Eye On College Basketball

Today's day-after-Christmas podcast opens with some holiday cheer (well, sort of!), then gets to Parrish and Norlander's top-three picks for National Player of the Year (6:15) as conference play is set to begin in earnest in the coming week. Then it's Coach of the Year nominees (14:45), followed by the biggest surprises in college hoops (19:50) through November and December. As for disappointments (30:55), Parrish has a laundry list, while Norlander's pick is outside the box. The guys close with their updated national title picks (38:20), both of which have changed from who they took in the preseason.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A fun audio stuffing stocker of sorts for our loyal listeners, as Parrish and Norlander didn't let the weekend wrap before getting a good episode in to look back at the weekend and reflect on what went down in Chicago. The guys open -- briefly! -- on deep dish pizza before getting to Kansas' loss at Arizona State (4:20) and how that opens up a debate over who should be No. 1. Additionally, there's Kentucky (14:40) and its statement win over UNC ... and the issue now nagging at Roy Williams' heels (24:10). Ohio State (30:45) has Chris Holtmann one win away from the best start of his career, while UCLA has Steve Alford (35:05) and his job status beyond this season very much in doubt. Merry Christmas from us to you, and thank you for being loyal to the podcast.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This Friday episode of the Eye on College Basketball Podcast opens with Duke's comeback win on a quality Texas Tech team that showed some ways in how the Blue Devils can, and eventually may, be defeated. From there, the guys get into NC State's 10-1 start (9:45) after it beat No. 7 Auburn, preview Ohio State-UCLA (20:50) and Kentucky-UNC (24:10) in this Saturday's big CBS Sports Classic, and wrap with Kansas' tricky road test at Arizona State (29:50).  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Memphis-Tennessee rivalry is back on in a huge way, with Penny Hardaway telling Rick Barnes to "get the f--- out of here." Parrish and Norlander open on all that fire, with Norlander pointing out why this could ultimately be a bad thing. From there, the guys get to talking 11-0 Buffalo (20:25), which won at Syracuse on Tuesday night. Wednesday's most critical game (29:30) could wind up being UCLA at Cincinnati. The fellas wrap by previewing Duke vs. Texas Tech (35:45), a top-tier matchup playing out on Thursday night at MSG, To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kansas is 9-0 and ranked No. 1. But the Jayhawks haven’t looked so great much of the season. Is this team overrated? Norlander and GP open on that, then get to Gonzaga (7:45), which lost its second straight on Saturday. Elsewhere, Indiana (18:06) provided the best ending of the weekend. Not good: the Pac-12 (23:27), which is now neck-and-neck with the American Athletic Conference in competing with the worst of the seven biggest leagues in college hoops. And if you missed it, Kentucky (34:02) honored its 1993 Final Four team, coached by Rick Pitino, on Saturday at Rupp Arena. But Pitino was not in attendance, despite John Calipari inviting him.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Quade Green has transferred out of Kentucky. Are the Wildcats losing a bit of their grip -- or is Calipari losing his touch? Parrish and Norlander start there, then give Crossroads Classic preview (14:24), as Notre Dame-Purdue and Butler-Indiana play on Saturday on CBS. There are loads of good games this weekend, including UNC-Gonzaga (19:00) and Nova-Kansas (24:05). Plus, Norlander tips you on teams on upset watch (29:33), in addition to a brief Sunday preview of games (39:15). To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander open this episode by discussing Villanova's worst nonconference performance since 2013, with a focus on the drama surrounding freshman point guard Jahvon Quinerly. From there, the guys discuss Norlander's report about the Big East having been approach by multiple schools about expansion (20:02) and Mark Few's reiterated criticism of NCAA president Mark Emmert (29:03). To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tennessee upset Gonzaga 76-73 on Sunday afternoon. Incredible game. Parrish and Norlander open on that and touch on a whole bunch with both teams, then get to Kentucky (16:09) dropping out of Parrish's Top 25 and 1 rankings. The new No. 1? Kansas (27:44). It had to rally this weekend to beat New Mexico State 63-60 in Kansas City. Elsewhere, there were a couple of good one-point games this weekend between currently unranked, but still big-time, basketball programs. Indiana beat Louisville 68-67 (37:32) and Syracuse beat Georgetown 72-71. The guys close on Villanova (42:51) and Bill Walton's polarizing nature as a color commentator (45:58).  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander look ahead to a stacked weekend of good college hoops, but start at the top with Duke landing Vernon Carey Jr., the No. 2 prospect in the class of 2019. From there, predictions and chatter on undefeated Nevada playing undefeated Arizona State late Friday night (6:49). And on Saturday, Kentucky-Seton Hall (15:20) leads off a loaded day slate. Also going down Louisville-Indiana and Wisconsin-Marquette's big games (18:20) and the CBS noon tip on Saturday of Michigan State-Florida (20:20). And yes, Buffalo -- unbeaten! -- gets some shine (23:50). The big game on Sunday is Gonzaga-Tennessee (26:35), but there's something the guys have to address with Texas (33:15), which has a big game vs. Purdue. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Norlander was at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night for a doubleheader featuring Oklahoma-Notre Dame and Florida-West Virginia. This episode opens on that, and specifically: Is Oklahoma better without Trae Young? Florida (6:17) beat West Virginia, but pro prospect Jalen Hudson is oddly a non-factor. It's weird. In injury news, Kansas (10:30) big man Udoka Azubuike suffered a right ankle injury in Tuesday's win over Wofford that's expected to sideline him for a significant amount of time. The Miami Hurricanes (13:22) have lost four straight games for the first time under Jim Larranaga. How did the Hurricanes go from 5-0 to 5-4 with losses to Seton Hall, Rutgers, Yale and Penn? The pod closes with a discussion about the Chicago Bulls firing Fred Hoiberg (19:13). Is a return to college basketball inevitable?  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices