Eye On College Basketball

Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander fire up the late-night pod machine to react to the first full day of the 2026-27 college basketball season. From the battle for Florida between the Gators and Miami to west-coast action between UCLA and Arizona, we'll cover it all. (0:00) Intro + what an opening night! (2:30) Let’s start in Vegas with Arizona and UCLA (10:30) Gonzaga beats Purdue in the other Vegas...

We've done it. We made it to the college basketball season. Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander sit down for one last season preview. Everything is on the docket. All-Americans, individual awards, Final Four picks and some of the biggest prediction questions heading in to 2026-27. Plus, the first installment of the Final Four And 1! (0:00) Intro + Notre Dame vs Rome to start the season is sick (4:15)...

READ: Norlander's Top 100 And 1 teams With major-conference previews complete, Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander take a tour around the mid-major ranks ahead of the 2026-27 college basketball season. From the Pac 12's return to new realities in a 76-team field, the guys get you set for the mid-major hoops season. (0:00) Intro + mid-majors in the top 50 now and by season’s end (6:00) Spending dispari...

Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander preview the Big 12 ahead of the 2026-27 college basketball season. Storylines, 1-16 rankings, predictions and more. (0:00) Intro + Let’s talk Big 12! (1:00) GP’s conversation with Tommy Lloyd at Big 12 Media Days (19:00) 5 Storylines from the Big 12 starting with Arizona at the top of the league (22:00) Will this be Bill Self’s last season? (30:00) Over/under 1.5 co...

How much does it really cost to build a winning college basketball team in 2026-27? With roster values ranging from $5 million to more than $25 million, college basketball's NIL arms race is changing the sport. The Eye on College Basketball crew breaks down the financial landscape of college hoops, examining NIL spending tiers, the growing gap between programs, and what it takes to assemble a rost...

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark joins Gary Parrish at Big 12 Media Days for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of college athletics. Yormark discusses the challenges of leading the conference through a rapidly changing landscape, the professionalization of college sports, and the potential impact of the Protect College Sports Act. Plus, he shares how he balances the perspectives of coa...

Gary Parrish catches up with Houston's Kelvin Sampson and Joseph "JoJo" Tugler at Big 12 Media Days. Sampson discusses how he rebuilt Houston into one of college basketball's premier programs, while Tugler reflects on his growth, defensive identity, and entering his fourth season with the Cougars.

Gary Parrish sits down with Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd at Big 12 Media Days to discuss his impressive first five years leading the Wildcats, what it was like being courted by North Carolina, and how he secured the resources needed to keep Arizona competing at the highest level. Lloyd opens up about the realities of fundraising in college basketball, his philosophy of “hold me accountable, but...

Oklahoma State head coach Steve Lutz joins Gary Parrish at Big 12 Media Days to discuss his coaching journey, the expectations surrounding the Cowboys, and what it takes to compete in one of college basketball's toughest conferences. Lutz reflects on becoming a Division I head coach at 46, the financial investment required to build an NCAA Tournament-caliber roster, and Oklahoma State's commitment...

Kansas State head coach Casey Alexander joins Gary Parrish at Big 12 Media Days to discuss his move from Belmont to Manhattan and the challenge of rebuilding the Wildcats in his first season. Alexander reflects on his decision to leave Belmont, the realities of constructing a roster from scratch in today's college basketball landscape, and how NIL resources impact his ability to compete in the Big...

Gary Parrish sits down with West Virginia head coach Ross Hodge at Big 12 Media Days to discuss his first season leading the Mountaineers, the program's postseason outlook, and his journey through the coaching ranks. Hodge shares his perspective on West Virginia's NCAA Tournament snub last season, the value of postseason experience, and how his time coaching junior college basketball shaped his ca...

Gary Parrish sits down with new Arizona State head coach Randy Bennett at Big 12 Media Days to discuss his decision to leave Saint Mary's after 25 seasons and take on a new challenge in Tempe. Bennett reflects on building the Gaels into one of college basketball's most consistent winning programs, the players who followed him to Arizona State, and what success looks like as he begins a new chapter...

BYU guard Rob Wright joins Gary Parrish at Big 12 Media Days to discuss his future with the Cougars, the rapidly changing landscape of college basketball, and expectations for the 2026-27 season. Wright reflects on the uncertainty surrounding his return to BYU, what it was like playing alongside AJ Dybantsa, and why he believes Dybantsa's game will translate to the NBA. Plus, he discusses his indi...

