five scoring teams in the tournament are in this region. Duke is averaging 91 a game, Arizona 90, BYU 85 and a half and Bama 85. Florida is the other team in the top five at 87 a game. If Duke beats Arizona in this game, it will break the tie with Duke for the most wins over a one seed in tournament history. I think it's at seven a piece and it would get eight. It's got to do it though. I don't know. We'll see, man. I don't know. Duke has never lost in Jersey in the tournament. It's. I mean, you might as well. We should have named the building after K because they've never lost ever in Jersey in the tournament. Come on, dude. There we go. Let's go. Yep, there we go. Duke has outscored his first two opponents by 67 points. That's the eighth best ever through two games in the tournament. And was Lava like against Baylor, 64 from the field, 55% from three. A lot of that was Tyrese Proctor, who has 44 points and made 13 threes through two games. If that keeps up, no one's beating Duke in, in this region. That's just not going to happen. They're going to have to find a way. I have Duke nine and a half. Parish. That is a number.
- [41:49]
Gary Parrish
Nine and a half is a number. I can confirm that.
- [41:51]
Matt Norlander
I, I will, I will have Arizona inside the nine and a half. I've got an over under for you on Caleb Love.
- [42:00]
Gary Parrish
Okay, over. I don't even care.
- [42:03]
Matt Norlander
What if I give you 40 for.
- [42:06]
Gary Parrish
Ford that I'm going over? You could, you can say shot attempts.
- [42:09]
Matt Norlander
Well, that's, that's one. Well, I hear you. And on the same token, like, they've got to be strategic. It can't be that. Because if it is that, then you really might shoot yourself out of this game. Caleb Love in his career is five and four against Duke. Nine games, 16 points a game, 4.2 assists, 36.7 from the field, 26.7% from three. And more specifically the last four games he has not been good at all. I'm setting the over under at 21.5 points for Caleb Love. Last thing for me then you can pick the game and we can keep it moving. I was at this game earlier this season. Duke went to Arizona. That was the Friday before I flew to Maui. That was a 6955 win. I thought it was going to be competitive. It wasn't. Flag went for 24 in that game. Arizona just did not have it at all. It was, it was a clear cut, obvious Duke win. Flag played really well and they pulled away. So we'll see. And this is effectively a rubber match in the past two seasons. Zona won at Duke a year ago, but a lot of the players on that team aren't on this team. Give me Duke to win. Give me Zona to cover.
- [43:13]
Gary Parrish
Yeah, I, I don't love if I'm on the Arizona side of things. That Duke has already beat them pretty comfortably in Arizona.
- [43:23]
Matt Norlander
Yeah.
- [43:24]
Gary Parrish
And it's clearly operating at the tip top of the sport and blowing everybody out. But nine and a half, just a nine. And that's a lot for Caleb Love Led team against Duke. It's Caleb Love we're talking about. He ended Mike Shasheski's career. He ended Palo Becero's college career. Now he has an opportunity to end Cooper Flag's college career. Can you get the scalp of a K and the scalp of two number one picks in the NBA draft before you leave college?
- [43:58]
Matt Norlander
It's okay. It's, it's more likely than not that that won't happen. But I'm telling you, if Arizona wins and Kaitla Bluff is the best player on the floor for Arizona in that game, he has just a distinct college career. Like, there will be no. There's no one else that you can put next to him if that actually happens. I'm here for the show if you can bring it. But. But we'll see. That would be. I mean, just. That would be unreal. Narrative power.
- [44:25]
Gary Parrish
Caleb love goes for 30 and ends Duke's tournament run while Duke is the favorite to win it with the number one Cooper Flags college career, not to mention con canipples. Come on. Mala watches. After already ending Coach K's career and already ending Paolo Banchero's career, do they raise his number into the rafters at the Dean Smith Center? I know he left there. I know he spent his last few years at Arizona. Should his number still hang?
- [44:58]
Matt Norlander
Absolutely.
- [44:59]
Gary Parrish
I think so, too.
- [45:00]
Matt Norlander
They absolutely should. I'm not even being funny. Like, you should totally do that. Yeah.
- [45:04]
Gary Parrish
Put it at both.
- [45:06]
Matt Norlander
Raise it in both. Arizona beats Duke and then gets wiped by Bama by 20 race at any. What do we care?
- [45:11]
Gary Parrish
How about this? If Caleb Loves Love ends Cooper Flag's college career after already ending Coach K's career and Palo Becero's career, everybody has to retire Caleb Love's number like Jackie Robinson's number.
- [45:26]
Matt Norlander
You know how every sport wide.
- [45:28]
Gary Parrish
Yeah.
