B1G POY = TBD; Darius Acuff Jr. might be a top-3 pick? Plus: coaching carousel🎠 revs up; beefy preview/bubble games GALORE for final wknd of reg. season

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Hey there, I'm Gary Perry.

Welcome back with a famous word.

I own college basketball podcast.

When we sometimes discuss camouflage, donut birds,

and leaky black Matt Norlander is here with me.

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And if you haven't yet subscribed to I own college basketball podcast,

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Let's get into it.

I want to start a big team where two teams that will close the regular season against each other

on Sunday on CBS.

That's America's most watch network.

It's the network of stars.

They're going to be playing on Sunday and they played last night.

Final score number three Michigan 71 Iowa 68.

Final score number eight Michigan State 91 Rutgers 87.

Both games were closer than they were supposed to be,

at least according to the points spread.

But the favorites still won both of those games.

Norlander, I know you had your eyes on it.

So the end of Michigan Iowa, that was fun.

I guess let's just start there.

Yeah, we can start there.

Really good game.

Iowa gave him a real push.

Got the game at home.

This is the only meeting between these two teams.

The season, Iowa gets the benefit of the home game.

And didn't shoot well from beyond the arc, just 726.

But in some of the other facets, it just,

they came ready.

They came good to go.

And I actually thought they were going to be able to pull this out.

Credit to Michigan.

Lunderborg had 16 points.

Eight boards had some, had some key plays there.

Marais Johnson was vital.

And I think he was the most important player

over the course of the 40 minutes in the game.

Then even a die Mara had, he had like five or six plays

in the second half, either just rebounds, defensive stops,

putbacks where as the flow of the game was going,

he was, he was keeping Michigan like one step ahead of Iowa.

It winds up being essentially that 71 68.

No good, no good three pointer attempt at the buzzer there.

From Michigan to win, it's a 28 and two.

It is the first big 10 teams since Indiana's undefeated season

in 75 76 to not lose in a true road game and league play.

So credit to Michigan for doing that.

It's already wrapped up the obviously the one seed in general.

It's wrapped up the one seed in the big 10 tournament.

And it got a real good push afterwards.

So credit to Michigan, Iowa is 20 and 10.

It's still, it's still obviously in the field.

But man, this was a really, really good opportunity

for the Hawkeyes to add what I thought would have been

a massive resume win and increase,

increase what they're all about in the process.

Because right now, 2010, the best wins for Iowa this season,

home to Nebraska, home to Ohio State at Indiana.

I think that's, I think that's basically the top end

of what they're looking at here.

Hawkeyes to me are kind of dancing right between that nine

or 10 line overall.

So I don't think there are any real danger

of missing the tournaments.

I mean, theoretically, if they lose at Nebraska on Sunday

and lost their first big 10 tournament game,

we might have an uncomfortable conversation.

But the columns should have that team

in the dance in his first season.

But man, they had a really good opportunity

and just couldn't pull it out.

Yeah, I thought Mar was terrific down the stretch,

particularly when it looked like he was coming up to set.

And that was dusty as much as it was Mara.

But he looks like he's coming up to set that ball screen,

slips back.

They throw it at the rim.

He converts that.

I mean, that's, I know he's larger than most

in his hands up there by the rim almost always anyway.

But that was still a tough catch and a tough finish.

Like he moved in a way that,

you know, people his size can't typically move.

Like to finish that play was, was impress.

A bodygale had big plays down the stretch.

Just an awesome basketball team.

Yeah, and just,

I post game, Dusty was there.

It was a funny scene,

you know, with, was it moja?

Was it Mara?

Yeah, I just love that.

That's become the thing where, you know,

someone does the hit and Mara's Johnson just stands behind

and just looks into the void.

I need this.

I need this until Michigan seasons ends,

unless even if that's in the national title game,

obviously not going to want to do

if they get bounced out of the second round.

But after every Michigan win from here until the end of the season,

I need the Mara's Johnson stare into the void.

I love it.

Yeah, it's just a funny visual.

Like any, anytime these things can

originate, particularly organically and become a thing,

I'm fine with it.

We, you know,

the McNeese State thing last season.

That just sort of became a thing.

And that was fun.

Yeah, that just sort of became a thing.

And it was fun and, and, you know,

perhaps this is a different, you know,

kind of version of something.

Dusty talked about it post game.

He was like, listen, because they obviously brought up

undefeated on the road.

That's, that's, that's wild.

And he was like, we're more connected.

Or we're like, I don't, I don't have the quote,

more or less, like we were comfortable out here.

Like we're comfortable on the road.

Our guys are so connected.

And all of that stuff is, is, you know,

played a role in us having a zero in the lost column

in road games this season.

So I think they had a one seed locked up even before last night.

But if somebody wanted to argue otherwise,

there's no argument anymore.

Duke, Michigan, Arizona are going to be one seed.

And then we're trying to figure out who's going to be that fourth.

Let me ask you a question.

Because now Michigan State wins last night.

It wasn't impressive, but it wasn't a loss.

So it's close to like, yeah,

you went over a badruckers team.

Again, senior night, a lot of stuff going on there.

Like I did it, but just, you couldn't help but tilt your head.

Like I had the game on.

I wasn't dialed in the same way I was with Michigan.

Iowa, because I frankly, I didn't think it would be as close.

But at least notable.

It's kind of like, huh, okay.

Couldn't get it down with double digits.

But when a wins a win and Michigan State still

is vying for a two seed, go ahead.

There you go.

Okay.

So right now slaughtered as a two seed.

25 and five heading into Sunday's regular season finale

at Michigan on CBS 430 PM Eastern.

By the way, if you're curious, just as soon as that wraps up,

we'll be live here on the Ion College basketball podcast.

I will soon speak out and turn.

I've got an HQ hit.

We got to figure out when that's going to happen.

Yeah, we'll figure it out.

We'll figure that out.

We'll figure it out.

So you say there's doing contingent for a two seed.

That's undeniable.

Is there a path to a one seed for them?

And I understand other things would have to happen.

This isn't one of those where if they went out,

it doesn't matter what else happens.

There are one seed.

I think you come would have to lose at some point

between now and when the bracket is set.

I think Florida would have to lose between now

and when the bracket is set.

Maybe Houston would have to lose between now

and when the bracket is set.

And let me be clear, it is wildly unlikely

that Michigan State is going to not lose

between now and when the bracket is set.

First and foremost, because they got to play at Michigan

on Sunday, that's probably a loss.

And then they will not be favored to win the Big Ten tournament.

So if we're being honest, they're probably

going to lose two more times before the bracket is set.

But play along.

Right now, 25 and five.

If you were to win on Sunday, 26 and five,

win on Sunday, you'd be nine and four in Quadrant 1,

seven and one in Quadrant 2.

So 16 and five in the first two quadrants

was zero additional losses when three Quadrant 1 games,

because that's probably what it would be in the Big Ten tournament.

Now you're 29 and five with 12 Quadrant 1 wins

and only one loss out of the first Quadrant.

Again, if Florida were to slip up,

Yukon were to get caught by St. John's or somebody else.

And then maybe it would require Houston

to lose in the Big 12 tournament.

But that's a scenario where I think we could look up

as unlikely as it is, just play along.

We could look up and maybe Tom Ezzo does have a one seed

in the tournament for the fifth time in his Hall of Fame career.

If Michigan State wins out to Selection Sunday,

it gets help with losses from Florida, Yukon and Houston.

Then yes, the one seeds in play for sure.

It's a long shot, but it's not unthinkable.

And it's a nice, it's a nice surge here by Sparty

because after the loss at Wisconsin,

this team was 20 and five,

still a healthy record, but had lost three or four at that point

and has since won five in a row,

which includes wins at Purdue, at Indiana,

not getting tripped up at home against the likes

of UCLA or Ohio State.

