Eye On College Basketball: January 25, 2026

"INSTANT CLASSIC Saturday: History-making 40-pt performances; ILL, TTU, UNC, AUB log big Ws; SEC in a blender; 20-0 trio; Pitino #900"

Hosts: Gary Parrish (GP), Matt Norlander
Summary by podcastsummarizer.ai

Main Theme

This episode covers a truly historic Saturday in college basketball, marked by an unprecedented trio of 40+ point freshman performances, major shakeups at the top of national rankings, wild turns in the SEC, and signature wins by programs like Illinois, Texas Tech, North Carolina, Auburn, and more. Parrish and Norlander break down the day’s biggest stories, dig into stats and context, and swap stories from their travels across the country. The tone is energetic, conversational, and packed with insider insight and humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Historic Day for Freshmen

• First time ever: Three freshmen scored 40+ points on the same day (per ESPN and CBS Sports research).
• Seven total players scored 30+—a feat not achieved since the 2002-03 season.
• The freshman trio: Keaton Wagler (Illinois, 46 pts), Kingston Flemings (Texas Tech, 42 pts), AJ DeBonsa (BYU, 43 pts).
• Both hosts agree: This is the best freshman class in college basketball history.
  Matt Norlander: "This was the single best day for any freshman class that we've ever seen." [32:07]

2. Game-by-Game Breakdown

Illinois (88) at Purdue (82): Keaton Wagler’s 46

• Illinois wins at Purdue; huge road upset.
• Wagler: 46 points, 9 threes, sets multiple records (most pts by a visitor at Mackey, most in a road win over a top-10 team in AP history).
• Illinois hits 18 threes (ties school record).
  Matt Norlander: “Wagler’s 46 at top five Purdue are the most by any player on the road against a top five opponent in the history of college basketball.” [11:10]
• Purdue had just 3 turnovers, shot >50%, but lost—a statistical anomaly.

Texas Tech (90) vs. Houston (86): Kingston Flemings’ 42

• Game moved up due to weather; TTU stuns Houston.
• Flemings: 42 points, dazzling as a prospect; consensus top-10 draft pick.
• Red Raiders have one loss since Dec 13 (to Houston).
• Houston’s defense gives up 55 in first half, raising questions about their contender status.
  Parrish: “I don’t mind you losing at Texas Tech...but I don’t like them giving up 55 in the first half.” [20:31]

BYU (91) vs Utah (78): AJ DeBonsa’s 43

• Rivalry game, electric Marriott Center atmosphere.
• AJ DeBonsa: 43 pts, 13-24 FG, 9-10 FT, 4-5 3P; says not even his best game—dad gives him grief for “only 6 rebounds.”
• BYU pulls away late; Utah’s coach Alex Jensen: “This is the first time all season that we quit.” [30:04]
• Extended, colorful conversation about Utah/BYU culture and Norlander’s trip, filled with signature podcast banter and asides about Cougar Tails and Marriott Bibles.

Other Standout Freshmen

• Cameron Boozer: 32 for Wake, “casually dominant.”
• Darius Acuff Jr.: 30+ for Arkansas vs LSU.

3. SEC Chaos: 'Best league with no great team'?

• Tennessee beats Alabama for fifth straight time (on the road); Alabama not at full strength but expectations questioned.
• Auburn upsets Florida at Florida; first win there since 1996.
• Texas A&M sits atop league, but schedule strength weak.
• General sense that anyone can beat anyone: “They might end up rating the SEC as the best league in the country and not have a team get a top two seed.” [38:41]
• Notable Quotes:
  • GP: “Best league in the country might not have a great team.” [43:03]
  • Norlander: “I can’t buy in. Not.” [44:00]

Quick hits:

• Arkansas downs LSU (big Acuff performance).
• Missouri escapes Oklahoma with double buzzer beaters (leads to 'spiral' terminology for Oklahoma's losing streak).
• Kentucky wins again, sets up interesting matchup at Vandy next week.

4. Around the Country: More Key Results & Notable Moments

Nebraska, Arizona, Miami (OH) reach 20-0

• Only third time since ’76 that three teams have reached 20-0.
• Fred Hoiberg achieves rare turnaround: three 20+ loss seasons followed by three 20+ win seasons.
• Nebraska’s 24-game win streak: second longest in Big Ten last 40 years.

UNC rallies past Virginia

• Down 16, Carolina storms back; Jaren Stevenson, Caleb Wilson star.
• Derek Dixon emerging as a major weapon for Tarheels.

