← Eye On College Basketball
Eye On College Basketball
Gonzaga heads to Pac 12 with one last WCC tournament title; Hofstra, Siena, Wright State & LIU are going dancing; Wednesday's bubble must-wins
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- [00:00]
Gary Parrish
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- [01:19]
David Cobb
Avoiding your unfinished home projects because you're not sure where to start. Thumbtack knows homes so you don't have to.
- [01:26]
Norlander
Don't know the difference between matte, paint,
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David Cobb
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- [01:32]
Norlander
With thumbtack, you don't have to be
- [01:33]
David Cobb
a home pro, you just have to hire one.
- [01:36]
Norlander
You can hire top rated pros, see price estimates and read reviews all on the app. Download today. There I am Gary Parents. Welcome back CBS Sports Eye on College Basketball podcast where we sometimes discuss camel fighting Dodo birds. Leaky Black David Cobb is here with me. He's got a collar on if you watch it on YouTube. Honor Brandon Davies Smash that like button. If you haven't yet subscribed to the I Own College Basketball podcast, please also do that anywhere you subscribe to podcasts like Apple and Spotify. Let's get into it. I want to start with Gonzaga because on Tuesday night the Zags won what will be its last WCC Tournament championship before leaving for the remade pack 12 in advance of next season. Final score Zag 79, Santa Clara 68 before we celebrate Mark Fu's program, David Cod, let me ask you a question. Santa Clara fans and all Bubble Team fans are wondering on this Wednesday morning is Santa Clara safe as an at large team with a West coast conference
- [02:47]
David Cobb
be a three bit league safe as of today? Sure looks like it's going to be a three bid league. Gary, can we say they're a mortal lock forever? Actually I have a piece up right now on who are the locks and I got a few categories and I've got Santa Clara in the almost there category. It would take a weird cocktail of results from elsewhere on the bubble for Santa Clara to not make the field. They are high 30s in both results based and predictive metrics as of this morning. The only problem though is I liken it to in baseball, you bat in the top of the inning, you get your work done, you're ahead by three runs. Well, you still got to go play defense in the bottom of the inning and there's a lot of other bubble teams behind them right now and if they all were to have fantastic weeks, then maybe it gets dicey if we get a couple of bid thieves thrown in there as well. So that's why I'm not saying lock. But Santa Clara is awfully safe at 8 and 7 across quad one, quad two, and with another big win over St. Mary's obviously there in the semifinals.
- [03:44]
Norlander
8 and 7 in the first two quadrants. The problem, or at least the big thing that stands out, that quadrant four lost to Loyola Chicago. Like if that wasn't there, we might be sitting a little better right now. But ultimately I'm with you. Not a lock but in as of this morning and I think should be in and likely will be in on Selection Sunday, making the West Coast Conference a three bit league. Herb Cindy obviously has had an incredible career. Took NC State once upon a time to five straight NCAA tournaments. Nobody's done that since. He now is running the Santa Clara program and is about to take it to the NCAA tournament. Hopefully if you're a West Coast Conference fan for the first time in a long time. Meantime, the Zags, they have now punched A ticket to 27 straight NCAA tournaments. Haven't missed it since 1998. Mark Few 27 years in the West Coast Conference, 23 WCC regular season titles, 21 WCC tournament titles. Never finished lower than second in the West Coast Conference. What'd you make of what you saw from the Zags last night? What seed do you think they can expect on selection Sunday?
- [04:54]
David Cobb
Yeah, they, they look like a, a lock on the four seed line. I, I, you could argue, you could argue higher. I mean they're always one of these teams that are going to be a little bit all over the map in terms of their metrics because they don't play in that normal sort of high major hierarchy. So like last year, we saw their predictive metrics through the roof, whereas their results base were lagging behind. It's a little closer to even this year. If you went on the predictives. Yeah, you could say, you could say they could be in the mix for a three seed.
- [05:20]
Norlander
Right.
- [05:20]
David Cobb
But man, I tell you what, Mario's superior. He's kind of becoming like the, the face of the WCC with the little cheerleader thing. And then he hit a bunch of threes last night. So you get that sort of three point shooting combined with the interior dominance of a Graham Ek. We haven't talked a lot about Gonzaga this year. I feel like just as a collective college basketball whole, you know, there's not a Jalen Suggs, a Chet Holmgren on this team. They haven't been up there as the number one team in the AP poll at any point this season. So maybe just a little bit lost in the shuffle, but obviously a team that is quite live to make a little bit of a run here in the NCAA tournament.
- [05:57]
Norlander
Mario I got to meet when I went out to Spokane for Gonzaga San Francisco, I was on the sideline for CBS Sports Network. Sat down with him, you know, after shoot around day of the game. He's hilarious. Like there's a language barrier thing there, although he speaks English really well. But like, there's just a natural sense of humor there that I picked up on. Like, he's funny. He's like a funny. It's not surprising to me, he's become the face of something because he has the personality to go with it. You saw Davis Fogle last night. He's the next great zag that's going to, you know, jump on to NBA mock drafts and that kind of thing. And though you're right, there's not a Jalen Suggs or a Chad Holmgren or Drew Timmy on this team. Mark Few has made a point multiple times to sort of just ask out loud, like, why is Graham Ek not a part of these first team all American conversations? You know, I don't remember the exact quote last night, but he was like, you know, we've lost three times. You know, we're conference champions and conference tournament champions. And typically when you post the kind of numbers Graham is posting for a team that wins as much as we're winning, the accolades follow. And yet he hasn't really been a part of that conversation despite the Zags being 30 and three. Either way, I've got him 13th in the top 25 and one on Wednesday morning. That would equate to a four seed. So I'm pretty much in line here with the CBS Sports bracketology as it pertains to Gonzaga. Could go a little higher, I guess. Could slip to five, but settled in right now. Looks like a four seed to me. There were four other team, yeah. Four other schools that secured auto bids to the NCAA Tournament on Tuesday night. Let's talk through them just for a second. Hofstra, Siena, Wright State, liu. Congratulations to all. It's funny because the season starts in early November and we spend that entire month and then December and then January and then February, largely focusing on the power conferences. Like, you know, if you're a Summit League fan and you're living and dying with it, congratulations. But. But most of the country isn't. And for our purposes, I don't want to speak for David, but certainly for my purposes, I got to sort of focus up here and everything that happens below a certain level just sort of happens. And you follow it when you follow it, you see it when you see it. And then this week comes and you're locked in on Hofstra and you're locked in on liu, and you are either introduced to these stories or reminded of these stories and things you never even heard of. Like fins up becomes a thing. And I've had a blast over the past few days because I've been home since, I guess, last Thursday just watching the one bid leaks, you know, whether it was North Dakota, North Dakota State on CBS Sports Network, Hofstra, speedy Claxton leading his alma mater to the NCAA tournament. Tears in the handshake line. The LIU things. Incredible. I love these stories. We don't spend any time talking about them through the season. Like, I'm never like. And let me get you updated on what's happening in, in, in, you know, the, the Southland, whatever, you know, it's just not something. Let me get you updated on what's happening in the Southern. It's just not something we really do. But this week, with these stages so big and the stakes so high, I love watching these games, seeing the emotions that accompany them. And last night was a. Another great example. Yesterday, just another great example of that.
