Eye On College Basketball

Northwestern is 6-1 with a 3-0 record in the Big Ten. Yes, we are opening the podcast talking NORTHWESTERN. Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander also discuss the Big Ten (10:00) and evaluate the league’s chances of sending at least 10 teams to the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Then it’s Gonzaga (19:30) and the likelihood it runs the regular-season table, but also why this would be a very good thing for college...

Merry Christmas, everyone, and happy holidays. Our Christmas Eve episode brings a lot of basketball and holiday cheer. We open with Indiana, then get to notable results from Wednesday (12:00) before moving on to discussing the Big Ten opting to play games on Christmas (21:00) and making our picks in the Final Four + 1 (29:00). The pod wraps with some Christmas chatter, like favorite holiday songs,...

North Carolina lost at NC State on Tuesday night, bringing to light an unfortunate possibility: the 14-19 team last season might mean UNC struggles to make the 2021 NCAA Tournament. The guys also touch on Kansas (12:15) and its runaway home win over West Virginia. Looks like everyone underestimated KU heading into the season. As for Kentucky (20:30), the news gets worse as John Calipari takes the...

Gonzaga reminded everyone that it’s the best team in the sport with its double-digit win over No. 3 Iowa on Saturday, so the guys start there — and make quick mention of the CFP committee’s final rankings. Then we must get to 1-5 Kentucky (18:15), off to its worst start in more than 90 years. And after that, a weekend whiparound of sorts (34:30), with thoughts on Creighton-UConn, Providence-Seton...

It's not good that the biggest discussion topic off a huge Big 12 Thursday game is the officiating. But that's the case with Kansas' 58-57 win at Texas Tech Thursday night. GP and Norlander start there, then get into the myths and facts about Billikens (14:00). Oh by the way: Saint Louis is 6-0. After a conversation that goes in many directions, it’s time for the Final Four (and one), with picks a...

Might the Big East be the trendsetter in college hoops? Matt Norlander had a report — which you can read here as you listen to the pod — that quoted league commissioner Val Ackerman and got into the topic of whether or not the Big East (and other power conferences) could ultimately decide to play league games in controlled environments in January, February or March. The guys extend the Big East ch...

On Saturday morning Florida’s Keyontae Johnson collapsed in the first half of UF’s game at Florida State and was rushed to the hospital. The latest update as of our recording time was that Johnson remains in "critical but stable condition." The pod starts there, and we of course send only our very best to Keyontae and his loved ones in wishing for a quick recovery as soon as possible. Gary Parrish...

Duke will not play Gardner-Webb, meaning it has canceled the remainder of its nonconference schedule. The pod opens with that, plus gets into Alabama coach Nate Oats taking aim at Mike Krzyzewski's comments about considering a temporary halt to the college basketball season. There's a lot to unpack there, so here we go. The guys also give some love to San Diego State starting the season 5-0 and pi...

You were locked in to a big Tuesday night of hoops, so we’ve got you covered here on a Wednesday. The opener of the pod discusses Duke’s issues — Parrish still has the Blue Devils ranked — and Illinois totally looking the part of top-five team. There was also Mike Krzyzewski’s criticism of even playing college basketball right now; the guys touch on that, too. Then it’s time to talk Iowa (20:00) o...

'The Early Edge: A Daily SportsLine Betting Podcast' debuts on Thursday, December 10. Download and subscribe now on Apple , Spotify , Stitcher and whenever else podcasts are found to get the first episode in your feed as soon as it is released! Looking for the best picks against the spread, sharp action on the total and props you can take to the ticket window? Join Jonathan Coachman on the Early E...

The two biggest headlines from Sunday in college hoops were Kentucky looking terrible against Georgia Tech and dropping to 1-3 for the first time since 2000-01 … and Gonzaga announcing it is going on COVID-19 pause through Dec. 14. The pod opens with a discussion on why alarms should legitimately be hit for UK right now. Then GP and Norlander get to Gonzaga (19:30) halting for a bit and discuss th...