And then it was close last night,

but they also, they were balanced overall.

I mean, Fierce had 21 in the game, 15 came in the second half.

He had eight assists, continues to lead the country

in a sister game.

Cohen Carr had back to back, to back dunks at one point in the game.

I know, I know.

And like, and like a couple of them,

or maybe at least one, it looks like that's not a,

like you're not going to be able to finish this play,

the way he finishes the play.

And then just just chins on the ramp.

He's outrageous.

And I know, and I need even more from him on the big stage

in just a couple of weeks there.

Kohler had 15.7 rebounds.

Actually, before we go on,

I just have to give his great grandfather a shout out.

Awesome.

Because 102 years old was honored before the game,

is one of a dozen or so living members from Pearl Harbor.

One, here we go, Max Carey, who does an incredible job,

SID for Michigan State, will be honored at the USBWA's

Monday, luncheon of the day, the title game for essentially,

you know, being the best ID and college basketball.

Just for being an awesome,

Max is going to be honored for being awesome.

And it's long overdue and no deserved.

Max Carey does a wonderful job.

He sent this out, Earl Chuck Kohler, 102 years old,

enlisted in the US Navy at 17.

If you're keeping track, that's 85 years ago,

one of 12 remaining Pearl Harbor survivors.

He was honored, he's Jackson Kohler's great grandfather,

and he was honored before the game last night.

That was awesome.

You can see if you're watching on YouTube,

this is why you need to watch on YouTube

in the addition to listening.

We've got some of the video here rolling his B-roll,

really, really, really cool deal, man.

Like this is leveling up even more beyond just,

it was obviously Kohler's senior night

to have his great grandfather there that is chills,

goosebumps stuff, still with us at 102,

Pearl Harbor survivor.

Incredible story, thank you for your service.

That is awesome, awesome, awesome stuff.

So I want to do at least mention that as well.

Very cool.

Oh, by the way, then Kohler went out and got 15 points,

seven boards had himself a nice game as well,

and it was one of the rare four year seniors

at the same school.

Our own Isaac Trotter sent out a tweet earlier this week

that went widely shared.

There are 22 period at the high major level.

The big 10 has the most, but Kohler is one of those

Spartan dogs through and through,

good for him for getting that done.

I do think Michigan State students

had a long shot, but nonetheless, it's still on the table.

Long shot, but alive.

And yeah, that piece Isaac did, just first off,

just the idea and then the research

to like put a number on it,

because I think we all sit around sometimes

and we're like, man, it ain't like it used to be,

but for somebody to actually, you know, just take the time

and count heads and say, hey, did you realize it's only 22?

It got the tension that it deserved.

I built the whole segment of the, you know,

GP show around it.

So that was good work from him.

He's, he's terrific, you know,

working with our staff.

So it's a testament to how unbelievable Michigan's been,

this season that both of these things can be true.

We agree that Michigan State is a long shot

to get a one seed, but it's still in play.

And yet this game on Sunday,

even though it's between first place and second place,

there's a three game gap in between them

and the standings.

So it's not for a conference championship,

not even for a share, nothing.

And it's because somehow Michigan was able to pull away

within this league from everybody,

including another team that is still in play

for a one seed in the NCAA tournament.

So I don't know where Coach of the Year is gonna land,

but if Dusty May ends up with some national

Coach of the Year trophies, it won't be surprising to me.

So it's not for the Big 10 title on Sunday.

Let me ask you this, that we'll move on.

Is it for the Big 10 player of the year?

Race, is that still up in the air?

Yaxl, Jeremy Fears, I think, maybe not most people,

but certainly some people would call them

the leading candidates, Keaton Wagner's got to be

in there somewhere, but if we're calling Yaxl,

the favorite right now, is there anything

fierce that Michigan State could do Sunday

and in Arbor to flip that vote?

Sure, I mean, if you want to say best player,

best team, then it's over, but I wonder if it's over.

If you add up points per game, rebounds per game,

assists per game, Yaxl and Abort 24.8,

he's at 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 dime,

shooting 50% from the field.

His O rating is the best of any of the guys

that we're talking about here, 134.8,

that's really, really good.

Fears, leads the nation and assists, 9.1 assists per game,

15.3 points, 2.4 boards as a point guard,

44.6 from the field, not as good,

but O rating still quality, 130.7,

26.8 if you add up the three big stats there.

So he's at 11 board overall.

Wogler's even more, 27.4 total when you add up 18.1 points.

So he averages the most points.

He's the best scorer on the best offensive college basketball,

5.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists,

45% from the field, 42% from three.

His O rating is better than fierce,

but not quite as good as Yaxl, 133.6.

And then I will throw in Braden Smith,

who is not gonna get it,

but he has a higher combined total than Yaxl or Fears

at 14.7 points, 8.7 assists,

3.7 rebounds, shooting 39% from three,

27.1 total when you add up the points assists and rebounds.

By the way, if you're curious,

who has the most combined points assists,

rebounds per game, it's Nick Martinelli,

the 30.1 at Northwestern, he's not gonna win it,

but he actually has the strongest overall stat line.

Bruce Thornton is also better than everyone

when we're talking about team's not quite good enough,

but Thornton, 19.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists,

Sturts is also on the, Sturts is off.

There's a lot of really, really good players in the big 10,

but it's going to go to one of the three

that are finishing at the top of the league.

I think this is completely up for debate.

Going into the final weekend,

I don't think this is decided.

If Michigan State wins at Michigan this weekend,

and Fears drops 18.11 and six,

he's very well could win it and pull it from Yaxl.

And part of that's because Michigan is so well balanced,

so I don't have an answer right now, Pearce.

I think it is totally up for grabs.

And by the way, if Wogler, if Illinois can finish out

the season with the win and Wogler goes off again,

now they play at Maryland, the opponent isn't good,

but if Wogler goes for like 34, 8 and 6,

tell me he can't get it.

I think he still could, he's top five

and Ken Palm player of the year right now,

so I think it's a total toss up going into the final weekend.

Michigan, Michigan State, Sunday, 4.30 PM Eastern,

you can watch it on CBS,

it's America's most watched network.

It's the network of stars,

moving on in my hill to brand voice.

Since we last convened here on the pod,

Darius Acuff Jr. went big big in Arkansas's blowout win

over Texas, Sean Miller had high praise.

You might have heard his comments.

They went everywhere.

If not, we're going to play him for you next.

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It's our last episode of the college basketball podcast.

Darius Acuff Jr. went big big in a win

of four Arkansas over Texas final score 105 85.

He had 28 points, 13 assists, three rebounds in 36 minutes.

After the game, Texas coach Sean Miller had high praise.

If you got two minutes, let's listen to what he had to say

about Arkansas's five-star guard.

Gonna make one statement here.

Usually a guy like Acuff gets too much credit

or too much respect as a young player

in college basketball.

That can happen sometimes when a guy is that highly touted

and certainly has this bright future beyond college like he does.

But in my time, and I'll just go 34 years,

I've never seen a point guard better.

And when people talk about who's gonna be the number one pick

in the NBA draft or who's the best player in the conference,

just for a perspective and I think our conference is great.

He averages 25 points at game.

I'll just start right there.

He shoots 40% from the three point line.

He leads our league in assists.

I think he's the first player since Pete Merovitch

who's led our league in both points and assists.

If you look at Arkansas as a team,

the best thing they do is they never turn the ball over.

And that's because he has the ball in his hands 80% of the time.

His assist, the turnover ratio is astonishing.

And not until you actually are in the game

and you feel his presence, you know,

the outage of a point guard makes the game easier for his teammates.

He's a textbook prime example of that.

I just have never been on a court where one player

at that position is any better than he is.

Greatness is how I would describe his game

and seems like an amazing young man.

