Takes

Midweek college basketball is better than the NBA

That's why I love college basketball so much, especially this time of year where every game feels so important... there's nothing like these college basketball games, a midweek game where the crowd and you get true home court advantage. And it feels like there's big, big time stakes.

The current college basketball season is the best in a long time because the top of the rankings is loaded with juggernauts.

This might be the best college basketball season we're having right now in a long, long time. It is so loaded at the top. There are, you go eight deep of teams that feel like they are like juggernauts.

Houston was uncomfortable not playing from behind in the title game

I think that Houston was uncomfortable not playing from behind. I feel like Houston had had to lead the whole game and they were like, wait, we're, we're usually the ones that are, that are coming back at the last minute.

Houston is a team of wolves led by a wolf

Houston is just a bunch of wolves, man led by a wolf... the way they get after it, you, you can't prepare for it. It's like a pass rush that just the quarterback is gonna be rattled and it kills, it kills your transition offensive game because it's hard for you to even run on them because getting a defensive rebound feels like survival.

Duke is the only team in the country top-5 in both offensive and defensive efficiency

I have figured Duke to win it all. There's a reason I picked that. Number one, any time a team is top five in offensive and defensive efficiency, they got a great chance to win. Duke's the only team in the country that's top five by Ken Pomeroy in efficiency in both areas.

Auburn felt like a special team early in the season after competing physically with Houston.

We had to play an an incredibly well coached, hard playing Houston team where we were gonna find out whether we were gonna be physical and tough enough... once we were able to beat Houston or at least be on compete with 'em, we felt like this team had a chance to be pretty special.

USC will win the right side of the bracket in 'The Crown'

I think Villanova, USC on the right side of the bracket would be fascinating. Must Bus has his team ready to go. I think. I think USC on the right side, they're gonna come out of this right side of the bracket. I just like the way that they're playing.

Teams are 1-7 in their next game after winning on a buzzer beater in the NCAA Tournament

Teams in the last 10 years are one in seven after a buzzer beater in the NCAA tournament in their next game. One in seven. Numbers never lie.

Tom Izzo is the God of March

Tom Izzo now 16th Sweet 16... His expected wins are 27.6. He has 39 wins... that's an 11.4 difference. The next closest on this chart is Cal with six wins above expected. Tom Izzo very good tournament coach.

Duke will win the national championship

I think it's just gonna be Duke. Duke. I think Duke's gonna win it all.

McNeese State dominated Clemson despite the close final score

McNeese State I think leads the, leads the storyboard because what a day for Will Wade... and gives us a classic 12 5 upset where I know it looks like a two point game, but they were dominating Clemson for, for the majority of the game.

Take Colorado State to upset Memphis

I still think, you know, as a player, like I said, I, I have Maryland advancing anyway. I would just take the 12 here. So you have your 12 5.

The 2025 National Champion will be a 1 or 2 seed

I think the national champion is in that group [of 11 teams meeting KenPom criteria]... I have a really good feeling that it was gonna be a one or a two. 'Cause if you watched all season, it just felt like these teams are just way better than everybody else. I feel that way this year for the first time since 2015. I have that same feeling again.

The NCAA Tournament bracket reveal is the best non-sporting sporting event of the year

I actually think that this is the best non-sporting, sporting event of the year. I think that bracket reveal is the best sporting event that does not actually contain sports of the year. Oh, it's, it's incredible.

Michigan has turned the corner and is a dangerous team after winning the Big 10 tournament

Michigan obviously beat Wisconsin Big 10 title today. Dusty May called it correctly. He was like, our team needs a reset. They got their reset and then they won the big 10 tournament and they looked really good doing it. So maybe they've turned the corner and gotten that reset they needed.

Don't get cute with brackets this year; the one seeds are historically dominant

This is the year that don't be afraid to just do chalk. Only four teams since 2000 have entered the tournament [with a] plus 35 net rating... this year, four teams have 35 net rating or higher. Wow. So that's insane. Yeah. Like that, that just shows you that the one seeds this year are playing at such a high level and are so dominant... don't be afraid to just go chalk.

Danny Wolf's basketball ceiling is just scratching the surface

[Danny Wolf] is just scratching the surface to be honest... For his long-term future, and for us, his ability to dribble the ball, make, make difficult passes. I mean, he's, he's got a special, special gift.

