Eye On College Basketball, January 6, 2026

Hosts: Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander
Episode Theme: Evaluating national title contenders amid an unusually crowded field of undefeated teams, final four do-overs, mid-season All-America teams, and an unexpected Indiana football analogy.

Main Topic Overview

This episode dives into the rarity of having six undefeated teams in college basketball moving into January, assesses which of them are true national title contenders, and highlights the depth and overall quality of the sport this season. The conversation expands to “do-over” Final Four picks, a lively All-America teams debate at midseason, and uses Indiana football’s astonishing rise as a lens to discuss college hoops equivalents.

Key Discussion Segments and Insights

1. Six Undefeated Teams: Real Title Contenders?

(01:26–08:34)

• Unusual Undefeated Field: It’s extremely rare to see six undefeateds as late as January, with Arizona, Michigan, Iowa State, Nebraska, Vanderbilt, and Miami (OH) all still perfect.

• Clear Contenders:

  • Arizona & Michigan: Both hosts agree they are undisputed title threats. Michigan’s historic blowouts are spotlighted.
    • “They are quite literally the first team in the history of the AP poll to ever beat three strength opponents by at least 30 points each.” – Gary Parrish (04:13)
  • Iowa State: Not quite Michigan or Arizona, but their talent and big wins (notably at Purdue) make them plausible champs.

• Question Marks:

  • Nebraska: Great resume but has an offense outside the top 45 and lacks obvious NBA talent, which historically limits true title upside.
  • Vanderbilt: Statistically strong (top 10 offense, top 15 defense), but lacks signature wins; a looming Alabama game could be defining.
  • Miami (OH): Fun story but likely ceiling is a tournament win, not six.

2. “Do-Over” National Title Picks: The Deepest Field in Years

(08:34–15:38)

• Both hosts reflect on the deep pool of championship contenders—a “dozen teams” could win it all.

• Matt Norlander’s Non-Undefeated Picks:

  • UConn: “By far the best team in the Big East. Plays both ways, got NBA talent, great defense.” (09:17)
  • Purdue, Gonzaga, Houston, Michigan State.
    • Shout-outs to Braden Smith (Purdue’s catalyst) and Michigan State’s “tremendous defense.”

• Gary Parrish’s Non-Undefeated Five:

  • Matches on Purdue, UConn, Houston: “If the tournament were starting today… I think I would pick Houston.” (12:11)
  • Duke (Cameron Boozer), BYU (AJ DeBansa): “Both have players that could just take over a tournament and run you through it the way Carmelo Anthony once did.”

• They agree that the possible champ list extends to 16 teams—a historic level of parity and depth.

3. Mid-Season All-America Teams

(16:59–25:23)

• Both hosts name five starters plus reserves, showing how deep and loaded the top talent pool is.

• Norlander’s Five:

  • Braden Smith (Purdue), Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State), AJ DeBansa (BYU), Cam Boozer (Duke), Yaksel Lindenborg (Michigan)
  • “Boozer is the front runner for National Player of the Year. Lindenborg and DeBansa are not that far behind.” (17:16)
  • Noteworthy: Jefferson’s near double-double and all-around stats “for an undefeated team” highlighted.

• Parrish’s Five:

  • Bennett Sturts (Iowa), LeBaron Filon (Alabama), DeBansa, Boozer, Lindenborg
  • Pushes off Braden Smith; explains: “He’s the best point guard in America... but I went with Bennett Sturts from Iowa” due to efficiency and impact. (20:16)

• Both reserve Kingston Flemings (Houston; a breakout “freshman of the year”-type) and discuss the absurd depth—a sign of this season’s uniqueness.

  • “I do genuinely believe we are living in one of the best seasons for this sport in 10 or so years, if not longer.” – Norlander (24:17)

4. Freshman Phenoms Sidelined: Mikel Brown & Darren Peterson

(27:50–30:25)

• Louisville’s Mikel Brown: Injury update: out for Duke, maybe returning for Virginia; “Brown’s been outstanding this season… 16.6 points, 5.1 assists… a lot of optimism he’ll grow into an even bigger role.”
• Kansas’ Darren Peterson: Likewise has missed key time; “We have been unfortunately… robbed of what I think is objectively two of the four most exciting freshmen to watch.” – Norlander (29:06)
• Both note how elite the freshman class is; major storylines due to viewing their only college seasons as partially derailed.

5. The Indiana Football Analogy: What’s the Basketball Equivalent?

(33:33–41:08)

• Using Indiana football’s shock ascension as template, they debate: What basketball program would be as jaw-dropping in a parallel run?
  • Norlander’s Pick: Northwestern: “…never finished a season ranked, never made a Final Four, only three NCAA tournament berths, 42% historical win rate. For as wild as Indiana is right now, it would be like Northwestern entering the NCAA Tournament as the number one overall seed. It is unthinkable.” (35:19)
  • Parrish’s Take: Leans DePaul, Penn State, Boston College—programs with institutional challenges or who, even with the “right coach,” face near-impossible odds at sustained national prominence.
  • They also mention Ole Miss as an under-appreciated basketball cellar-dweller.

6. Final Four Do-Overs and Midseason Picks

(42:54–45:52)

• Norlander sticks with his preseason Final Four: Houston, Michigan, Arizona, Purdue (record 53–2 to date!). “Blind squirrel finds a nut. And here we are.” (43:38)
• Parrish swaps in Michigan/UConn for St. John’s/BYU. States: “If I had to pick just one to win the whole thing… I’d go with Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Cougars.” (45:31)
• Both agree the sport has never looked deeper or more wide open at this point.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the State of the Sport

"I do genuinely believe we are living in one of the best seasons for this sport in 10 or so years, if not longer... The amount of national championship contenders backs that up."
—Matt Norlander (24:17)

“If you just watch the games, the games are awesome. The actual product that we’re watching is top shelf college basketball stuff.”
—Gary Parrish (25:23)

On Undefeated Michigan

“They are quite literally the first team in the history of the AP poll to ever beat three strength opponents by at least 30 points each.”
—Gary Parrish (04:13)

On Northwestern as the Indiana Football Parallel

“As wild as Indiana is right now, it would be like Northwestern entering the NCAA Tournament as the number one overall seed. It is unthinkable that that would ever happen.”
—Matt Norlander (35:39)

On the Absurd Talent Pool

“The candidates to be even considered for first team [All-American]… we’re like 18, 20 players deep. We are not hurting for nominees here.”
—Matt Norlander (24:17)

Important Timestamps

• 01:26 – Rare six undefeateds; who are legit?
• 08:34 – Five darts: "do-over" national title picks
• 16:59 – Midseason All-America debate
• 27:50 – Freshman star injuries (Mikel Brown, Darren Peterson)
• 33:33 – Indiana football’s rise: basketball analogies
• 42:54 – Final Four updates and current picks

Tone & Style

Conversational, knowledgeable, with typical Eye On College Basketball banter and light-hearted ribbing. The hosts balance stat-heavy analysis with accessible narratives, consistently referencing both on-court value and broader trends.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode delivers a deep dive into a truly unique midseason—more undefeated teams than usual, a genuine debate about who actually COULD win it all (including a surprisingly long, credible list), and revels in how strong and fun the season is despite off-court noise. You’ll get thoughtful discussion on team strengths, player brilliance, and the current wild landscape, as well as context on why Indiana football’s run baffles even veteran college sports watchers.

If you want context going into the next few weeks of college basketball, or just want to get a pulse on the best teams and players right now, this episode is an ideal primer.