- [45:29]
Matt Norlander
Trivia time. Okay, what is Caleb's Love's number?
- [45:33]
Gary Parrish
I don't.
- [45:33]
Matt Norlander
Two. I think it's two in this one. Well, no, it was two. It was two. But is it. No, it is two. It is two. The first Google image that came up was one, but that's not accurate. Then I see him in a bunch of twos. You're right. He's got. Hold on, hold on, hold on. I. There are multiple images. Did he change his number year over year? I see him in an Arizona jersey with 2 and 1 right now.
- [45:56]
Gary Parrish
I don't know. As bizarre as this is going to sound, I took time the other night to look up. I don't know people's numbers. The only number I know is Michael Jorge.
- [46:06]
Matt Norlander
How about this? He wore two last season and he's wearing one this season.
- [46:11]
Gary Parrish
Okay. I knew that it was. I knew that he had either gone from 1 to 2 or 2 to 1 because for reasons that I can't recall right now, I actually took the time to. I was wondering at some point, what number is Caleb Love? I don't know why I was wondering that, but I was for some reason, that's.
- [46:28]
Matt Norlander
I had no idea. There we go. Anyway, raise it. So hold on, hold on. We got to figure this out. This is like hall of Fame plaque kind of thing. Like, what team are you going in? It can't be both numbers. I'm sorry. It can't. I think two is the more appropriate winning ward at Carolina. So we're retiring two across college basketball. If he winds up doing this, Kobe.
- [46:45]
Gary Parrish
Has two numbers retired. I think Kayla Love deserves.
- [46:49]
Matt Norlander
That's what I'm saying.
- [46:52]
Gary Parrish
Here's my suggestion. All right? Take. Take it for what it's worth. I'm not saying every idea I have is great, all right. But here's my idea. Caleb Love ends Cooper Flag's college career after ending Coach K's career. And Palo Bancheros, his number one and his number two are retired in every Division 1 university arena in the country. Just like Jackie Robinson. That's what I think.
- [47:18]
Matt Norlander
Pick the game.
- [47:21]
Gary Parrish
Taking Arizona and Kayla Love plus the nine and a half. What are you talking about, man?
- [47:24]
Matt Norlander
I think we both did. Yeah.
- [47:27]
Gary Parrish
Duke is going to beat them dudes by 30. All right. What. What do I actually think? Dude's gonna kill them. But what would be the funniest. Caleb Love ruining Duke again. That would be the funniest. I'm not saying I'm rooting for it. I'm just saying that would be the thing that would make. That would be the funniest. That'd be the funniest thing we could do. Game 4, Thursday, 1009 Eastern is Texas Tech and Arkansas. You can watch it on TBS. Texas Tech minus five and a half.
- [48:02]
Matt Norlander
How about Texas Tech getting to a third sweet 16 in the past six years with three different coaches? It's actually pretty damn impressive in Arkansas. Remember the conceit on the show. This was. This goes back like seven years ago now. We just got to randomly wondering, like, when is the last time Arkansas made the Sweet 16 and it wound up being 1996 and they went 23 seasons without making one. Now they've been for the past five years between Musk and Calipari. Both these teams were in the Southwest Conference once upon a time. GP's uncle grew up on the Southwest Conference. He grew up on the Metro. But. But I believe your uncle and. And extended members of your family grew up on the SWC. These schools have played each other 80 times in history. 40 versus 40.
- [48:48]
Gary Parrish
Yep.
- [48:48]
Matt Norlander
You've heard of 30 for 30. 40, 40. These two schools. Darren Williams was awesome. JT Toppin was as well against Drake Williams has season high 28 points, six boards, five assists. Really, really good stuff. Arkansas fans are loving the fact that, you know, like people are now, you know, power ranking. The sweet 16, the kind of stuff that happens every year. And just by, you know, it's a really, really strong sweet 16. But someone's got to be last. And Arkansas comfortably rates last in every metric. So if you need that for more motivation, by all means, if Caliperi wins, I will not be surprised in the least. But we had to redo our brackets. I actually have Texas Tech coming out of this region now. Grant McCaslin and the Red Raiders getting it done. Yeah, you heard me Texas Tech fans. I've got your team coming out of the west getting to San Antonio. And if it was Texas Tech and Houston in San Antonio, that would be quite a story. Overall. I will take Tech to win and Tuck to cover.
- [49:41]
Gary Parrish
I don't have the numbers on this, but it feels like the Cinderella stories, when those stories end, they often end by double digits, you know. You know, Saint Peters is a great story.
- [49:54]
Matt Norlander
Davidson team we just talked about.