- [09:34]
David Cobb
Yeah, low key. Think Hofstra could be live in the NCAA tournament? Top 100 KenPom Team Cruz Davis, man, this guy started his career playing for Rick Patino at Iona and then was briefly with him at Saint John's. He's a bucket CAA Player of the year, total stud. I, I like the makeup of Hofstra's team because they play slow, so fewer possessions, but they shoot the three ball well, which kind of looks like the recipe for a potential March upset. I'm not necessarily proclaiming them as Cinderella until I see who they get in, in the bracket, but Speedy Claxton also kind of pushing back on the narrative that the beloved former player can't have some high, you know, big time success at the alma mater. So you know me, man, I love undersized guards and Speedy Claxton was one of those sub six footers, uh, back in the day, uh, who inspired a young, uh, short Hooper. So, uh, yeah, great story. I don't know if you saw the, the play by play guy. He's a college student. It's been all over Twitter. But he's like the Hofstra play by play guy, but he's a senior in college and his calls of their, their big victories here the last few days have been just awesome. It's, it's really great. That's the fun part about this time of year, is that when you go on a run, you make the big dance. It's not only about your team and your players and your coach. Obviously they're the main characters, but you, everybody else gets to come along for the ride as well within that university community. And so, yeah, it was, it's fun. We, we've had a lot of number one seeds in these conference tournaments lose though, and I am worried overall, like, what does that mean for Cinderella's viability in the NCAA tournament? If some of the best teams from these low and mid major conferences aren't escaping their conference tournament, that, that is a little bit of an underlying story here that could begin to be an issue over the next few days.
- [11:26]
Norlander
Love the Hofstra story. As you know, alums leading proud programs not so successfully has been a story in college basketball recently. Down here in my hometown, they're going through it a little bit.
- [11:40]
David Cobb
I haven't heard. I haven't heard. What, what's that all about?
- [11:42]
Norlander
Yeah, it's okay, you know, I think we spent enough time on that. But, but barring a surprise at this point, it does appear Penny Hardaway at Memphis will get a ninth year. Meantime, Red Autry at Syracuse, Wednesday morning, he is pushed out after three years. No surprise there. But Speedy Claxton, this is the good story. Leading his alma mater. He and I are around the same age. I got to spend A little bit of time around them, you know, at work in the CAA tournament. You know, coincidentally, the last time Hofstra won that event, to punch a ticket to the NCAA tournament, it was 2020. And I was the sideline reporter at the CAA tournament. And just remember how cool. Like, that was like, my. One of my favorite things, experiencing that season, just being there, because I could tell how much it meant to Joe Mihalik, who was the head coach at the time, how much it meant to those players. And then I flew home the next day, Wednesday, coughing the entire time as this thing called Covid was starting to push to the forefront of American news. And I remember landing, calling my doctor and saying, hey, I'm supposed to get back on a plane on Friday. I am coughing and also watching the news. I don't really feel bad, but I am coughing and help me. What should I do? And we tried to find a COVID test. The only COVID test available to me would be driving to Nashville and getting one done.
- [13:19]
David Cobb
Nobody wants to do that.
- [13:20]
Norlander
Nobody wants to do that. And even then, I would have to lie or either prove I can't remember that I had been in Asia within the past few months, or else you not even have access to a test, because the tests are so not available at that point. That's where we were. So I'm like. And my doctor actually advised me. He said I would not get back on a plane the next day on Friday. And then I called my bosses, and I was like, my doctor said this. And they were like, I don't think anybody's getting on a plane. And you know what happened next? The incident play tournament got cancelled for Hofstra. What happened next is Joe suffered a. A health incident that moved him into retirement. And so he never coached another game. That's it. His last game was the 2020 CA tournament final. And then they never got to play in that NCAA tournament. They never got to see it through. Which I felt bad that year for Dayton, obviously, because they were going to be a 1 seed. All of the teams that had realistic championship hopes, but also for Hofstra, because, like, Joe didn't get to coach in that event, and those players didn't get that. And all those thoughts were coming back last night. I was watching Speedy and those players and that administration and those fans celebrate that. That was the best. These moments are always the best moments of this week. And I couldn't be happier for Speedy and just for everybody connected to that program. That was an awesome scene. The LIU story does Everybody know this one. Now fins up. Does everybody. Are you familiar with it? Should I tell it, or is it just like a dummy? We all listen to college basketball podcasts. Everybody knows this by now.
- [14:46]
David Cobb
Gary, anytime we can get you doing animal noises or animal motions, we need it. So please enlighten us.