Yukon wins in OT vs Villanova

• Dan Hurley: “When I got the job, Yukon sucked. Nova was running this league...It feels good” to flip the script. [61:04]

Pitino gets win #900 (St. John’s comeback at Xavier)

• St. John’s wins 8th straight Big East road game (rare air).
• Providence blows 21-point lead to Georgetown, fuel for Kim English hot seat chatter.

Kansas handles K-State without Darrin Peterson

• Peterson out with ankle (10th missed game out of 20), sparking “is he really hurt?” debate; both hosts believe he’s genuinely injured.
• GP raises draft stock discussion: “At what point does that become part of the conversation?” (re. Peterson’s availability) [64:34]

Michigan State routs Maryland (Fears: 17 pts, 17 assts)

• Buzz Williams' tough year at Maryland noted; Willard thriving at Nova.

Gonzaga edges San Francisco

• GP’s first-hand report from Spokane: Zags missing both 'All-American' bigs yet play improved D by switching everything; freshman David Fogel shines (“the next one”).
• GP: “Injuries can sometimes be...silver linings.” [75:19]

Notable Quotes & Fun Moments

• Norlander on freshmen:
  "This is the best freshman class in the history of college basketball. And this was the single best day for any freshman class." [32:07]
• GP on Wagler:
  "He committed to Illinois...to read you the offers: Tulsa, St. Louis, DePaul, Oral Roberts, UIC, Northern Colorado, LeMoyne, Texas Rio Grande Valley, Kansas City, Rockhurst...Today, he put 46 on Purdue inside Mackey. That’s crazy." [14:14]
• Norlander describing BYU's crowd:
  "They have a cascading wall of... I'm going to say that's got to be 7,000 students..." [24:47]
• On Cougar Tail:
  Norlander: "I ate some cougar tail earlier tonight...it’s this huge, long donut."
  GP: "I didn’t know where you were going with that. I’m glad the word 'donut' came out of your mouth." [25:33–25:51]
• On Oklahoma’s losing streak:
  Norlander: "Six in a row is officially a spiral...next is a tsunami. It just doesn't end." [46:52]
• Parrish on SEC: "Best league in the country might not have a great team." [43:03]
• Closing banter:
  “Shouts to Devin Downey, shouts to Chester, S.C., shouts to Terry Teagle.” [85:19 onward]
  (The podcast signature sign-off.)

Timestamps for Highlights

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------|-----------| | Show Start / Theme setup | 02:37 | | Historic Freshmen Performances | 06:10–13:17 | | Illinois-Purdue / Wagler analysis | 13:17–15:54 | | Texas Tech-Houston / Flemings | 17:56–21:47 | | BYU-Utah / DeBonsa, Marriott Center stories | 21:47–33:07 | | SEC Roundup (Tennessee, Auburn, Florida, etc) | 36:46–44:20 | | Missouri buzzer-beaters vs Oklahoma | 45:09–47:14 | | Around the Country: Nebraska, UNC, UConn | 54:52–62:30 | | Kansas, Peterson’s injury / NBA draft talk | 62:30–66:03 | | Gonzaga report (Fogel, defense, injuries) | 72:26–76:11 | | AP Poll Preview / Next Week’s Games | 76:49–83:55 | | Fun Sign-off / Banter | 85:19–87:58 |

Structure of the Freshman Performances

Each of the three historic performances is detailed with context—rank, draft implications, recruiting backstory, and “where did that come from” discussion. The hosts marvel at the unpredictability of player trajectories, especially Wagler’s. The recurring theme: this crop of freshmen is not just strong—they are impacting the title race and changing the shape of the college game in real time.

Final Takeaways

• January 25, 2026, stands as one of the most memorable regular season Saturdays in recent memory, driven by the record-setting exploits of freshman stars and a day loaded with upsets, buzzer-beaters, and statement wins.
• The hosts emphasize the profound parity and drama across the country—no single dominant team in major conferences, anyone can win (or lose) any night.
• Anticipation is high for Monday’s Arizona–BYU clash and more league showdowns as February looms.
• The episode is both educational for hoops fans and thoroughly entertaining, peppered with travel stories, food takes, and off-court color from two of the sport’s most trusted voices.

Listen if you love:
Informed irreverence, deep-dive basketball analysis, big picture context, relatable storytelling, and a dash of college hoops inside jokes.

Produced by: CBS Sports
Hosts: Gary Parrish & Matt Norlander

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