And, you know, just to watch,

I bring it up because this is game 30.

He has got several weeks or a month or so left.

But guys like him, they just don't come into college basketball

very, very often.

I mean, he's a generational player.

He's really, really good.

And this number one pick thing like,

I don't know why people aren't talking about him more.

I can't imagine anybody better.

As I wrote in Thursday's top 25 and one,

a lot of people, myself,

included have said and written a lot of nice things,

positive things about Darius Acuff Jr.

throughout the season.

I don't think anybody's taken it that far.

That meant something to me.

Hearing Sean Miller say that meant something to me.

Does it move the needle for you at all?

It does.

I mean, I moved the needle that night when he said it.

I received even two texts from MBA people,

which I don't think this is going to lead to Acuff being

in the conversation to be number one.

But just Miller's saying what he said and saying,

I don't know why he's not there.

The answer is, and I'm not saying it's right or wrong,

I'm just saying Darius Acuff is six, three, maybe 190 pounds.

If he was six, five, two, ten, and doing this, yes.

They would be sometimes the measurables can be everything

when it comes to the number one pick

and everything that's attached with a franchise selecting

the very first player in a year and a given draft.

You're not just trying to take the player.

You think will be the best almost every single time.

If you have the number one pick,

you are trying to draft the player that you think can

and will change your franchise over the course of a decade

plus and everything that comes attached to that,

not just in terms of production,

but all of the spotlight and responsibility

and being the face of a franchise with all of that.

That said, I have been high on Acuff for a long time.

I have maintained that he should be a top five pick

since essentially December

and what I see that he is capable of doing.

Quick run on the stats.

I think Miller said he's averaging 25

that's not exactly accurate,

but he is at 22.2 points, 6.46.

I'm sorry, I think he might have meant like literally

in SEC games.

Got it.

Okay, then that would make more sense there.

22.2, 6.4, three boards of game, 43.7 from three.

He's the only high major player this season

to have at least 28 points and 13 assists in a game

when Arkansas just responded beautifully to Cal's

and what was the time for Cal's worst loss by margin ever.

Against Florida, they come back

and they drop 105 on Texas's head there, there.

He's had 20, 20 point games this season.

He's already the school's freshman leading score.

He's going to break the freshman assist record at Arkansas.

Miller was right.

He is going to be the only other player

aside from Maravitch to lead the SEC

and scoring an assist in the single season.

He's 422 points shy of, oh, sorry.

In SEC games, only this is from Arkansas.

In SEC games, only he has 422 points.

That is two point shy of the school record,

which he will break.

Mason Jones did that 60 years ago.

And he's a really, really, really, really, really good player, man.

If you, I think I said this on a recent podcast,

if you watch Arkansas play and they've got a lot of fun

talent about him, like you see what Billy Richmond can do.

Malik Thomas has some real pop there.

Trevor Brazil was almost unstoppable in this game

the other night as well.

DJ Wagner credit to him.

He has accepted a role and actually showed himself well

in the second half of this one.

There's a lot to Arkansas that makes them a fun

and potentially dangerous team in the tournament provided

they can get some defensive consistency.

But everything is flowing to and through and attached to

what ACUF does on the floor.

He has ultimate command of the offense.

He has ultimate confidence in his abilities.

He has really good savvy, really good touch, really good feel.

To me, he embodies what we talk about

with this freshman class.

It's absurdly deep.

ACUF is in the midst of all of that.

But in a given year, he would be very much in the conversation

to be the number one pick or the number two pick.

But because we have this just outrageous class

where you've got a guy at Washington

who's not even going to make the tournament

and is just a double, double monster machine

and might not go before number 10 in the class, it's bonkers.

So I love what Miller said.

I do think it will have a real impact on the general discussion

about the top three, the top four in this NBA draft.

And I think that ACUF is good enough

to dial it up even more.

Next week in Nashville in the tournament

and be that kind of player who can will Arkansas

to an extra win or two on the Big Dan stage.

I doubt he'll be the number one pick in the draft

for all of the reasons you noted and others.

But if I win the lottery, I've at least got to take a look at it.

I at least want to bring him in.

I mean, if I know nothing more than this,

top shelf athlete lead guard doesn't turn it over,

shoots about 40% from three

and just led the SEC and assist and points per game.

Like I've got to look at that.

And so he's been incredible.

And I think the Optistats thing that I noted was,

right now 22.2.6.4 assist, 43.7% from three

with an assist to tournament ratio of three to one.

That's one of those things where, you know,

you chop up the lines and you frame it how you want to frame it.

But according to Optistats,

no division one player has ever posted numbers that good

in each of those categories for an entire season

while appearing in at least 75% of his team's games.

A cup is on pace right now to be the first.

He has averaging more points and assist

than Derek Rose averaged in college.

He has averaging more points and assists

than Shagy Ojas Alexander averaged in college.

Both of those guys also played for John Calapere.

They were also one and done guards.

They're NBA MVP's.

I'm not telling you that's what Darius A cup is going to be.

That would be a ridiculous place to set a bar for anybody

other than maybe a LeBron or a Wimbee.

But he is having a better one year of college,

a more productive one year of college than Derek Rose had

at Memphis or than SGA had at Kentucky.

And at this point, it's clear in my mind

that the SEC player of the year award should hit his way.

As for what Sean said, I'll tell you why it mattered to me.

A, he just went out of his way to just say this guy's amazing.

I don't know what everybody else is seeing.

I also played point guard at the D1 level back of the day.

There you go.

Guy also is from Pittsburgh and very close to John Calapere.

So when he says things like, and it sounds like he's an amazing young man,

like, you know, I've been around John Calapere.

He doesn't describe every one of his players as quote,

amazing young man.

So if Sean Miller is saying that, he's getting that from his friend, Cal.

And I like it when coaches think that their players are amazing young man.

So here you got, you check in that box.

The basketball stuff is easy to see.

And then this, I look tried to look it up very,

I don't think I tried that hard.

But which tall state Arizona played in the NCAA tournament?

And after the game, if I remember correctly,

there was a moment between Sean Miller and Fred VanVleet.

And after that moment in the press conference,

somebody asked Sean Miller about it.

And he said something along the lines of,

I just wanted to take a moment and tell him,

don't let anybody tell you you can't play in the NBA.

And I'm paraphrasing here.

I don't know that I have the words exactly right,

but the sentiment, I believe is true.

Sean was at this press conference, yeah.

Go ahead.

Then you take it from here.

I know that was, that was essentially,

that was essentially it's like it was a,

which a tall state was obviously led by VanVleet and,

and by Baker, a really, really, really talented team.

And Sean Miller, who was just, you know,

who's never shy to, to heat praise on other players,

which I very much appreciate, just wanted to make sure

he took it upon himself to kind of let the world know what,

you know, VanVleet and what he was capable of.

I only remember this as well because it was attached to.

I'm pretty sure I had tweeted something.

I've mentioned this on before.

I tweeted something about VanVleet and can he make it in the NBA?

And I wasn't sure.

And then VanVleet like favored it and, you know,

he subsequently gave me a hard time about it.

He was always very cool about it,

but he made sure that he never forgot that I said that about him.

So anyways, so Sean, Sean saw that in a way

that other people clearly didn't.

Evidence being that Fred VanVleet went unselected in the draft.

And you look up now, he's 32 years old.

He is an NBA champion, he's an NBA all-star.

I think he's made more money than both of us combined.

And Sean Miller saw that and that meant something to me.

He recognized that, hey, everybody's saying that this guy

can't play in that league because he's, you know, too little,

not athletic enough.

Blah blah blah.

I'm telling you, that's crazy to me.

He went out of his way to say it to Fred,

then went out of his way to say it to the world.

People that listened because Fred went unselected

and it looks like Sean Miller was right.