- [14:53]
Norlander
So I just sort of following this as it comes across my timeline. I see it looked like people. There was a tweet that went viral of a guy at an LIU game, and he's like, fins up during a free throw. And it looked like people were kind of mocking that, like. But then we got the origin story of it, and the story is this. There's these two dudes who live in. In the New York area, and the college basketball fans, neither of them went to liu, if I remember correctly, one went to Yale, one went to Lehigh, and they just decided, hey, let's. Let's find a college basketball team in the New York area to get behind. And so they went to all these games. Like, they went to Manhattan, they went to to see a game, and they went to Columbia to see a game, and so on and so forth. And they say they went to liu, and it was just the saddest thing they'd ever seen. Like, 2023, I believe, is the year. They said, like, 12 fans in the crowd. Team Stonk won one division, one game that season, and they said, all right, this is our team. We're going to be the biggest LIU fans in the world. So they started going to games, and one game, apparently there's like, a million fouls. And just sort of organically, it wasn't on purpose. It wasn't like something they planned. It just sort of happened. It was like, hands up every time the free throw comes. And then it turned into fins up, and now it's turned into now it's a thing. And it's just like at McNeese last year, that became a thing, and now with Liu, this is going to become a thing. And it's among my favorite things with college basketball.
- [16:18]
Gary Parrish
You.
- [16:19]
Norlander
You could not have possibly known when you organically create fins up at liu, that you would subsequently, for one reason or another, become among the biggest stories of championship week, at least on social media. But trust me, all the television networks are going to pick up on this stuff, too. Like, these guys are going to be everywhere before this thing is over. And you just can't imagine that happening when you create this thing. Like, you don't decide to become an LIU basketball fan and do fins up so that maybe you're in the a block of the Ion College basketball podcast. Someday you just do it because you, you're just goofing around, having a good time and enjoying college basketball for what it is at that level. And now here it is, and it's awesome. For anybody who hadn't seen it yet, just like Google fins or do a Twitter search for fins up, it'll that it'll pop right up. These guys popped onto a podcast and told their story and I couldn't stop smiling the whole time, like, this is what, this is part of what makes college basketball great. And, and yeah, it's been fun watching these things unfold. So congrats to Hofstra, congrats to Sienna, congrats to Wright State, congrats to Liu. All of them going to be in the NCAA tournament. We'll punch more tickets throughout the week. Up next, let's do our weekly Naismith Watch segment, which is really, you know, going to be an excuse to, for me to ask David Cott, did you see what AJ Devonsa did last night? 40 piece in the Big 12 tournament. He broke a record. It belonged to KD. I'll tell you what it was. We'll do that next. I Own College Basketball Podcast. First, though, let's get a word from our partners. This is Gary Parish from the I Own College Basketball podcast, reminding you that the big college basketball tournament is just right around the corner. Been a great season. Can't wait to cover what will be my 23rd straight tournament. Hand to heart, I'm telling you, there's nothing like being there live. If you can, you should try it when you do use Game Time because Game Time has the lowest price guarantee or Game Time will credit you 110% of the difference so you can shop and purchase with confidence. You know, my family is coming up to New York to visit me while I'm working. I decided I want to take them to the conference tournament in midtown Manhattan. So I looked at Friday session four, clicked on four tickets. Dozens of options popped up. Found four in the lower level, clicked on that one, click later, I'm paying. Just like that. We got conference tournament tickets in nyc. It's going to be a blast. Take the guesswork out of buying college basketball tickets with Game Time. Download the game GameTime app, create an account and use code I for $20 off your first purchase Terms apply again, create an account and redeem code eye for $20 off, download the Gametime app today.
- [18:56]
David Cobb
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- [19:23]
Norlander
we're settling this right now. We're doing a pizza topping draft.
- [19:26]
Gary Parrish
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- [19:33]
Norlander
I am ready. GP all right, I'll go first. Let's go. Handmade pan crust, pepperonis, extra cheese, jalapenos, onions and and garlic parmesan sauce please.
- [19:42]
Gary Parrish
Garlic parmesan sauce. Okay, I'm going thin crust, red sauce, spinach. You know what, give me some banana peppers too.
- [19:51]
Norlander
Thin crust.
- [19:51]
Gary Parrish
It's the four seed of all pizzas.
- [19:53]
Norlander
I stand by it. See, this is why this deal is perfect. Everyone gets exactly what they want.
- [19:59]
Gary Parrish
Especially for a watch party. You can build all the large pizzas you need, customize each and every single one and keep the whole crew happy for just 9.99 each.
- [20:07]
Norlander
Any toppings, any combo. That's why this is Domino's Best deal ever with Domino's Best deliver. You can get any pizza with any toppings for just 9. 99. Prices higher in some locations. Select this online only offer from 223 to 4. 6 size availability varies by crust type max 7 toppings 6 for New York style and pan crust. Stuffed crust is extra. Excludes XL and specialty pizzas. Minimum purchase required for delivery prices, participation, delivery area and charges may vary. Well, I did. I didn't think that was common. I didn't think we were gonna have to. Watch me for a minute.
- [20:39]
David Cobb
Hey, I need some of that. Send me some product.
- [20:42]
Norlander
Hey, I've actually got a bunch. I got like a whole closet full. My 9 year old snuck into it the other day. We were having a good time.
- [20:49]
David Cobb
How was that? It was exciting. That it was a good time.
- [20:53]
Norlander
It was exciting. We had it. We had an exciting time. All right, it's time for our weekly Naismith watch segment. Are your go to game day foods? Feeling uninspired? Next time skip the usual suspects and order Jersey mics at Jersey Mike's. They make every sub to order with premium. Fresh sliced meat and cheesesteaks are cooked on a flat top grill. Download their app for delivery curbside or do in store pickup. Jersey Mike's proud sponsor of the Naismith award and A proud maker of a sub above. Kyle, before I get your top five for the Naismith Award, we should note what AJ debona, who is going to be on everybody's list, I think did on Tuesday in the first round of the Big 12 tournament. Took 21 shots, made 15 of them, 40 points, nine rebounds, six assists. Double digit win over Kansas State. That disaster is done for the season. DeBonsa broke Kevin Durant's record for most points scored in a Big 12 tournament game. KD got 37 in an overtime loss to Kansas. 2007 Big 12 tournament title game. DebonSA 40 in regulation against Kansas State. Your thoughts?