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark joins Gary Parrish at Big 12 Media Days for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of college athletics. Yormark discusses the challenges of leading the conference through a rapidly changing landscape, the professionalization of college sports, and the potential impact of the Protect College Sports Act. Plus, he shares how he balances the perspectives of coa...

Gary Parrish sits down with Kansas head coach Bill Self and star Tyran Stokes for separate interviews at Big 12 Media Days to discuss the Jayhawks' revamped roster, expectations for the upcoming college basketball season, and the pressure to return Kansas to national championship contention. Self opens up about the addition of Trey Kaufman-Renn, building a roster in the modern era, and the back ni...

Gary Parrish sits down with Iowa State head coach TJ Otzelberger at Big 12 Media Days to discuss the Cyclones' sustained success, the impact of NIL on college basketball, and the challenges of navigating an increasingly unpredictable offseason. Otzelberger opens up about the departure of Milan Momcilovic, why he's remained committed to Iowa State, and the standards that have helped build a winning...

Gary Parrish sits down with Cincinnati head coach Jerrod Calhoun at Big 12 Media Days to discuss his return to Ohio, the challenges of taking over the Bearcats, and his experience building a successful program at Utah State. Calhoun reflects on what makes Utah State a destination where coaches can thrive, the evolving landscape of college basketball, and the uncertainty surrounding player eligibil...

Gary Parrish sits down with Baylor head coach Scott Drew at Big 12 Media Days to discuss the Bears' exhibition victory over defending national champion Florida, expectations for the upcoming college basketball season, and his decision to remain at Baylor despite receiving interest from other major programs. Drew reflects on his commitment to the Bears and what lies ahead for the program.

Gary Parrish sits down with Texas Tech stars JT Toppin and Darrion Williams for separate interviews at Big 12 Media Days to discuss their returns to Lubbock, the Red Raiders' outlook for the upcoming college basketball season, and the expectations surrounding Grant McCasland's program. Toppin provides an update on his injury and recovery, reflects on the impact of NIL in keeping college stars in s...

READ: Norlander's SEC Media Days Takeaways Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander preview the SEC ahead of the 2026-27 college basketball season. Will this be the sport's best league? Can Florida go from No. 1 to national champion? Plus, big seasons loom for Texas, Arkansas, Kentucky and more. The guys break it all down, make predictions and more. (0:00) Intro + let’s talk SEC! (1:15) Recapping SEC Media...

Matt Norlander sits down with SEC commissioner Greg Sankey at 2026 SEC Media Days. (0:00) Matt Norlander sits down with SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey at 2026 SEC Media Day (0:45) Describe the job of a power conference commissioner in 5 words (4:00) How often are people reaching out for direction and help? (5:15) Who calls Greg Sankey more? Football or basketball coaches? (7:05) What has empowered t...

Matt Norlander sits down with Arkansas head coach John Calipari at 2026 SEC Media Days. (0:00) Matt Norlander sits down with Arkansas head coach John Calipari at 2026 SEC Media Day (0:20) “I must've been on crack. I must’ve lost my mind” - John’s schedule is very difficult (2:25) How does coaching keep you young? (3:30) Why was John’s team so good at taking care of the ball last season? (5:00) Jor...

Matt Norlander sits down with Georgia head coach Mike White at 2026 SEC Media Days. (0:00) Matt Norlander sits down with Georgia’s Mike White at 2026 SEC Media Day (0:45) Biggest takeaways from his roster thus far? + Most adult player (2:00) How Blue Cain will be even better this season (3:00) Avoiding another lopsided loss in the NCAA Tournament (5:15) What is the benefit of being a basketball co...

Matt Norlander sits down with Texas' Sean Miller and Isaiah Johnson at SEC Media Days. (0:00) Matt Norlander sits down with Texas’ Sean Miller at 2026 SEC Media Day (0:45) College football at Texas (and the Steelers trending in the right direction) (2:40) Latest on Mikey Lewis’ injury (4:10) Who is the most unique college player on the Texas roster? (5:30) How deep could a healthy Texas team be? (...

Matt Norlander sits down with Kentucky's Milan Momcilovic and Mark Pope at 2026 SEC Media Days. (0:00) Matt Norlander sits down with Kentucky’s Milan Momcilovic at 2026 SEC Media Day (1:00) Why was Kentucky the choice for Milan? (2:00) How does the best 3-point shooter in the country maintain and get better? (3:30) What mattered in the recruitment process? (6:15) Why Zoom Diallo is a great leader...