So when he says this, when he goes out of his way

to say this about a lead guard again,

this kind of stuff, like I don't know what you guys are missing,

but I'm telling you, I've seen it.

Obviously, A-Cuff, VanVleet, different levels of prospects,

but it was still the same kind of sentiment.

I just saw this up close.

And if you don't think this is what I'm telling you,

it is you're missing something.

Those words matter to me.

That was an incredible night for A-Cuff on Wednesday,

A, because of his performance,

and B, because of what the opposing coach said about him.

Completely, completely agree.

If you want to get some context more on A-Cuff and as a player

and someone who's played for John Calapari,

our cameraman, Solano, has a piece up at cbsports.com

that brings A-Cuff into the conversation.

Where does he rank among the best guards?

And where he is he poised to rank ever to play for Calapari.

A-Cuff's moving up that list pretty swiftly here.

And we'll see what this month can bring.

They brings a lot of promise and opportunity.

It's been very, very fun to watch him watch A-Cuff play.

Who, by the way, came into college with a reputation of

of being a guy who might not make the best passes,

might not take the back shots, really talented.

He has really adjusted his prospects at the NBA level

as a result of his play over the past four months.

It's been very, very cool to see.

And I can't wait to watch him play even more

over the next three weeks.

One more thing to get to before we get to the final four

and one, St. Louis has secured at least a share of the A-10 title.

They did it for the first time since 2014.

We'll spend a few minutes on that next.

First, let's get another word from our partners.

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The prime time stage is set for the TGL presented by SoFi finals.

Los Angeles Golf Club versus Tigers Jupiter links.

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Tune in Monday, March 23rd, 9 p.m. Eastern on ESPN 2

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The win this weekend over George Mason,

St. Louis will be outright Atlantic 10 champions.

They've already got the Billikens at least a share

for the first time since 2014.

We don't have to spend a lot of time here,

but I did want to acknowledge the excellence

of 27 and 3 overall, 15 and 2 in the A-10.

St. Louis hasn't gotten the same kind of attention

that Miami, Miami, Ohio has received,

obviously, because the Billikens aren't undefeated

and because they don't have a Wally Zerbiac,

although they did have a Larry Hughes and a George Air Jet.

And that's pretty good from far as I'm concerned.

Norlanda, you saw this up close few weeks ago.

You read, Sheffields.

Tell us how awesome Josh Church is at his job.

And then tell us whether St. Louis is going to get a third year

from him because I know you got your little coaching carousel

column up over at cbsports.com.

And I saw his name in there.

I saw his name in there.

Alphabetically listed.

Yeah, alphabetically listed if I was listing

in order of, quote unquote, hottest coaches.

Shirts probably at the top of the list

on this year's carousel among sitting head coaches there.

27 and 3, mighty impressive.

At Mason on Saturday, by the way, for slew,

Mason's no longer really in the at large conversation.

It looked like it might potentially be there

as recently as a month ago, but that's fallen out,

but Mason's still good.

So we'll see if we're jinxing the Billikens at all here

by, you know, in advance of their road game to wrap up the A10.

But St. Louis is safely in the field

and going to be in the assembly tournament.

And in church, it's done a really good job there,

which is not a huge surprise, but he's been able to in two years

kind of just, you know, flip the program to a certain extent

and not even to a certain extent.

He has flipped it last year.

Under the radar, 19 to 15 weren't quite as good as people

were expecting.

And then now we see what's happening here this year.

And the end is extremely good on both ends of the field.

Right now, excuse me, both ends of the court.

Effective field goal percentage for slew, 60.7.

Number two in the country.

Effective field goal percentage defense.

44% best in all of college basketball.

This is also the most accurate three point shooting team

in the country, almost 42% from beyond the arc.

They've got one, two, three, four, five, six.

Six guys that are shooting north of 37% are better from beyond the arc.

As for shirts and his prospects, he's going to have them.

Whether he takes them, it is truly an open, an open question.

St. Louis, if it hasn't already, I'm told it's going to come to him

with an extremely big up and contract terms.

Significant increase in pay for him and his staff.

Double the NIL at minimum.

Do everything you can to keep them.

And there's a chance that St. Louis will win out here.

And the biggest reason why is there's not

at this stage and not really expected to be.

Because I don't think Ohio State personally.

I don't think it's going to open.

I think Ohio State will make the tournament.

Jake Dibler will keep his job.

Even if they didn't make the tournament, there's no,

there's no guarantee that Dibler would be out after two years.

But that's a top, I bring that up because that's a top 20 job.

But I don't think it's going to open.

If you look around Syracuse is probably the best job out there.

It's not a top 20 job right now, not in my opinion.

You really dig into the realities of what it's like to run a program

at Syracuse right now.

2026 NIL portal era post bayheim.

People don't consider Syracuse at this point to be one of the 20 best jobs

in men's college basketball.

But it's probably the best on on the carousel or that's expected to open.

It hasn't opened yet.

Every indication that Syracuse is going to open.

They have already reached out to some potential candidates there.

Shirts being one of them.

So shirts is going to be a high priority for Syracuse.

I think he's going to get a real look from Providence.

My understanding is Kansas State already came knocking.

And it was a thanks, but no thanks there.

So we wait and see on shirts.

Cincinnati remains 50-50 if it will open or not.

I think Cincinnati would have shirts at the top of its list.

But it stays a year.

Can do this again.

The thing is you're not going to have you're not going to have cream of the bar next year.

You're not going to have Steph Blurry hanging around campus.

Can you do this again?

Can you be a team that wins 25 plus games and be justice hot next year?

I'm not saying it's right.

I'm just saying this is how it works.

If you go next year and don't make the tournament,

there are bigger jobs open.

How is your case?

We'll see on that.

Yeah.

I don't know.

So we'll see.

Feel free to go over to the app site, cbsports.com.

I've got 15 sitting head coaches, 10 high major assistants,

just to kind of know and to track Brian Hodgson's name, Jared Calhoun.

Considered the favorite right now at case state,

whether or not he'll take that remains to be seen.

KCL Exander at Belmont's, a name to know.

To KCL at UNCW, Travis Steele, by the way,

of Travis Steele gets to the tournament without a loss.

That's going to be really fascinating,

because he's talked to me on the record this season about how much

he really enjoys.

And he means it.

Like he coached Xavier and didn't work.

And like he's gotten to have carte blanche at that school.

They just approved a $240 million arena that's going to open in two years.

That will be interesting with Steele.

There's some high end assistants in there as well.

Boynton at Michigan, Murray and Kamati Young at Yukon.

Duke is almost definitely going to lose probably at least one assistant this season.

Carl and Hartman at Florida.

So I send it on back to UGP.

But if you want to get an idea of the guys that are

that have already heard contact from schools and are certainly going to hear more

over the next week plus, as the carousel really starts to spin.

Go and read it.

But shirts his name is at the top of the list.

And I don't know what to think about what he's going to do.

Like I really think it's 50-50 if he stays or goes.

Yeah, this is one of those where as you get older and you have a job like this,

you should better understand that like yelling about what men or women or anybody

should do with their careers.

Like you know better than them.

Like I probably thought I knew what everybody should do when I was 35 and under.

But at some point as your kids get older and you make career choices,

you realize that different things matter to different people.

And so like Josh is going to have opportunities and President

and then he's going to I'm assuming going to make the best decision he can make for everybody

involved.

But on a very basic level, it might just come down to do you walk away from one of the best jobs

in a top seven league to take a middle of the pack job in a top five league.

Or a or a bottom half job in a top five league.

Or a bottom third job in a top two league.

And different people can weigh that different ways.

But I know a lot of coaches are like if you've got one of the best jobs in a good enough league,

don't take a bad job in a better league because you're just going to get eat up.