- [22:04]
David Cobb
Well, he's not Even the Big 12 Player of the year, so I don't know why we would be discussing him for the Naismith Award. We should be talking about Jaden Bradley. Right? Right.
- [22:12]
Norlander
I mean, listen, I am understanding of best player or most important player on best team. Like, I get that, but buddy, AJ DeBonsa just played in your league. That's the, that's the Big 12 player of the year.
- [22:28]
David Cobb
Yeah, he, he would be number two on my Naismith Award list. You'll never guess who's number one. You'll never guess.
- [22:34]
Norlander
Well, then that means we have the same number one and number two.
- [22:37]
David Cobb
I, I don't think that's odd at all. Right. Like, I feel like most people would, would have Cam Boozer 1, AJ DeBonta 2. And then I feel like fairly sizable gap. You could put Darius Acuff in there, you could put Jaxel Linda Borg in there, you could put Gram Ek in there. And I would. And to your point earlier about, like Mark Few bringing up, why doesn't Grammyk get any love? Well, I would, I would put him five on my list or strongly consider him for the outer fringes of that conversation around, around the Naismith Trophy. But yeah, man, AJ's the real deal. And it's interesting, isn't it, because of BYU struggles here as of late. Now they, they beat Texas Tech to close the regular season. They, they put up these big numbers against Kansas state in the first round of the Big 12 tournament. Like, are you at all like, getting back in on, on byu? Like, are you gonna get roped into thinking, hey, maybe A.J. can put this team on his back because he just put up a 40 piece. It's March. Like, he's going for that number one overall pick. Like, because I can see that being a narrative, like when people are filling out their brackets, like, oh, AJ debaza, like, ooh, I'm gonna pencil BYU in for the sweet 16, which would kind of fly in the face of everything we saw over the last six weeks of the regular season.
- [23:49]
Norlander
I think I as always, I'd rule out nothing. North Carolina State went to the Final Four a few years ago, I'd rule out nothing. But I think this probably ends more like Kevin Durant's one and only season at Texas where it's just sort of you get in the instant of AA tournament, you've been amazing but for a variety of reasons your team's just not not equipped to to make a run, put Richie Saunders back on this thing. Maybe we're talking differently, but the record over the past handful of weeks is the record over the hand past handful of weeks and a home loss. I mean a home win on Senior Day over a shorthanded Texas Tech team combined with a whatever win over a Kansas State team that fired his coach mid season. That's not going to move me off of byu probably isn't equipped to to you know, bounce into an elite eight. But you know, crazy stories happen in the instantly turn it all the time and if the Bonsa goes on a run that'll be fun to talk about. I'll and as somebody as who is a fan of a, of a team drafting in the lottery, they give you more reasons to get excited about ping pong balls when we start balancing those things to try to set an order a little later on in the in the off season. I think I know you number one Cameron Boozer. Number two would be A.J. devon. For me. Same thing I start with Boozer and honestly I think at this point he's basically got it wrapped up. 22.7 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists for the top ranked team in the country. He's 58% from the field above 40% from 3 his BPR over at Evan my evanmia.com is nearly two points better than anybody else is. He's going to be your national player of the year everywhere barring a surprise. And the surprise would have to be something like Duke goes out early and the Bonsa marches it like to a crazy place while averaging 30. But Cameron Boozer should win this and every other national player of the year award at number two. I would put DebonSA on the list. As I've noted previously, the last 11 Naismith Award winners have all been from teams that finished in the top 10 at Kenpom and 18 of the past 20. So unless you're on a top 10 team it's hard to win this award. He's probably not going to finish on a top 10 team. But he is like Doug McDermott and Kevin Durant in the sense that he is so amazing. Even if he's not On a top 10 team, you have to consider it. And that's why he belongs on this list right now. If you're curious, Kevin Durant in his one season at Texas, 25.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 47% from the field. Debona Right now, 25.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 52% from the field, similar points. Kevin Durant More rebounds, AJ Debona More assists, AJ Debona Better percentage from the field. Kevin Durant better percentage from 3, BYU's 26 in the top 25 and 1 right now. DeBont has been amazing at 3. I would go Yaxel Lindberg and this would just be best player on Elite Team. 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3 point assists for a Michigan team that won the Big Ten outright and will be a 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. At 4. This is where I go outside of the top 10 again. Just because the guy's been so amazing. And if you are looking for a freshman who I actually could see put a team on his back and take it all the way to the Final Four. Like the team's not a top four team, but this guy's so incredible, they could maybe end up as one of the last four playing because of him. Thank Kimba, thank Derrick rose. Darius Acuff Jr. At Arkansas, 20 point, 22.2 points, 6.4 assists, three rebounds per game, 49% from the field, 43.7% from three. Arkansas, 16th in the top 25 and one this morning, 18th in the net. So outside of the top 10. But he's amazing. My last player on my watch list right now, Keaton Flemings at Houston, another freshman, 16 and a half points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 48% from the field, 37.6% from three. Houston, fifth in the top 25 and one right now, seventh in the net. So my top five, Boozer DeBonsa, Linda Borg, Acuff, Flemings. Who would you take off of there? Who else would you have on?
- [28:10]
David Cobb
Well, first off, I think you just combined the names of Keaton Wagler and Kingston Flemings.
- [28:15]
Norlander
What did I say?
- [28:17]
David Cobb
I think you called him Keaton Flemings.
- [28:19]
Norlander
Oh, okay, let me read. My first cut is Keaton. Is Keaton Wagler he would be sixth on my list. My actual top five would be Boozer, DebonSA, Lindenborg, Acuff, Flemings, with Wagler just below the cut line.