- [49:55]
Gary Parrish
Yeah, that Davidson is an exception. They were in it with Kansas when they got eliminated, but St. Peter's got, got blown when it got eliminated from the tournament. It got run out of the, you know, it just got run completely off off the court. Let me look at another one real quick.
- [50:13]
Matt Norlander
Just to Mason. I mean Butler didn't in the title game the first year, didn't get run off the court in the second game. It's just hideous. In the 2011 title game. Loyola Chicago wasn't competitive. That was seven years ago. I get your gist.
- [50:26]
Gary Parrish
Obviously Arkansas, Arkansas is not a traditional Cinderella like you know, period.
- [50:31]
Matt Norlander
I mean there's nothing about the University of Arkansas that is Cinderella. Ish. Except for Johnny Cinderella.
- [50:36]
Gary Parrish
Johnny Cinderella and a double digit C.
- [50:38]
Matt Norlander
I got the Arkansas fans in the chat. Now I'll ticked off. I can't win with you people. I gotta take a team.
- [50:45]
Gary Parrish
How long is John Calipari gonna have to overachieve with, with double digit seeds before you people give him the respect that he deserves?
- [50:51]
Matt Norlander
Just did I, did I, I covered it. Now what is it? Guns up Red Raiders. Here we go. There we go. There we go.
- [50:58]
Gary Parrish
I don't know how to do it. Exactly. I think, I think I don't know how to do it. I don't know what I'm doing. I got Texas Tech minus the five and a half. The Arkansas Cinderella story ends right here. Game five. This is.
- [51:16]
Matt Norlander
Hold on. Before I do game five I got. I got the N1, as per usual. Nada. Did we pick every game the same flip on the mic? Are we agreeing across the board? Nada. You there?
- [51:28]
Gary Parrish
Okay, you guys are. You guys have picked exactly the same game.
- [51:32]
Matt Norlander
Oh, gosh. I already know what that means.
- [51:35]
Gary Parrish
Wrong.
- [51:35]
Matt Norlander
Wrong.
- [51:36]
Gary Parrish
Wrong.
- [51:36]
Matt Norlander
Wrong.
- [51:38]
Gary Parrish
Wrong.
- [51:38]
Matt Norlander
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. We're in trouble. That's not good. I do not like unintentionally, by the way, that you and I have picked every single one the same. Not good. You got thoughts? He's got no thoughts.
- [51:58]
Gary Parrish
I'm just providing expert picks. Oh, I don't. I don't pay attention to what you're doing. I'm just trying to provide the best expert picks on the Internet.
- [52:06]
Matt Norlander
Don't worry, GP I'll get us out of here quick. I do want to check because we have to provide. Every year, we have to provide expert picks for every single tournament game in the tournament. And I don't. I have Scouts honor. On my children's lives. I have not looked at this before. Right. Now, let's see how we've done straight up and against the spread for the whole tournament. Straight up. GP sitting at 28, 24, and. Oh, obviously straight up. I'm at 30 and 30, 22. Palma's 30 and 22. Chip and Boone are 27, 25. Cobb is 30 and 22. Salerno 31 and 21. He's out ahead of the pack. Now let's see what we've done against the spread. Spread. Let's just take a guess, Parrish, for the tournament so far, how many games over or under 500 versus the spread do you think you are?
- [52:51]
Gary Parrish
No idea.
- [52:52]
Matt Norlander
Just take a guess.
- [52:54]
Gary Parrish
Seven games over 500 because there's no chance.
- [52:57]
Matt Norlander
Yeah, dude, you're four games over, straight up. You think you're seven games over against the spread?
- [53:02]
Gary Parrish
Yes.
- [53:03]
Matt Norlander
I'm gonna say I'm two over against the spread. And you are four under against the spread. Here we go. Hold on. Look at your boy. I'm. No, this can't be right. The same exact wreck. No, this isn't right. There's no way this is right. Hold on. There's. It says the 30 and 22, and you're 28 and 24. It's the same exact number with both. No, no, I. Hold on. I'm fixing this. Hold on, hold on. That was with the sweet 16. Give me. Give me a second, G.P. give me a second. Here it is. On the second round, I went 11 and 5. You went 9 and 7. Ah, first round, first round. Hold on, hold on. One more and then we'll pick this game. Don't worry. This is riveting. I know. First round 18 and 14 for my guy. GP yeah, I went 17 and 15. So I think I'm up one on you at the site. You're doing good.
- [53:51]
Gary Parrish
I told you. I tried to tell you.
- [53:52]
Matt Norlander
Expert picks. Maybe we're okay.