Or at least that's a that's a likely scenario.

So these are all the things he'll have to weigh.

I'm certain he's already weighing them on some level.

Either way, he's got a conference championship trophy.

Headed to head it to shave its arena and perhaps it'll be.

But it perhaps it'll be an outright given what happens this weekend.

Yeah, we can move on, but it just it just dawned on me.

Like it's been busy just been going on stuff.

The news actually like finally broke contained yesterday.

I invoke Providence like Kim English is still the coach there,

but he's been informed that that's this isn't breaking news.

But as we're going through the coaching stuff,

like it just I didn't even think about it in front of mind.

I guess never say never.

Maybe they could pull off an NC state,

which honestly like that would be amazing and hilarious.

But there's expected to, you know,

Kim English understands the deal here.

And that process of like trying to find the next coach that's

that's quietly already underway.

The last thing I said about this, you touched on it.

I just to put some more specific numbers on it.

It wasn't just that St. Louis was bad two seasons ago

right before they learned Josh shirts to campus.

They were 13 and 20 overall,

five and 13 in the Atlantic 10.

They finished 14th, which equates to next to last in the league.

And nobody was coming to the games.

All right.

They made a coaching change understandably so.

They made an excellent hire undeniably.

And they went from seven games below 500.

The year before shirts took over to four games above

500 in year one that was last season.

This is year two and in year two just two nights ago.

They clinched a league title at home in front of a capacity crowd.

This part matters too of nearly 11,000

despite the opponent being a sub 300 team.

All right.

And what nobody there to see who they were playing.

Nobody cared.

It was just our billikins are playing tonight for a conference

championship and nearly 11,000 people came to that arena to watch

an 18 basketball game.

I say all this because I think it's easy

for fans of programs who have had a good at some point.

Tasted something good.

And now it's just really bad.

So like looking at you, Syracuse, pit, Memphis.

It can get so bad the visuals.

Nobody's at the games.

I mean, you should have seen FedEx for them last night.

I did.

Trust me.

I know it was a slow night in hoop,

but I was doing work, doing prep, making calls.

And I had it on the game and my god, the seatback number

that I saw on the television screen was depressing.

It's sad.

It is sad that that is what Tiger basketball has come to.

And I can just tell you, you know,

I'm surrounded by people who have loved that thing.

They're entire lives.

And they're beat down right now.

And they don't think it'll ever be good again.

And I told them, hey, just look up at St. Louis.

They're in a league that their fans don't really care about either

if we're being honest.

They were really in a bad place two years ago.

But they made the right hire.

They've established a culture.

Now they're winning conference championships again.

And they're more, most importantly,

they're filling up a building that nobody was coming to

as recently as two seasons ago.

If it can happen like that at St. Louis with the right hire,

if you've ever had success before,

you can get something close to it back

if you just make the right hire.

And so I wish everybody,

every school that has to do such a thing

over the next few weeks or months.

I wish them the best of luck.

You can check out the Gary Parishaw on grind city media.

And he was just about to segue into one of his primary topics

on this Friday show.

I say no break.

We got plenty to get to.

I don't think folks even realize how busy the next two days

are on the college basketball schedule.

It's the final four and one.

I'm up like four games on the tally.

Josh don't even turn on your mic.

We're good to go game one.

Oh, oh, no.

I need to hear this from Josh's soft tones.

Josh, am I really behind?

I'll hit the wrong button, Josh, by the way.

Okay.

That's crazy.

We all make mistakes.

But yeah, I think you,

I think you might have been better served GP

just going along with keeping my microphone muted.

You're officially looking up at Norlander

in the final four and one.

Mountain.

Got 40 40 46 and one to Norlander's 42 44 and one.

What you see?

Got anything to say or you just want to move on.

I don't have anything to say,

but I will want to tell you a quick story.

And I mean, the quickest.

The other night I got a studio.

The other night I got at a studio.

And because we had stumbled into

the other day on Wednesdays and episode,

it was just in my head.

And I don't know why it was in my head.

But I was like, you know what?

I want to see if I really did the learn to swim part, right?

Like how close did I sound?

You were close, ish.

I, okay, I felt good.

Because I haven't heard that,

I haven't heard Maynard Keen and say that phrase.

I'm not, I'm not exaggerating.

Maybe 20 years.

But it is what popped into my head

when you said 46 and two.

I immediately went to that title track

and I immediately went to learn to swim.

And I was like,

I wonder if I, how good I sounded.

Because it felt good.

But I didn't know.

And so I went and found a live version

of Maynard Keen and singing that song.

And it was like some festival

from like to that like last year.

It was like, it was, it was this,

it was to send off for Aussie Osborne.

Yes.

It was tools first performance in a long time.

Yeah.

How about that?

Okay.

So I was in it.

And then I sweared again.

You got to understand.

I'm on like no blurry eyed

and I'm barely hold it together.

And I'm watching this video.

And the drummer for tool is in a number 22.

Kansas J Hawks jersey.

I glance over it.

I'm like, is the, is the what is going on?

We have to be the only college basketball podcast

that has ever spent that amount of time on tool.

I am randomly watching a tool video

in the middle of the night now.

And the drummer is wearing a Darin Peterson jersey.

He was wearing a Danny Carey jersey.

As I responded to you on the text thread,

Danny Carey from Lawrence, Kansas.

Whereas a Kansas jersey all the time

has played at Kansas basketball games

with the pet band.

But now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

But isn't that a wild thing to stop while two if for me?

I know.

You're watching a tool video at 315 in the morning.

I don't know why you are,

but you are.

And suddenly you think you're hallucinating

because you're like, do I see the drummer

for this band right away wearing a 22 jersey?

You're damn right.

He was.

I thought I was.

And insanely, insanely talented drummer

for those who might not realize.

I think I thought I was hallucinating.

And I'm not even ruling out.

I'm not even insisting I wasn't hallucinating.

But the jersey was, it was real.

It was a real thing.

Game 1, Friday, 9 p.m. Eastern.

Let's go.

Number 19 Miami University at Ohio.

Inside the Logan Paul Center.

You can watch it on ESPN 2.

Miami minus five and a half.

Yes, Logan Paul did a Tando Ohio University.

But he's a non graduate.

He's a college dropout.

He's a college dropout.

I wonder whatever.

I wonder whatever happened to him.

I wonder if he's doing okay.

He's doing all right.

He's going all right.

9 Eastern.

Here we go.

For the regular season, undefeated run.

And it's rivalry game on the road.

Ohio's coach by Jeff Bulls.

And if you think this man doesn't want to end this undefeated run,

he would love nothing more than to kick Miami out of the building

with his first loss of the season.

Friday is actually really loaded.

This is obviously the biggest game of the night.

Red Hawks right now this morning, 21 and strength the record.

30 in wins above bubble.

If Miami wins, it's going to get into the tournament.

It will be a lot.

The selection committee cannot, will not,

should not keep out any team ever that runs the regular season table.

The committee will not do that.

If Miami can get this win and I don't think it's going to be easy,

this team has been tap dancing on a highwire as of late.

Red Hawks are going into the dancing.

It's a matter of what happens in the tournament.

And I'm going to lean into the good here.

I will take Miami to win.

Miami to cover.

Shows to Eric K.

Shows to Eric K.

We love Jeff Pauls.

The Ion College basketball podcast.

Love Zohaya.

But we can't be rooting against the greatest story in the sport.

Can we?

It's I'm conflicted.

I admit I'm conflicted up front.

I actually think Ohio covers this number.

I almost go higher to cover, but I said,

do you know what?

No, I'm leaning into the positive.

That's why I took the Red Hawks.

That is exactly what I'm doing as well.

I think if I had to bet my own money,

I would take Ohio.

Plus the points.

But I don't have to bet my own money.