We have quick reactions to Saturday's huge and unfortunate news: Gonzaga-Baylor was called off due to two positive COVID-19 test results in Gonzaga's program. The details of how it happened, when it happened and a layout of the potential scheduling routes that will allow for these teams to play each other again later this season. Mark Few and Scott Drew were publicly ambitious Saturday afternoon a...

On Saturday afternoon on CBS, Gonzaga and Baylor will face off, marking the 43rd time in history college basketball has a 1-vs.-2 game. Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander open the first 25 minutes of the podcast by previewing that game but also going over Gonzaga's win against West Virginia and Baylor's win over Illinois on Wednesday night in the Jimmy V Classic. Then they touch on Texas (28:30) winn...

Tuesday night's Champions Classic saw Michigan State win at Duke and Kansas win an ugly game over Kentucky. The pod opens with MSU-Duke chatter before transitioning to UK-KU (10:00). With Norlander back from Bubbleville, he shares some initial impressions on potential No. 1 2021 pick Evan Mobley (22:30), who played for USC on Tuesday in a huge win over BYU in Bubbleville. Norlander also gives a ru...

Virginia, Villanova and Kentucky have all lost as top-10 teams through five games of the season. Texas Tech took a surprising defeat as well vs. equally good Houston on Sunday. Today's episode recaps the biggest events of Saturday and Sunday, plus gives a look ahead to the most interesting games of Monday and Tuesday, let by the Maui Invitational, which is taking place in Asheville, North Carolina...

Gonzaga has looked incredible on the court through two games, beating KU and Auburn. But the outstanding play has been overshadowed some due to the fact GU has multiple COVID-19 positives in its program. That didn't stop Gonzaga from playing Auburn on Friday. The guys get into that mess of a topic and then discuss Gonzaga's impressive 2-0 start. From there, Virginia getting knocked over by San Fra...

Say no more. We have finally made it. Get ready and bask in the regular season by listening to the pod as you watch games all day and all night long. Allons-y!

It's been the longest offseason in 40-plus years in college basketball, but the week has finally arrived. The season will start Wednesday. There will be games -- and plenty of postponements and cancellations. On Monday, we learned Duke and Arizona will not play their season-openers due to COVID-19. Even the news of Rick Barnes testing positive broke mid-podcast. The guys discuss the logistics arou...

Mark Few has never before had Gonzaga at No. 1 heading into a season, but that is now the case. We wrap up our preseason top 10 series with an episode dedicates to the Zags -- and a peek around the WCC while we're at it as well.

Baylor as a top-two team heading into the season? We're a long way from Bill Henderson. Bill who? BILL HENDERSON! Just listen to the pod -- we're less than a week to the start of the season, people!

There seems to be a clear top three in college hoops heading into the season. The order they should go in is however you prefer. We discuss Villanova in the 3 spots, as that's where Gary Parrish has it in his preseason rankings. Norlander thinks this is the top team in the sport. Let's have at it.

After being credibly accused of physical and verbal assault of multiple former players, student-athletes and an assistant coach -- and denying the physical assault in October -- Gregg Marshall stepped down Tuesday as coach of the Wichita State men's basketball program. This emergency pod provides context as to why WSU felt it necessary to pay Marshall $7.75 million to leave, discusses if Marshall...

Tony Bennett has brought Virginia to a plane of existence UVA fans could have never imagined six or seven years ago: the Cavaliers are expected to be one of the 10 best teams in college basketball almost every season. Here's why Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander both size up this seasons' Virginia squad as a Final Four contender.

The 2021 NCAA Tournament will be held in one general location, with that location hopefully being the greater Indianapolis area. What is and isn't doable, what has and hasn't been decided, what should and shouldn't happen: Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander give you 30 minutes of reaction to Monday's big news.

Hello, and let this be your first notice that college basketball starts NEXT. WEEK. Our countdown series continues with an examination of Gene Wilder's alma mater: Iowa. Parrish has the Hawkeyes ranked fifth, Norlander has them 10th. The AP Top 25 has Iowa fourth, its highest preseason ranking in history.