- [53:54]
Gary Parrish
These are the best expert picks on the Internet with the most thought behind them. They're not only the best, they're the most thought out. Yeah, they're the most thought out experts. Expert picks on the Internet. If somebody ever asks you about the I own college basketball Final Four and one, I want you to tell them, in fact, this is. There's more of us than there are of them. That should be reflected in the comments. But I would also like this to be in the comments. GP And Matt provide the most thought out and best expert picks on the entire Internet. Nobody is doing it like these two. Something like that.
- [54:28]
Matt Norlander
Let me tell you something. If I know one guy who has the time to sit down, think about and sort out his thoughts on picks, it's that guy right there on the right side of your screen. Right?
- [54:37]
Gary Parrish
That's right.
- [54:38]
Matt Norlander
That's him. That's him. There's no doubt about it. And 1. We're going Friday, approximately 9. 39 eastern tip on CBS. It's America's most watched network. It's the network adjacent to Paramount plus, which has Landman.
- [54:54]
Gary Parrish
It's all burning streaming now. You can stream the entire first season right now.
- [54:58]
Matt Norlander
You can. By the way, I've even checked our updated pool standings. I'll try and get that in. A stink bug literally just flew into my shot. Was that on? A stink bug is literally on my desk right now. What is going on? What? It's a sign from the gods. These pics stink. I'm not even kidding. I would pick it up, but I'm grossed out by it. Parish. Gosh. What is this thing? This dude. This little dude flew right into our shot. Don't fly away. I was trying to climb under my computer. What is it with me and the animals?
- [55:32]
Gary Parrish
I caught a fly on national television one night.
- [55:35]
Matt Norlander
I do remember that. Where was that?
- [55:36]
Gary Parrish
With my CBS broadcast center with. It was just buzzing around my head live on tv. I reached out, caught it, then released it with a. With a flip, unharmed. It flew away. And look at that. Funny.
- [55:50]
Matt Norlander
If you're watching, you see it. This stink bug just flew right into my shell.
- [55:54]
Gary Parrish
How you get stink bugs in your house like that?
- [55:56]
Matt Norlander
I don't know. I don't know how this thing got in here, but right down the toilet once the pot's done. So stay right.
- [56:01]
Gary Parrish
So I catch this fly, I toss it away. It was amazing television. I thought for sure this is going to be my big break. And then 20 minutes after that was over. They had like some dancing cartoon character things over in Studio 43.
- [56:20]
Matt Norlander
Yeah, yeah.
- [56:21]
Gary Parrish
With Clark. Yeah, Those things.
- [56:22]
Matt Norlander
Oh, that was the same night Clark losing his mind and the classic, classic smash cut to Gumball with a deadpan.
- [56:29]
Gary Parrish
Look on his face within 20 minutes of each other. It was like that night where Drake released that one track and then Kendrick came right back on the top of him 15 minutes later with Meet the Grams. That's what I felt like happened to me. Like I was like, this is my moment.
- [56:45]
Matt Norlander
You're the Drake of cbs. All right, you said it.
- [56:48]
Gary Parrish
That's not what I meant. I was just trying to make a point. I was like, this is going to be my moment. This is. This is the big break I've been waiting for in my career. And then I got overshadowed by those dancing things and Clark Kellogg. It was just. It was a humbling moment. It was a humbling moment for me. But one. But one that I probably. But one that I probably needed, if you want to know the truth. It was a humbling moment. One that I probably needed.
- [57:10]
Matt Norlander
I think we started trying to pick this game about seven minutes ago. We're about to do it now. If you're curious, on the other three games that are going to happen Friday, guess what? You go to CBSSports.com you go to Expert Picks. You're going to find us there. Straight up and against the spread. You can find them there. Auburn, Michigan, 9:39 Eastern, Friday night, CBS. This is on. I think you have named a variety of venues in the greater Atlanta area after Andre 3000. This is going to be on big boy court. Okay?
- [57:35]
Gary Parrish
It could be Playboy Cardi Arena. It could be Playboy Cardi Arena.
- [57:39]
Matt Norlander
Yeah, that's fine. I name the courts. You name the. You name the buildings. We know how this goes. This is big boy court because this is a big boy game. Auburn, Michigan. And the line is Tigers minus eight and a half. Who you got?
- [57:56]
Gary Parrish
I have Auburn winning the national championship. I'm going to pick Auburn to win the game. But I don't like giving eight and a half points to the Big Ten tournament champs. I think that number. That number is more of a byproduct of the way Auburn was playing five weeks ago than it is a Byproduct of the way, Florida. Auburn rather has been playing recently. So I still believe in Auburn. I still have Auburn winning, but I will take Dusty May plus 8 1/2 points.