- [28:35]
David Cobb
But my gosh, if you could combine the best traits of Keaton Wagler and Kingston Flemings into one player, we're talking
- [28:42]
Norlander
Fleming, six foot six.
- [28:43]
David Cobb
Okay, let's go, let's go. I want to see that guy in a girl's uniform for sure. Yeah, I'm not all that different than you. I do have a cup ahead of Linda Borg. And as I mentioned, I would, I would have gram EK fifth on that list. I mean, dude's averaging around 20 a game and just dominating the, the paint. Now, of course, like with Gonzaga, like you do wonder to what extent is he able to stat pad in a WCC that doesn't have the, the horses in the paint to really contend with him. But we've seen him put up big numbers against good teams too. So when you consider the Braden Huff injury and just how important Graham Ek has been to what is a fringe elite team, I would give him the nod and put him on that list. But. But Kingston Flemings or Keaton Wagler, either one of them have both been awesome and indicative of the fact, Gary, that like, this freshman class is unreal. It's been so refreshing because, you know, I did this study at the beginning of last season about how down the freshman contributions were, but now we're talking about an A. Smith watch list that includes multiple freshmen and a couple more right, right outside the mix. So it's, it's made college basketball so much more fun this year to have that infusion of young star talent. And you look at these mock drafts and you look at the, the CBS Sports NBA draft prospect rankings and you see freshmen, freshman, freshman, freshman, freshman, freshman. And I love it. I love it. I think it's been awesome.
- [30:03]
Norlander
They've been great. The class has been as good as advertised, if not better. You know, we expected Devont's a boozer to be terrific. Flemings has been a surprise. Wagler's been a surprise. Acuff, I think, relative to where he was ranked in high school, a bit of a surprise. Just absolutely incredible class. I can find things to get excited about in any college basketball season. I really do think this has been one of the best, at least in my adult life, covering this sport. This has been one of the most enjoyable college basketball seasons just in terms of the on the court product. It's awesome every time we turn it on. It's been a top shelf season. Hopefully we close it out the right way. Up next, we're gonna put somebody on upset alert. Somebody will be placed on upset alert momentarily. But first, let's get another word from our partners. This is Gary Parrish. I have a confession. That confession is that sometimes, yeah, I hit an afternoon wall. Say in between doing the college basketball podcast and, you know, walk into the broadcast center for a night in studio, I realized I probably didn't get enough rest. I need some caffeine. I want something sweet, but not like some big sugary drink. And that's why I'm obsessed with the new fruity rainbow shots from five Hour Energy. They seriously taste like a handful of classic rainbow candy. Bright, juicy and fun, but with a caffeine kick built in. It's like caffeine finally got that flavor glow up it always deserved. It was 17 flavors total in the five hour energy lineup. There is something for every mood, but this fruity rainbow launch is all about that bold, sweet, fruity chaos. What do I love most? It's the big flavor in that tiny portable two ounce bottle. I can throw it in my bag, keep one in my car, stash it at my desk golf bag. It's no bulky can, no sticky wrappers, no sugar crash. It's a zero sugar treat that's totally sweet tooth approved. So it feels indulgent, but it's actually practical. If you're gonna grab caffeine anyway, it might as well taste like candy. Get candy Flavored Chaos with fruity rainbow 5 Hour Energy shots available online at 5 Hour Energy.com or Amazon. March is here. And if you've ever followed the tournament, you know one thing, the only predictable thing is the chaos upsets buzzer beaters, Cinderella runs. It's the best kind of unpredictable. And that's exactly why DraftKings Sportsbook, the number one sportsbook for live betting, is built for March. The tournament is unexpected, rewards are guaranteed, and DraftKings Sportsbook is delivering some of generous rewards in the market. What I like about DraftKings it is the live betting. With DraftKings, the number one sportsbook for live betting, you're not betting on what might happen later. You're betting on what's happening right now. While the game unfolds, momentum shifts, big plays, last second drama. You can get in on the action as it happens. And if you're new to DraftKings, it's the perfect time to jump in. Just bet $5 and get 200 in bonus bets instantly. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app now and use code I. That's code I, E, Y E. To turn five bucks into 200 in bonus bets instantly in partnership with DraftKings, the crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800- GAMBLER or 1-800- MY RESET NEW YORK Call 877-8-HOPE NY or text Hope NY, CT Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org on behalf of Boot Hill Casino in Kansas. Wager Text Pass through May apply in Illinois 21 plus in most states. Void in Ontari apply. Bonus bets expire seven days after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see sportsbook.draftkings.com promos Limited time offer so
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David Cobb
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Norlander
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David Cobb
And that means so many new reasons
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Norlander
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- [34:01]
David Cobb
your favorite rack store for free.
- [34:03]
Norlander
Great brands, great prices. That's why you rack the Upset Alert. It's time. It's sponsored by DraftKings. Stay tuned because you're gonna hear more about DraftKings and all it has to offer throughout the show. DraftKings, the Crown is yours. Okay, Cobb, big schedule on this Wednesday. Let me tell you what we're doing here. We're looking at the schedule. You look wherever you want, and we're putting somebody on upset alert. In other words, find the team that's favored and then say, no, no, no. I know you woke up this morning feeling good about yourself because you're favorite in a college basketball game today. But no, no, no. You're on upset alert. Who do you want to put on upset alert?
- [34:42]
David Cobb
The Indiana Hoosiers? I got you on upset alert playing Northwestern to open the Big Ten tournament. Northwestern played last night in front of dozens of people. Indiana will play today with its NCAA tournament hopes on the line here. Stanford struggles yesterday, opens the door a little bit. Virginia Tech struggles a little bit yesterday, loses, opens the door a little bit for Indiana. But you got to get past the Northwestern team that came into your building just a couple of weeks back and beat you, Right? Like, if you won that game, you're probably on the right side of the bubble today or very close to it. Our model's pretty low on iu, though, so IU needs a run this week. If they lose this one, it might be toast. Like it might be. That bubble might Be popping, so. And we've seen it, right? Like we saw Northwestern beat Indiana in Assembly Hall. So I would put the Hoosiers on upset alert. I think they are five and a half point favorites in this game. And Northwestern's live. I mean, Nick Martinelli, I mean, he can go for 30 on any given night, so. Yeah, I'd be on the lookout if I were iu. They've just not been playing well these last. I mean, at one point, they looked like close to a lockdown, you know, but then they struggle down the stress, just like so many of these other teams have. It's hard to feel real confident about them right now.
