Eye On College Basketball Podcast — Big Ten Preview: Michigan, Illinois, UCLA are Purdue’s Top Contenders
Episode Date: October 13, 2025
Hosts: Gary Parrish (GP) and Matt Norlander
Overview
In this episode, Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander deliver their in-depth Big Ten Conference preview for the 2025–26 college basketball season. The discussion covers the league’s hierarchy, top contenders (Purdue, Michigan, Illinois, UCLA), impact transfers, coaching changes, and in-depth predictions for all 18 teams. The hosts also give preseason award projections and debate the league's chances in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The episode's tone is informative, energetic, and laced with the duo’s trademark banter.
Main Themes
- Purdue’s Championship Aspirations: Evaluating whether Matt Painter’s Boilermakers can finally break through and win a national title.
- Big Ten Hierarchy: Deep dives on Michigan, Illinois, UCLA, and the teams best positioned to challenge Purdue.
- Transfers, Freshmen, and Coaching Changes: Key impact players and new faces to watch across the league.
- Preseason Standings & Team-by-Team Predictions: Comprehensive order-of-finish projections and NCAA Tournament picks.
- Preseason Awards: The Player, Freshman, and Transfer of the Year predictions.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Purdue — The Preseason Favorite
(00:50–06:43)
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AP #1 Ranking: For the first time in school history, Purdue is preseason #1 in the AP poll (01:30).
- Norlander: “This is not in accordance with the computers... the humans decided to go with Purdue at 1. I expected Purdue to be the preseason number one team because they bring back the projected National Player of the Year in Braden Smith.” (02:40)
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Matt Painter's Legacy: Discussion about whether this will be Painter’s best team ever and if they’re under pressure to end the Big Ten’s title drought.
- GP: “There’s a quiet confidence about them. No bold predictions, but they seem to know they are good enough to end this streak.” (01:18)
- Norlander: “Will this team be better than [Painter’s previous best]? I’ll actually say no. But it doesn’t mean that they can’t be the national champion.” (02:27)
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Big Ten’s Title Drought:
- GP notes it’s been 24 years since a Big Ten national champion. “UConn alone has five since Michigan State in 2000.” (07:00)
- Noteworthy: There are four Big Ten teams in Bart Torvik’s top nine: Purdue, Michigan, Illinois, UCLA.
Top Contenders & League Tiers
(07:45–16:15)
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Big Ten in the AP Top 25:
- Purdue (1), Michigan (7), UCLA (12), Illinois (17), Michigan State (22), Wisconsin (24).
- “The Big Ten, SEC, and Big 12 all represented with six schools apiece.” (08:18)
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Biggest Storylines:
- Can Braden Smith (Purdue) win National Player of the Year and elevate his NBA stock?
- Will Purdue separate itself fully atop the league, or do Michigan, UCLA, and Illinois close the gap?
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Braden Smith as the League’s Star:
- GP: “I don’t think there’s any doubt he’s going to be respected as one of the best players in the sport... If you’re asking if he’s my favorite, he will get my vote [for National Player of the Year]. If you’re asking him or the field, I’d take the field.” (10:23, 11:54)
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Illinois’s International Gambit:
- Norlander: “Brad Underwood’s Baltic gambit—players from Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia... it’s intriguing.” (13:06)
- GP recounts Underwood’s recruiting philosophy: “He believes [Europeans] are better prepared to make immediate impacts... you’re getting a different prospect, different attitude, different personality.” (14:37)
- “The way we’re developing basketball players in America... not only have [Europe] caught us, they passed us.” (15:07)
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Youth vs. Experience: Development Models:
- GP shares insights on European player development: “In Europe, they practice more than they play. We play more than we practice, and that shows up at every level.” (17:09)
Key Transfers & Impact Players
(22:11–25:19)
- Transfer Portal Standouts:
- Axel Londonborg (Michigan) ranked as the top transfer; Bennett Sturtz (#3 at Iowa); Donovan Dent (#4 at UCLA); Tucker DeVries (Indiana).
- Norlander: “Londonborg and Cooper Flagg were the only players in the country to lead their teams in all five statistical categories last season.” (22:53)
- GP: “Donovan Dent, the reigning Mountain West Conference Player of the Year... two of the best point guards in the country now in the same league.” (24:17)
First-Year Coaches to Watch
(20:23–21:22)
- Ben McCollum (Iowa), Nico Medved (Minnesota), Darren DeVries (Indiana), Buzz Williams (Maryland).
- Norlander: “McCollum is expected to have the most impact. Won our Coaches’ poll.” (20:30)
- GP: “Buzz probably has the best team, but McCollum perhaps the biggest impact.” (21:22)
The League’s Stable Coaching Situation
(25:19–31:07)
- Compared to other years, few coaches enter 2025–26 “on the hot seat.” Only Steve Pikiell at Rutgers is mentioned as potentially under pressure.
- Norlander sets the over/under at coaching changes at 2.5; GP goes under: “Their focus is over here [football] right now... it could save somebody a job.” (30:18)
- Which schools could surprise with coaching turnover due to poor performance: Nebraska (Fred Hoiberg), possible retirements (Dana Altman, Tom Izzo), or out-of-nowhere moves.