I just have to sit in a recliner and watch a basketball game.

And I probably got to eat, you know,

Westville with Wally's Arby Echo,

Wednesday night or something.

And I don't want him to be all down in the dumps.

So I also will take Miami minus the five and a half points.

And you're exactly right.

I don't even want to hear anybody suggest if they went tonight.

Well, you know, what if they took a loss in the first game that like shut up?

All right, I don't like got to win at them.

I know.

I want to hear it.

All right.

If they went tonight, the conversation is over.

They will either be in the tournament as an at large

or they will be in the tournament as an auto bid.

But there is no incitable tournament that's going to happen without Miami,

if Miami wins tonight.

Yeah.

They lose the conversation again.

We'll get there if we need to get there.

What's game two?

Game two Saturday, new in Eastern.

Num at Oklahoma State.

It's inside Tony Allen Arena.

You can watch it on CBS.

It's America's most watch network.

It's network stars.

GPMOM has it Houston.

Minus 10 GP through this game on the schedule because it's a CBS game.

But I will say this, Houston's seeking to clinch the two seed in the big 12 tournament

with a win here.

It either wins this game or if it loses and Texas Tech loses at BYU.

The Cougs will be the two obviously Zona is the one.

Houston is 143 in a row against unranked teams.

That's the longest streak in the country wins over unranked.

Second, Miami University and Duke have 130 in a row against unranked competition.

That's a special class of basketball teams.

It really is.

Oklahoma State needs to win this game and make the big 12 semis to have a chance

to get into the tournament.

It's not unthinkable but gotta get this done at home.

Cougars actually got a heck of a battle from Baylor on Wednesday night since we last talked GP.

Good game.

Good, like good.

Baylor's just not a tournament team this year but it played another really really good game.

I guess another really really good team.

Kind of like the way it did against Arizona couldn't get it done.

Couldn't pull it out.

Emotions running high.

You love to see it.

Emmanuel Sharp, Kelvin Sampson.

It was great.

Houston got the win.

Houston will get the win here but I'll take the Cowboys and Steve let's the cover.

Okay.

I put this game here in part because it's a CBS game.

That's true.

Like I know where my direct deposits come from.

All right.

But beyond that, I wanted to use it as a hook to ask you.

Did you see Kelvin's press conference after the win over Baylor?

There was a clip that went.

I didn't know what I did not.

Okay, there was a clip that got some attention.

And I'd love to play it for you except I knew I wanted to play the Sean Miller clip.

And then you start trying to play at Calvin Sampson clip and you go look up and you

ain't going to have time to talk about tools drummer.

All right.

And we know we have our priorities in order here of course.

We've got to have our priorities in order but I thought it was great.

I mean all caps great.

Go find it.

Just Kelvin Sampson or I actually talked about it on the GP show yesterday.

You can find it there.

I did play it there because you know we had two full hours.

We had two full hours and the Grizzies aren't any good.

So it's got to do something.

Got to do something.

Anyway, he said after the game and hit it, Emmanuel Sharp with them.

And he had Miles use in with them.

And there was the moment during the senior night ceremony where they both like teared up.

Tears of joy, all that stuff.

But like there's Calvin Sampson, toughest man, hardest coach.

He's in tears.

Emmanuel Sharp in tears.

It was just a sweet moment as Isaac pointed out.

You know, we only got 22 of those that have been there, you know,

start your career here, finish your career here.

And he's one of them.

So that was sweet.

And then Calvin was either asked about it or he brought it up post game.

But he went on to explain like he was talking about it.

Kingston Flimmings is not going to graduate.

All right, because he's going to go to the NBA.

And Chris isn't going to graduate.

Hopefully sometimes someday though, they come back and do it.

But like everybody else here is going to graduate.

And this is important to us.

But it's not because of me.

I'm just their basketball coach.

Emmanuel is going to graduate because of his parents,

because his parents are both college graduates.

And he went on to explain like in the recruiting process,

this is something he prioritizes.

He recruits players.

Sure, like he's not going to recruit my kids.

Just because he thinks me and my wife might be decent parents.

He starts with the basketball players.

But then he looks at the parents.

And if there's things with the parents that he's that comfortable with,

he'll move on from the basketball player.

Because I don't want to speak for him,

but I'm sure he's been surprised before in a good way.

But I bet not as often as you get exactly what you assume's coming.

And so he just sort of talked about that.

And just talked about he just touched on a lot of really important messages

that I think speak to the state of college basketball.

But even more than that, just the world in general.

Like it's just two minutes where I didn't get home to late last night.

But I will at some point play that for my boys.

Just listen to this.

He talked about how the next generation has got to be better

than the previous generation.

And that is somebody who works around young people.

That is what he sees.

He's like, man, these young people today are better than they've ever been.

And it's because parents, like a like a manuals parents,

and my list of parents are invested in young people more than parents.

I just thought it was a lot of good stuff.

I know I could have probably just played it for you to have been quicker.

It would have been, but he was minus 10 GP.

But find it on your own time because it was really good.

Calvin Samson, hopefully gets into the Hall of Fame a little later on.

I guess next month.

In the meantime, yeah, I'll lay the 10 points.

Game three, Saturday, 2 p.m. Eastern, Louisville.

At number 22 Miami, inside the Shane Larkin Center,

you can watch it on ESPNU.

Kintam has it Louisville minus one.

Minus one. Louisville is 10 and 9 and quad one and two.

EPI has the Cardinals, 21 and 9.

That's the 11th best team in the country.

Kampam has Louisville at 16.

Louisville's best wins are home versus Kentucky.

Cincinnati and Cincinnati.

But not at Cincinnati and the other arena in that city.

And Baylor and Fort Worth.

Still kind of got to see some more from the cards.

It'd be nice if Louisville could go on the road against a really solid team,

a projected single digit seed, a good cane squad.

Cain squad that is 24 and 6.

BPI has about this Louisville is 11 and BPI.

Miami, 24 and 6 is 40th in BPI.

29 spot difference there.

Louisville could go on the road and get this win.

It could be really good for fan and team morale,

just going into the postseason.

See if they can get it done.

The Hurricanes are 11 and 6 and quad one and quad two,

by the way, much better record than Louisville at this point.

25th and resume average.

35th and prediction average for the Hurricanes.

Jay Lucas has done a wonderful job.

If his former boss wasn't so incredible at coaching,

this would be your ACC coach of the year,

but Shire will almost, I mean,

how could Shire not be ACC coach of the year?

That's so, but look at season one.

People don't know how to vote on coach of the year awards.

There's too many goofies.

Too many goofies with balance.

That's how you've wanted to question is,

how could John Shire not win ACC coach of the year?

The answer is too many goofies with balance.

There are many goofies.

You hate it.

Too many goofies.

Goofies all over the place.

I would think that's not going to happen in the ACC,

but we'll see.

Maybe Caroline wins a Duke.

Miami wins this one and some walking ensues.

You've got cards minus one as the line according to Ken Palm.

I will take Miami.

Miami at home, getting another win.

And in the process, I mean,

this should put Miami squarely on the six line for sure.

Maybe there's even a case for a five,

but I'm guessing no.

But yeah, I'll take the canes to get it done

and to cruise into the ACC tournament.

Not so much under the radar,

but certainly under disgust.

But maybe it wouldn't like this.

Ups, they're profile all the more.

And hey, here we are talking about

a final four and one going into the test,

going into the last week into the regular season.

It would be wrong for Jay Lucas to win ACC coach of the year,

because John Shire has built the number one ranked basketball team

in the country.

He has done it by replacing multiple lottery picks,

and they've been excellent from start to finish.

I know that they were supposed to be excellent,

but look around the country,

just because you're supposed to be good,

doesn't mean that you always will be.

That should be rewarded.