- [35:51]
Norlander
Well, if there's one thing I know about Indiana fans, if they get eliminated by Northwestern as five and a half point favorites in the Big Ten tournament, they'll take that. Well, they'll take that in stride, I'm sure. I'm sure, though. I'm sure they'll take it in stride.
- [36:05]
David Cobb
Hey, they're a football school, bro.
- [36:06]
Norlander
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. They don't even care anymore. I forgot you guys don't even care anymore. I care more about Indiana basketball now than they do. I feel a little silly over here. I'm, like, monitoring Indiana basketball, like, for what? For what? They don't even care. They. I thought. I forgot. They don't even care. Let's.
- [36:21]
David Cobb
It's a little bit of an afterthought there these days, you know? What's Signetti doing in the. In the portal? That. That's. That's what we should really be talking about.
- [36:28]
Norlander
All right? When we come back. What? For Indiana. Listen, this podcast was built on the backs of Indiana fans, all right? We've had a relationship with Indiana fans for. For a long time. Time. And we can't spend much time talking about your basketball team these days. But perhaps for Indiana fans, we should dedicate, like, six minutes every three episodes or something on, like, Signetti's transfer portal class. You know, just be like, hey, we know you're here anyway, and we want to serve. We want to serve the audience. We know Indiana fans are here. We want to serve the audience. So let me. Let me. Let me tell you who's gonna replace Fernando Mendoza.
- [37:05]
David Cobb
Josh Hoover's gonna have himself a big old year. Big old year.
- [37:09]
Norlander
Okay, I might have to turn it over to you. I don't really know anything about Indiana football other than Kurt Signetti and Fernando Mendoza and that they never lose. It's the most amazing thing in the world. So we'll maybe Look, I'll talk to Josh. We'll figure it out if we can do it. Indiana football transfer portal segment just to serve the audience that has been established over the years. Cobb's got Indiana on upset alert. I've got Florida State on upset alert. Cal, Florida State, second round game, Wednesday night, ACC tournament. Florida State listed as a three and a half point favorite according to CBS Sports Bracketology. Cal still has like a 40% chance at an at large bid to the tournament. Florida state down to 2.6%. One team, one team has something realistic to play for. That's Cal Bears. The other, not so much. Give me the more motivated team on a Wednesday of championship week. Give me cow. Florida State, you are on upset alert.
- [38:05]
David Cobb
Okay, Florida State's playing pretty well right now, but I got you. I got your logic there. Cal's got a shot at the at large. My problem, Cal's got a brutal path. Like, you got to play this hot Florida State team, and then if you win that, oh, have fun, you get to play Duke the next day in Charlotte. So.
- [38:21]
Norlander
But yeah, I'd rather not play, dude, if I. If it was up to me, I'd rather not play Duke in Charlotte or anywhere.
- [38:27]
David Cobb
Yeah, no, even without Gangba and Caleb Foster, that, that guy, Cam Boozer, he still plays for Duke. So, I mean, honestly, I don't typically look too much into conference tournament paths as like a, like a thing, you know, but with Cal, as soon as I saw that ACC bracket, I was like, oh, that's rough. But hey, hey, if they beat Florida State and everybody else on the bubble continues to stink, like, never say never.
- [38:50]
Norlander
Yeah, never say never. Florida State, upset alert. Indiana, upset alert. That was the upset Alert sponsored by DraftKings. The Crown is yours. Before we get out of here, let's look ahead to. To Wednesday. Obviously a busy schedule, only a few ranked teams, but this is the time of the year, the week in the calendar, where it's not really about ranked teams. We don't care about that anymore. It's like, identify teams on the bubble, who has to win, what happens if they don't? So let's focus on that before we get out of here. What's the biggest bubble game on the schedule today? Who has to win or else?
- [39:29]
David Cobb
Wouldn't it be kind of funny if Ole Miss and Chris Beard beat Texas? Wouldn't it be kind of funny? I mean, I'm not predicting it, but Texas, if they were to lose here and then other bubble results were to push them down in the hierarchy a little bit, like this team struggled down the stretch in the regular. I mean, I can say that literally about every bubble team it feels like. But Texas did struggle down the stretch in the regular season. They're sitting here at 18 victories. If they picked up a really bad loss against Ole Miss and Chris Beard. Oh, that would be spicy. That would be spicy. I, I kind of, I'm kind of into that storyline. So I'm, you know, after we get off here, I'm going down to Bridgestone. I'll probably stick around for that one. Just in case. Just in case. Because that would be. Oh, that would be interesting.
- [40:14]
Norlander
So you will be at the SEC
- [40:17]
David Cobb
tournament going down there? Yeah, I'm gonna get there by about the under 12 media timeout probably of the. The Kentucky LSU game.
- [40:25]
Norlander
Okay, I'm gonna get your thoughts on that in a second. Some other bubble games of note on Wednesday in other leagues. We've mentioned Cal, Florida State, we've mentioned Indiana, Northwestern, smu, Louisville. Right now SMU is last four in. And so obviously. Or actually you know what, I shouldn't say obviously, I'll just ask you. Smu, last four in. Gotta win this game to stay last four in. Gotta win this game to feel safe on selection Sunday. Worth noting, Mikel Brown Jr. At Louisville has been ruled out not just of this game, but for the entire ACC tournament. That's another not so great development for the Cardinals.