Team-by-Team Predictions: Standings Order & Tournament Picks
(33:56–59:41)
Top Tier (Purdue’s Primary Challengers)
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Hosts’ Consensus:
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- Purdue
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- Michigan (both GP & Norlander)
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- UCLA (GP), Illinois (Norlander) — both have these four (plus Michigan State and Oregon) near the top in various orders
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Norlander’s Top 10:
- Purdue
- Michigan
- Illinois
- UCLA
- Michigan State
- Oregon
- Iowa
- Wisconsin
- Ohio State
- Indiana
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GP’s Top 10:
- Purdue
- Michigan
- UCLA
- Michigan State
- Oregon
- Illinois
- Wisconsin
- Ohio State
- Maryland
- Washington
(11. Nebraska just outside top 10)
Lower Tier & Bubble
- Differences appear with teams like Indiana (Norlander 10; GP 14), Iowa (Norlander 7; GP 13), and teams like Maryland, Washington, Nebraska getting GP’s votes for the tournament’s last spots.
Bottom Four Projections (Both Hosts)
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15–18: Northwestern, Minnesota, Rutgers, Penn State
- Norlander: “Someone has to finish at the bottom in an 18-team league. Rutgers brings back no one that scored more than six ppg... there’s a lot of unknowns.” (37:55)
- Both: “Northwestern has done more with less, if you told me they finish 9th I’d believe it, but this roster...”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On Purdue’s Confidence and Pressure:
“They’re not hiding from it, they’re not guaranteeing it, but you get that being around them. They think they’re going to be the best team in the country.”
— Gary Parrish (04:49)
On European Talent vs. American Development:
“The top five players in the world right now, if you just go by ESPN’s top 100 players in the NBA, none of them were born in America.”
— Gary Parrish (15:02)
On Honest Coaching Uncertainty:
“I asked Ben McCollum: how did you know your D2 guys were good enough to jump to Drake and win? He said, ‘I didn’t. I wasn’t sure if they were talented enough.’ I love that answer. In a world where everybody thinks they know every goddamn thing.”
— Gary Parrish (55:08, 55:25)
On the Surprises in Power Leagues:
“In football, Penn State was preseason top 3 and lost back-to-back weeks as 20-point favorites. That’s more surprising than if Purdue went 11th and missed the tournament. Surprises are around the corner.”
— Matt Norlander (28:27)
On Big Ten’s Projected NCAA Bids:
“I’m going over [the line of 9.5]. Purdue, Michigan, UCLA, Michigan State, Oregon, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Maryland, Washington, Nebraska — I’m cutting it off at 11. Eleven Big Ten schools in.”
— Gary Parrish (59:52)
Team Capsules: Highlights & Insights
Iowa — Ben McCollum’s First Year Test
Norlander (high on Iowa at #7):
“If Bennett Sturtz is one of the three best point guards in the country, and McCollum is the real deal, Iowa could surprise. Admittedly, this is a swing. I like to have a little fun—why the hell not?” (53:58)
Indiana & Tucker DeVries’ Health
GP:
“If [Tucker DeVries] is great, Indiana has a chance to outperform where I have them slotted. He’s had three different shoulder surgeries, but says he finally feels fully healthy.” (41:00)
Michigan, Dusty May, and Transfer Quickness
“They were very quick in the portal. They knew what they wanted. They made Yaxel [Londonborg] a priority because they played against him. Dusty May is settled—he looks like the right hire and it looks like a really good marriage.”
— Gary Parrish (46:02, 47:39)
Michigan State & Tom Izzo’s Philosophy
“He just seemed like he’s in a good place now, 70 years old... At peace with everything. Said, ‘I can’t worry about the entire world anymore, I’m going to worry about Michigan State’s basketball program.’”
— GP (49:32, 51:53)
Awards & End-of-Episode Predictions
(70:02–71:26)
- Player of the Year: Braden Smith (Purdue) — unanimous pick
- Freshman of the Year:
- Norlander: Trey McKinney (Michigan)
- Parrish: Omer Meyer (Purdue) — international freshman
- Transfer of the Year: Both select Donovan Dent (UCLA)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Purdue & the Title Drought: 00:50–06:43
- Storylines & Hierarchy: 07:45–20:05
- Illinois’s European Model: 13:06–18:32
- Transfers & Newcomers: 22:11–25:19
- Coaching Carousel: 25:19–31:07
- Standings & Predictions: 33:56–59:41
- Big Ten NCAA Bid Debate: 59:41–61:42
- Preseason Awards: 70:02–71:26
Additional Memorable Banter & Humor
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On Conference Bias:
- GP: “When your conference decides to give CBS a billion dollars, then we’ll start talking about them again. Till then, it’s Big Ten, Big Ten, Big Ten…” (02:16)
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On Coaching Honesty:
- GP: “I like it when people say ‘I don’t know.’ It’s much better than listening to someone just lie to you.” (55:25, 55:42)
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Travel and TSA Tangents:
- GP rants humorously about TSA breaking his microphone stand and overpacking Advil:
“When I packed my microphone to go to Rosemont, Illinois, it was all together. When I got there, it was broken… I am the face of being targeted in America right now; the TSA is coming for me.” (62:28–64:01)
Final Takeaways
- This Big Ten season is wide open beyond Purdue's #1 spot—the league is rich with intriguing veteran talent, experienced coaches, and a dramatic influx of international players and impact transfers.
- The league’s record drought without a national title remains a powerful undercurrent, with several legitimate title hopefuls—Purdue, Michigan, Illinois, and UCLA all possessing the ingredients for a Final Four run.
- Expect the unexpected at both the top and bottom of the standings; depth, coaching, and transfer/newcomer impact will shake up projections.
- Player of the Year Watch: All eyes squarely on Braden Smith, but a host of eligible stars and newcomers could emerge.
- Extensive NCAA Tournament representation is likely; hosts project 9–11 Big Ten teams in the 2026 dance.
For college basketball fans, this is a must-listen episode for understanding the storylines, stars, and plot twists that will shape the Big Ten this season.