John Shire should be the ACC coach of the year,

but Jay Lucas has been incredible.

And if you're asking, why did I put this game here?

It's not because I care that much about

how the ACC standings are going to shake out below Duke.

But if we're going to spend time talking about Steven Pearls,

really struggling in year one at Auburn,

we should take the time to acknowledge the good side of this.

And that is Jay Lucas, 24 and 6 overall,

13 and 4 in the ACC, alone and third in the league standings.

Started 76th at Kenpom, now 28th,

inherited a program that only won seven games last season.

He's already won 24, finished 190th third at Kenpom last season.

Again, right now, hurricanes are 28.

That is plus 175 spots.

It's plus 165 spots year over year.

That's incredible stuff.

He should be the ACC runner-up coach of the year.

Okay, there you go. You're just an invented award.

All right, speaking of the ACC, game four GP,

we all know what it is.

Saturday, 6.30 PM Eastern,

number 17 North Carolina, at number one Duke,

inside Konkenniple Stadium.

You can watch it on ESPN.

Kenpom's got it Duke, minus 16.

That's different, bad pull.

Is it 16?

That's what Kenpom says.

He's different.

Hold on, let's bring up this projected score.

81.65.

What was the projected score four years ago?

We are now four years and one day removed from...

Well, we're actually like, we're four days,

for four years and two days removed from

Parish, wandering aloud on the show.

If Mike Shoshesky would get ejected

from this final home game, if he pissed on a ref.

Ornays and four years and one day removed

from Carolina actually going in and beating Duke

in the case final home game.

I'll never forget that covering that for the rest of my life.

And here we are, Carolina.

Big, big underdog.

Duke going for a 17-in-1 season in the ACC.

The only loss, of course.

Chapel Hill, February 7th.

71.68.

Duke led for the entire game until the very end

when none other than Seth Trimble from the corner.

Hit the three.

By the way, I got it.

I got it.

That game, K's last game at Cameron.

Duke was favored by 11 and a half.

So this would be a bigger shocker.

This would be a bigger shocker

than the thing we had a hard time imagining happening

just four years ago.

I know.

This would not be nearly as funny.

Sorry.

No, at least we're having that.

We said there couldn't be anything pot

because going into it,

no one gave Carolina a chance.

And then we said it's not going to happen.

But is there anything funnier

than if they actually went in and did this

with all those Duke alumni behind K?

And that's exactly what happened.

And then we got our answer.

Then we got our answer.

Oh, what did he say?

Unacceptable.

It's unacceptable.

It's unacceptable.

Then we got our answer to the question.

Is there anything funnier than Duke losing that game?

And then we got our answer.

And it's like,

it's like, no, no, there is nothing funnier

than Duke losing that game.

And not I'm not even an anti-Duke.

I'm pro Duke.

But like that's objectively hilarious

that they lost that game.

It's objectively hilarious.

Oh, come on.

Yeah, crazy.

The big question with this one will Caleb Wilson play.

ACC has availability reports the day before.

Here's how I think this is going to go.

The report's going to come out later on Friday.

He's going to be listed as questionable.

They're going to tip this game.

And I think he's going to be on the floor.

Now, hand injury.

I understand.

Caleb Wilson is wired.

I love the way he's wired.

He knows this is the only chance he will ever have

to play in that building.

And so he's probably champion at the bit

and just dying to do it.

If he feels good,

he'll be even chomped.

No, the phrase is actually champion.

Chomping is not correct.

Chomping is everyone with this.

Watch this.

Watch this.

Hold on, I should do it.

Yeah, you shouldn't.

Yeah, you don't need to do that.

Definitely don't need to do that.

I don't know where you were going with that.

We'll keep it moving.

Look it up.

Champing at the bit.

Everyone says chomping.

I don't need anybody.

Pause in that video.

Everyone, either you.

You were trying to make a point.

Yeah.

I think Wilson winds up playing in the game.

Put me at.

Put me at 60 40.

He does.

I'm not overly optimistic.

But optimistic enough where I think there's enough out there

that he's going to play that said.

Pick the game here too.

Also, you know, not just rivalry game, but

you know, going still vying with the Michigan and Arizona

for number one overall seed status.

I'll say Duke wins.

I say Caroline is in the number now.

Duke has been.

It's just been eviscerating opponents left and right.

So yeah, can Duke pull out?

Can Duke win this by 24?

Of course it can.

I'll lean into the rivalry.

That's a big number.

Carolina covers.

I'm going to be wrong with.

I mean, it's what it is.

Come on, Duke.

What do you got?

This is really interesting.

To champ means to chew noise.

I can't say that word.

It's one of those words I can't say.

To champ means to chew.

Noisily.

And to chop means to chew vigorously.

So you might champ at the bit.

But I do chop at the bit because I chew vigorously.

I'm a vigorous chewer.

You're not.

I've seen you eat.

I did almost I almost choke the death of the broadcast center

on the lamb one night.

Okay.

I got a little cocky with my lamb.

I was like, I don't know if you really got to cut this piece up

but I can chew it vigorously.

Chop.

And it got stuck right here.

I thought I was going to.

I had to highlight myself.

I'll highlight myself.

I thought I wasn't gone.

Is it physically possible to highlight yourself?

Oh, sure.

I do it.

I do it.

Yeah.

Yeah, I think you could do it.

I highlight myself.

But like I had that moment where I was like,

wouldn't this be the wildest way to go choking on lamb

in the second half of a Mount West game?

But wouldn't that be something?

Anyway, I survived it.

But I learned I learned my lesson.

You can't get cocky with your lamb.

Cut it cut it into smaller pieces.

That's right.

Yeah.

Anyway, I don't eat lamb.

You you champ and I respect that.

I respect that you champ.

But I chop.

I chew vigorously.

And one Saturday, 10 third.

Oh, you got to pick the game.

Oh, I do.

Yeah, I've taken Carolina plus the points.

I want to watch a fun basketball game that's good.

So yeah, just give me the 16 points.

And let's let's have it be compelling in the under four.

We've we've doomed ourselves.

I just know it.

We both took Carolina.

They're going to lose by 30.

They're going to lose by 30.

She's.

And one Saturday, 1030 Eastern on ESPN.

It's number 10 Texas Tech at BYU on, you know what?

I'm going to give the guy a little love here.

Richie Saunders court.

He's getting the court for this game.

He can't play on it.

We're going to name the court after him.

Ken Palm BYU Cougs minus 2 GP.

You have to believe that BYU is going to win a basketball game.

Gotta believe it.

You got to believe that they're going to win a basketball game

and that no one has had premarital sex.

The entire season.

That's for.

That's that's that.

That's asking too much.

OK, I don't feel like I'm at a point.

I don't feel like I'm in a place where I can believe BYU is

going to win a basketball game right now.

Give me the points.

That's all you got.

Yeah, that's it.

OK, that's it.

Listen, I got I got plenty of games to inform our audience on

that aren't in the final form one.

So I'll take that BYU.

Flirting with going into the 8-9 game if you can't win this.

And it doesn't do anything in the in the big 12 tournament.

A huge opportunity at home.

Texas Tech coming off of the loss at home against TCU on Tuesday.

This is a riveting matchup and I don't know what to expect.

A late Saturday tip here will be dialed in for sure.

I I will go Cougs at home to win and cover.

But I don't know if I've had a less confident pick the entire season.

I really don't know if I have.

I will go be like you.

In the short ticker's tech, it's like, hey, they really might just jump up and beat anybody with 17 three pointers.

That's right.

And with BYU, it's like, man, I ain't seen you do to be that very good in a minute.

The defense has been so bad.

Can the defense show up in this one?

I mean, Texas Tech, yeah, the threes are in there.

They picked their spots.

They're a good offense, despite the fact that they're pedestrian from the line as well.