- [41:09]
David Cobb
Yeah, so we would put SMU's chances at around 50, 50 with a win. So it stands to reason if they were to lose, it would be less than 50, 50. Now of course, it all depends on what happens elsewhere on the bubble. So they could lose this game maybe and stay last four in just if everybody else struggles around them. And so but for smu, it's like if you win this one and then I believe it would be Miami who they would play next. Then, then you're, then you're safe. Right. And, and you might be safe ish if you win this one, but there's just so much in flux. I mean these next two days are going to be massive in shaping the bubble picture. I mean, every result has a ripple effect on every other team in the bracket. I mean, and look, tomorrow, the Mac tournament starts tomorrow. You got Miami of Ohio. Is that going to be a one bit league or a two bit league? We don't know. Right. Like huge storyline there. What about the A10 tournament? Is there a scenario where that's only a one big league if, if VCU bows out early? If you're on the bubble, that's what you should be rooting for. You should be rooting for VCU to lose in the, in their first game, St. Louis to cut down the nets, because there's actually a doomsday scenario there too, where I suppose St. Louis makes it as an at large, VCU makes it to the title game, does enough to be an at large, and then some other team from the A10, I don't know, Dayton or somebody, wins that league, and it suddenly becomes a three bid league, right? So there's so many variables here. And as you see there, I'm David Wab Cobb now this year, and I'm like, you know, this is my first year, like dialed in, like to the maximum degree on bracketology. And you know, it's just sort of. It's chaotic. It's absolutely chaotic. So like, we want to have these like binary answers like, yeah, if SMU beats Louisville, they're 100 in, no questions asked, right? Like that, that would be great, like if we can make those proclamations, you know, but. But it doesn't really work that way. So you just got to keep winning. And that's why I keep waiting for somebody to start winning, get on a run, get hot. Like, like if Oklahoma makes the semifinals of the SEC tournament, stacks three wins in a row here, like that team could, could emerge from, you know, kind of nowhere to suddenly be in the picture. And I mean, the same goes. People don't want to hear it, but the same goes for Auburn. Like if, if Auburn beats Mississippi State and then beats Tennessee. I realized at that point they would still only have, what, 18, 19 victories. But when you play the nation's toughest schedule, you beat Florida on the road, you got wins over six, seven, eight NCAA tournament teams. Maybe at that point, like, you know, they're not dead. So a ton of variables at play here. SMU is. I like the way they played yesterday because it felt like they got back to being who they are with just some really good offense. Boopy Miller, Jerome Pierre hitting big shots. Now, of course, that was against a Syracuse team that was just flat as could be. Right? So you guys go out there against Louisville, even without Mikel Brown Jr. I mean, that's, that's gonna be an offensive firefight. I might take the over in that game, whatever that, whatever that number is.
- [44:00]
Norlander
So SMU, Louisville, that's ACC tournament in the Big 12, UCF, Cincinnati, is that double bubbles. UCF is an 11 seed, I believe, as of this morning. You see, still obviously got work to do in what might be a Make or break situation for West Miller. Like he could theoretically be coaching for his job today.
- [44:20]
David Cobb
Yeah, they got to go on a run. They would be a long shot as of today. I don't have them pronounced dead just yet. But you know, they got to make some real noise this weekend. Then ucf, it's like, golly, they look safe. Six weeks ago. How many teams have I said that about? Now they're going the wrong direction, but they're, they're almost there. Like if UCF were to lose this game and then a bunch of other stuff were to go wrong, like maybe they get left on the wrong side of the cut line but resume wise they're still actually in pretty good shape. I mean they're 35th overall in, in the average of their results based metrics today. So. But, but hey, you take a loss and then you get some bump. Some bit thieves like UCF's feeling uncomfortable I would say going into this game today.
- [45:01]
Norlander
All right, and let's, let's settle here and then we'll get out and get you to Bridgestone. Among the games in that building today, Auburn and Mississippi State. Auburn has become a, a hot button topic in college basketball for a lot of different reasons. I think everybody understands the stakes today. You win and you keep your at large hopes alive. You lose and you took a team that was in the OR program that was in the Final Four last season over from your father and missed the NCAA tournament with it, even though in the preseason everybody had you projected to make it. That's obviously not a great year. One of your Division 1 men's coaching, men's basketball coaching career. Just not the highest profile game on the schedule today in the country. But in Nashville, that guy's, that's going to get a lot of attention. And if Auburn wins, maybe not much of a note, but if they lose, a lot of people are going to have fun with that on Twitter.
- [46:07]
David Cobb
Yeah, it would, it would be convenient if they lost because we could just kind of toss them out like, all right, we're done with this now. Losing to Mississippi State, they've done it before so you never, you never say never. Tahad Pettiford and Keyshawn hall though. I just can't quit a team that has two electric scores like that. And so I, I've had a hard time just believing that Auburn is as bad as it's actually been these last few weeks because we did see him win on the road at Florida. As Stephen Pearl points out, that's one of the absolute best victories of anybody in college basketball this year. So how is it that a team capable of doing that has been this bad as of late? The, the comparison I make with, with Auburn, Gary, is like, it's like Auburn has been playing from the tips at Augusta national and they're about to car to 105. And if you're uninitiated and you're just now starting to pay attention, you're like, oh man, a 105. That's horrible. What? They must be horrible. But hold on, you played from the tips at Augusta National. That's actually, that's actually pretty good. You know, it's actually not bad. Whereas it's like you want to say like a Miami of Ohio. Oh my gosh, like they shot a 67. Well, they did it from the super senior tees at the local municipal course, you know. Right. So like, yeah, 67 is better than 105, but you got to look at the circumstances there. So I mean, I know Miami's in and they should be, but with Auburn, I feel like the, the schedule strength component, maybe people aren't grasping the, the extent to which the committee kind of factors that in through wins above bubble. I mean they still have a positive wins above bubble score. I mean wrap your mind around that. They're one game above 500, but their wob score is, is actually still firmly in at large range. So Auburn is going to be, I think they've kind of replaced Miami as like the most divisive topic. Like we all understand Miami of Ohio is in now. But, but Auburn and Indiana I think are going to be this week two of the most lightning rod, controversial, intensely debated situations that we've got here.