- [58:25]
Matt Norlander
Michigan has won 13 games by 4 points or fewer this season. If you've really been dialed in, you're aware of that. If you did not know, that's the most in a season since Bradley did it in 85, 86. Trey Donaldson plays for Michigan. He played last season for Auburn, so he gets to face his former team. That'll be an interesting X and oh attack from Auburn there. And by the way, speaking of players at new schools, kind of cool. This is something we haven't talked on the show. We don't have to go too long on it, but Dusty Mace still in the Sweet 16. Vlad golden is still in the Sweet 16. Elijah Martin is still seen. Janelle Davis is still in the sweet 16. They were all on the final four FAU team and those were the three best players on that team and they're still sticking around. That's kind of cool.
- [59:07]
Gary Parrish
GP no, it's great. We did actually do a segment on it on Inside College Basketball, I think late Sunday, just sort of set up in jump ball which former FAU player is most likely to return to the Final Four. And I think the right answer is probably Elijah Martin. Just because of the team that he plays for. Yeah, right. But I don't want to say I could see any of them getting there. But you know, I, I think all four teams in Atlanta have a reasonable hope of getting there. Like, I don't, I don't. Like I, I don't, I don't. If, even if I'm coaching Ole Miss, I'm like, why can't we do this? You know, Auburn is great, but hasn't been as great lately. Just three and three of the past six and outside of the top 30 at Bart Torvik in that stretch and then, you know, Michigan State or Michigan, we'll go take a shot at either one of them. Or, or, or, you know, you beat Michigan and then you, you get. I just, I think even if you're Ole Miss, you figure, I think all four teams in, in Atlanta can reasonably believe we can, we can win two games here and, and I'll take Michigan. I'll take Michigan plus the points. But to circle back to the FAU stuff, if I had to pick one to get there, probably, probably Elijah Martin.
- [60:23]
Matt Norlander
This matchup, I picked it because I find it super duper fascinating. Dylan Cardwell and Janai Broom how much time are they able to floor together? I did a story on Michigan back in December if it wasn't I I reported on December and we published it in early January for the court report. Two seven footers they start they play more time together on the floor than anyone. They just Dusty May went with the two big look how much will Auburn be forced to or not with all of that you would think Broom will be on Wolf and Golden will golden will be defended by Cardwell Donaldson's involvement. I just think he'll be a key player here. Roddy Gale was also awesome for Michigan in the previous game. And, and do we have all like does Broom show up and put on the kind of performance where it' the top two or three things we're talking about on Friday night or is he's. Does his kind of slump continue here and does Auburn win in spite of it? Is it the reason why they can't get past Does Michigan win another close game? There's a whole variety of stuff. I, I can see a scenario. We talked about this earlier today. Two podcasts in one day. We love you folks. Can Auburn just simply flip a switch and can you really do it against a team like Michigan? And can Michigan avoid having 14, 15, 16, 17 turnovers against an Auburn team which at its best, Auburn's best is better than Michigan's best. But Michigan has been really, really good as of late. One more factoid and I'll give you my pick. These teams have only met once before and when they did the Fab Five was there. It was back in 1993. They played in something called the Fiesta Bowl Classic, which I thought was a football game, but apparently back then they also did it in hoops. Michigan won it. Jimmy King had 22 points, Jalen Rose 21, Juwan Howard 20 points. There I have Auburn winning the game. I'm also like trying to speak into existence like a lot of good stuff like we're due GP like let's get, get, let's get one or two more of those Maryland, Colorado State type of endings. I will have Michigan inside the number just a little bit too big for me. But I would, I would say it feels like they're just begging you to take Michigan inside the number. And so watch Auburn go ahead and win by 13. Auburn fans, I got your team making it all the way to title game. I think they win here, but I'll take Michigan inside the number, which I mean which I think means unintentionally. We have agreed across the board in the Final form one.
- [62:28]
Gary Parrish
Oh, that's, that's, that's obvious.
- [62:30]
Matt Norlander
That's gonna go.
- [62:32]
Gary Parrish
Yeah, that'll go brilliantly. Remember, comments need to be GP and Norlander are providing the most well thought out expert picks on the Internet anywhere. Nobody is doing it like these two. All right, that's where we're at. Devin Downey shouts to you, Chester, South Carolina. Terry Teagle's a legend. Huck Larnell thank you guys once again for watching and listening to the I Own College Basketball podcast. If you're not subscribed, please go subscribe anywhere you subscribe to Podcast Apple and Spotify more of us than there are of them. That needs to be reflected. So do that. We will talk to you again, I believe, late Thursday night after the games are over. Till then, take care.
- [63:19]
Matt Norlander
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