So debonce over under debonce, uh, 28 and a half this game, GP.

Over.

Gee, he's got to.

How are we?

How are we?

How are they going to score in a final home game?

I'll be there, but maybe I'll come back.

You see, you heard that?

You see that that went.

Yeah, that's silly.

And like, I don't.

I mean, we had this with Cooper flag last year.

I don't mind.

I don't like, yeah, the guy who is living in provo for millions of dollars is just going to stop.

I don't mind it when the young people say it because I think it often comes from a sincere place.

It's not a real thing they're going to do, but I don't, I'm not dismissive of the idea that

it's a real feeling that they have, all right?

Yeah, where I get frustrated is like, but just because we don't have to give it,

we don't have to pay it real attention.

You don't have to give it like an actual, like, am I speaking out of turn here?

No, what do you want to say?

I'm just going to say, like, just because AJ DeBonza says, I might come back to college.

My mom wants me to graduate.

Doesn't mean we need to open a podcast talking about or like someone needs to write a column saying,

will AJ DeBonza really come back?

Let's explore the possibilities.

Like, no, he's going to enter the NBA draft.

He's going to be picked in the top three.

Just as soon as BYU loses in the NCAA tournament, that will be it.

Period.

I don't care what he says.

I'm not calling him in sincere.

I'm just saying, that's not the way this will play out.

I said, I wouldn't, I mean, can you, whatever, we don't have to play that.

Like, if he actually did come back, because I talked to his father about this when I went out there,

just how much the degree actually does genuinely mean to AJ?

No, no, no, no, I can't even listen to it.

It would be amazing if it happened.

It would be ridiculous.

It would come off.

It would be dumb if it happens.

Okay.

And I'm happy to let everybody do what they want to do.

But it'd be financially ridiculous to not be in this NBA draft.

That's the work layer.

It's just so we tied up.

And before I give you what you know, watch this weekend.

Parish on this podcast, I said it is, it is not for me to tell grown men what they should be doing with their career.

But I am not real basketball players.

I am absolutely then to tell them what they should do.

That's not what I said.

I'm not telling him what to do.

He could do whatever he wants to do.

I'm telling you it would be financially reckless to stay in school.

And I'm telling you he ain't going to do it.

That's what I'm telling you.

He can do whatever he wants.

But it would be financially reckless to stay in school.

And he's not going to do it no matter what he or his father says to you or anybody else.

If he is so fired up, he might bite the mic again.

No, look at him.

He's fired up.

I chew vigorously.

If there's one thing I learned from that lamb episode,

it's that you need to chew particularly lamb.

You need to chew it vigorously.

I'm a child.

Before we get out of here, wherever you're taking in this podcast,

however you're taking it on Friday or Saturday,

here is your heads up on a loaded, loaded, final weekend of the regular season.

Dylan, let's go because it is nothing but hoops for the next 48 plus hours.

Friday bubble situations.

VCU at Dayton 7 Eastern ESPN 2, Rams projected Dayton right now.

That would be huge if they can win at Dayton on Friday.

UCF at West Virginia 8 Eastern CBS Sports Network.

Knights don't lose it.

Don't flirt with that.

Seaton Hall 9 Eastern FS1 Friday night.

Pirates in a must win situation.

Possibly on the cut line if they can win at home over St. John's on Friday.

UNLV at San Diego State Aztecs 10 Eastern CBS Sports Network on Friday.

Text cannot lose between now and the Mountain West title game.

Saturday bubble.

Let's go.

Noon Eastern the CW Virginia Tech app Virginia.

If the Hokies sweep the Wahos,

they might barely be in the field with a win,

depending on other results this weekend.

You can lock them opportunity.

Arkansas at Missouri Tigers are in and will be a lock with the win.

A loss still leaves a little room for doubt.

2 Eastern ACC Network SMU at Florida State.

SMU is either the last team in or the first team out right now,

depending on how you look at it.

That is a treacherous game for the ponies 2 Eastern TNT.

Cincinnati at TCU.

The Bearcats will officially be in the mix.

If they can get a win on the road at the Hornfrogs,

we'll see about that 4 Eastern.

This game is not on television.

It's a very good.

It's New Mexico at Utah State.

It's on the Mountain West Network,

which I think is only online.

I rock with the mountain.

I rock with the Mountain West Network.

You go and look at this game in the listings

and there's no television network next to it.

It's New Mexico at Utah State.

These are two really good teams in the Mountain West.

What are we doing?

New Mexico needs to win the game to keep its bubble case alive.

Utah State safely in the field.

4 Eastern ACC Network.

I put this in regrettably.

But nonetheless,

if Cal does win at Wake Forest,

it will still be in the bubble picture.

It technically is a bubble game.

530 Eastern Fox.

Double Bubble.

Indiana at Ohio State.

To me, the winner of this is in the field for now.

The loser of this is out of the field.

Keep an eye on that.

Six Eastern Saturday.

A-N-M at LSU.

Aggies are a lock.

If they can get the win on the road against LSU,

you take a loss.

Things could hairier again.

830 Eastern Saturday.

ESPN.

Auburn at Bama.

Tigers are 16 and 14 would probably

be in the projected field with a win to get to 17 and 14

and they win on the road against Bama.

If it loses the game,

I feel like Auburn is near dead.

I don't know if there's a higher leverage game

for a bubble team this entire weekend

that Auburn at Alabama.

And then Oklahoma at Texas Saturday night.

830 Eastern SEC Network.

Texas don't lose the game.

Others on Saturday to know.

Vandy at Tennessee at two o'clock on ESPN.

Florida at Kentucky.

The best game that wasn't in the final form.

1-4 Eastern on ESPN.

Big one for Kentucky there.

GP-4 Eastern CBS.

Wisconsin at Purdue.

Purdue, which almost lost on the road

to Northwestern just a few nights ago.

That one takes on some heavy significance

on Saturday, senior day.

UCLA at USC.

FS19 Eastern UCLA is in the field.

I don't think USC has a shot.

And then we've got title games five bids coming.

GP I know we're up against it,

but you wanted to talk about Danny Care.

You did this to yourself.

We've got Saturday.

9 Eastern ESPN OVC title game.

First team in the field.

Tennessee states the favorite coach by Nolan Smith.

Yes, that Nolan Smith.

Sunday noon CBS NBC title game.

Belmont is the favorite Sunday.

New Eastern ESPN 2.

Big South title game.

High point is the favorite Sunday.

2 Eastern ESPN 2.

A Sun title game.

Central Arkansas is the favorite Sunday.

9 Eastern.

This might be after we're done.

We might be on their CBS Sports Network.

Summit League.

North Dakota states the one seed.

St Thomas is actually the favorite.

I believe because it ranks ahead in predictive metrics.

We will have five teams out of 68 in the field.

After we get out after we get out of this weekend.

Sunday as GP mentioned before Michigan state

at Michigan 430 Eastern on CBS.

I wouldn't Nebraska also play on Fox.

On Sunday, we will be back at some point on Sunday night

to wrap up what is going to be a loaded weekend

and do our best to get out and under an hour and a half.

So for all of you that don't have a scoreboard apps on your phone,

that was terrific.

You just rewind that.

You'll know when everything's going to tip off.

That's correct.

You're welcome.

I laid out the stakes for everyone.

So they know what to watch.

When and what games matter most?

You're welcome.

Shasta Devendale.

He's Shasta Chester South Carolina.

Terry Teague is a legend.

Hook, Lornaal, Danny Carey.

Danny Carey?

He is.

Hey, I'm not even joking.

I went back.

I started watching play with the Kansas band.

I was in it, man.

I was in it deep.

I was in it deep.

If you're not subscribed, please go subscribe anywhere.

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That should be reflected in the comments.

And do that.

We'll talk to you again real soon.

Until then, take care.

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