- [48:03]
Norlander
And Mississippi State, Auburn, that's going to be a 2 o' clock central, 3 o' clock eastern tip in Nashville at Bridgestone. And you know, we had fun, Norland and I did with Stephen's pre game speech in advance of the Alabama game. We had fun on Sunday's episode of that. But you know, because we, that's what we do. We laugh at things, you know, we laugh at things that are funny and that made me chuckle. But I like, I have empathy, like real empathy for Stephen in this situation. I know there's somebody right now saying, oh what, he was handed a million dollar, multimillion dollar a year job. Who's going to feel like this is hard for him? I'm certain it is. You don't like you take over a job that most people don't think you deserve. Whether you do or not, most people don't think you do. And frankly, there's not much on the resume to suggest that. That you do. We all know why you got the job. Because you happen to be Bruce's oldest. That's why you got the job. It's not because you went and worked for four other coaches and developed this incredible reputation throughout the sport. Like, you were born into your family. You worked, you played for your dad, you worked for your dad, he handed you a job, and now it's not going so well. And it must feel like everything's just piling up on him. And perhaps I'm projecting here, but I wonder if you start to doubt yourself a little bit. Start. I mean, I. I think I would. I remember Pat Knight saying something along these lines, like when he got the Texas Tech job, and it was kind of similar. His dad just handed it off to him. I think that one might have been mid season or something, but it was just like, the only reason you are now running this program is because your dad gave it to you. That's it. The only reason. And it didn't go well. And I remember Pat, in a moment of reflection later, once he got the Lamar job, I think he said something along the lines, publicly, I believe, like, this is probably closer to where I belong if I'm going to be a college basketball coach. You know, I probably didn't belong in the Big 12 as a head coach. The only reason I was doing that is because I was Bob Knight's son. Like, we don't have to lie to each other. And the truth is I probably didn't belong there. And I. I don't want to speak for Stephen. He might be the most confident man in the world. I. Those thoughts would start circulating in my head a little bit if everybody was telling me I don't deserve what I have and I got it. And I was going to set out to prove you all wrong, but I'm not. I'm not proving you wrong. I'm. I'm proving you right. That must be a hard thing. I don't care how much your direct deposits are every two weeks.
- [50:32]
Gary Parrish
Weeks.
- [50:32]
Norlander
That must be really hard. And so, like, what? You know, whatever happens today, happens today is not gonna have any impact on my life. But I just didn't like the idea that I was sort of laughing and all that the other day. And the reason I was laughing at it is because it's funny. It was funny. I laugh at funny things, but I'm not chuckling at his struggles because I imagine they're very Hard and very real and not the easiest thing to deal with if, if that makes sense. And if you want to.
- [51:02]
David Cobb
Thank you for. No, thank you for showing us your heart. GP that's very considerate of you. Question.
- [51:07]
Norlander
Okay, go ahead, please.
- [51:08]
David Cobb
Well, seriously, though, do you think, is there any chance, like, Kelvin Sampson is watching this Auburn situation unfold and is that's recalibrating? Like, do you, like, would you. Would you look at this and think, okay, we need to be buttoned up? Because it's obviously not going the way that Bruce Pearl would have envisioned when he handed it off to his son.
- [51:29]
Norlander
That's interesting. And. And my answer is, I don't know. My secondary answer would be, Kellen is going to be the next head coach at Houston regardless of what happens at Auburn. So they might be thinking about it, but it's not going to change the course of action. But I have had a coach because, if you remember, Bruce said on a podcast, I believe last week, of course I want my son to do well. Like, and it. So I don't know why Bruce can say some controversial things. I don't know why these were controversial things. I want my son to do well. And of course, I helped him get the job. Those are just, like, known facts, like, I want my son to do well. All my sons, none of our basketball coaches, I still want them to do well. There's nothing unique about a father wanting their son to do well. And we all know that Bruce got Steven the job. So when he said that, I was just like, yeah, of course I didn't understand why that got controversial. But, but, but whatever. I did have a coach say to me, I know everybody thinks if you were Bruce Pearl, you would do the same thing that he did, which is hand your son an SEC job and then, like, you know, sit on, on the, in the stands and, and hope that it goes well. But what if deep down, you kind of know, I don't know if my son is actually going to be me as in this profession. Like, it's, it's awesome if you're Noah Eagle, you know, but not everybody who is the son of somebody in a profession is as talented as Noah is. And I had this one coach say, I, I would be worried that maybe my son's not equipped to take over my program coming off of a Final Four, because if it doesn't go well, I know what happens, and I don't want to see my son go through that. I've had coaches tell me that honestly, that, that as obvious that it's as it seems to some. To some, if you can hand your son a multimillion dollar a year SEC job, you do it. I had some coaches tell me, I don't know that I would because if he doesn't knock it out of the park, like if he's not John Shire taking over for Mike, if it doesn't go like that, people, it's going to really get hard. And I think, I think we're here and I guess that, I guess that's a decent way to set the stage for for 3 o' clock Eastern today, Mississippi State, Auburn in Bridgestone. With that, we should probably let you get on your way and call it a shot. Shouts to Devin Downey Appreciate you man.
- [53:50]
David Cobb
Yeah, appreciate you.
- [53:51]
Norlander
Shouts to Chester, South Carolina. Terry Teagle's a legend. Huck Larnell Appreciate you guys being here, David Cobb included. If you're not subscribed, please go subscribe anywhere. Subscribe to Pox Podcast, Apple Spotify More of us than there are of them. That should be reflected in the comments. So please do that. We're going to talk to you again on Friday morning. Until then, take care. Paramount podcasts shot clocks, big shots, upsets, aces tgl playoffs are here. First atlanta drive starts their repeat run against los angeles golf club. Then rory's boston common golf and tigers jupiter lynx face off in their playoff debuts. Who will advance? Keep up its playoffs tune in Tuesday, march 17th at 6:30pm and 9:00pm only on espn and the espn applied.