Duke is a defensive wagon and a national title favorite

Duke is damn good. They are, they are a spectacular team. They're a wagon defensively... If you force me to take Duke/Auburn or the field today, I would take Duke/Auburn.

Arizona and Kansas playing Big 12 basketball is going to be amazing

Arizona and Kansas playing Big 12 basketball is gonna rule. You know, it's two of things that you think about and like the, like BYU and and UCF getting a nice rivalry going.

Mark Pope is an excellent teacher of basketball and will succeed at Kentucky

Mark Pope is, is a... excellent teacher of basketball. He also has, you know, He was also a terrific basketball player that got the maximum of his abilities because he gave it all... I think the fans are gonna fall in love with Mark. 'Cause the thing about him... It's always about team. It's always about Kentucky.

Dan Hurley turning down both Kentucky and the Lakers in three months is a historic run

Dan Hurley might be the, the, so back to back national titles, obviously the new face of college basketball coaching. And then to turn down Kentucky and the Lakers in the same three month span. That's a historic run to turn down those two entities in that amount of time for that much money. He's just flexing on everyone.

UConn will beat Purdue 83-70 in the National Championship game

UConn 83 Purdue. 70 83 70.

DJ Burns is the man and NC State is America's team for beating Duke

DJ Burns is the fucking man. Yes. I love him. Thank everyone in America should thank DJ Burns for beating Duke. Oh. For just being awesome.

UConn is the best overall team in the NCAA tournament right now

UConn right now, from what I've seen, is the best overall team. And it'll be a hell of a battle if it's them and Purdue and then you, you take a Houston, I mean they can beat you different ways.

UConn will definitely win the National Championship.

I wanna be very clear. Yukon is going to win the National Championship.

Michigan basketball will return to prominence quickly under Dusty May.

Recurring guest Dusty May is going from FAU to Ann Arbor... I think they're gonna be back quickly.

The winner of Oakland vs. NC State will be the story of the tournament heading into the Sweet 16

What the winner of that game [Oakland vs. NC State] is going to be the talk of the week leading up to Sweet 16 because it'll be a great story either way.

Thursday and Friday of the NCAA Tournament are the best two sports days of the year

Tuesday, March 20th, and we are just 24 hours away from the best two days of the year... Thursday, Friday of, of the NCAA Tournament, because it's just all you think about the entire time.

North Carolina will win the 2024 National Championship

North Carolina. So shout out to the Howard Wagner.

UConn will repeat as National Champions

I've got Yukon out of the region of Gladiators... I like Yukon over Purdue, Clingan against Edey, a Battle of the Titans in the title game, and Yukon led by Dan Hurley... becoming the first back-to-back national champion since Florida in 2006 and 2007.

The over on 146.5 in the UConn vs. St. John's game looks nice

Yukon St. John's over at that. That looks nice. 1 46 and a half.

UConn is the clear front runner for the National Championship

In my eyes [Connecticut] is the best team in the country. They're the front runner for the national championship and they should be. The three losses are at Kansas, to Seton Hall [when Clingan got hurt], and then Creighton had another worldly shooting performance.

College basketball is better when Duke is the villain

College basketball is better when Duke is the villains. So I'm happy for the tournament. I'm excited. Shut everyone up.

Tennessee and Houston are my two picks to win the NCAA Tournament

I'm heavily leveraged in the Volunteers this year. I think Tennessee and Houston are my two picks.

My 2024 Final Four is Purdue, Houston, Arizona, and Tennessee

I think Purdue is gonna make the final four. I have to trust Houston. Gimme Arizona... and then I gotta ride with Tennessee. Tennessee, I'll take out Houston and put in Butler. No, I'll take Tennessee.

Robbie Avila will be a breakout star if Indiana State makes the NCAA Tournament

Robbie Avila from Indiana State. ... He's got rec specs. And he is, if Indiana State gets to the tournament, which they are the best team in the Missouri Valley right now. We could have like a, this, this guy could like, capture the hearts of America.

UConn is a wagon and their dominance is a foregone conclusion

UConn is a wagon and that might be the kiss of death cuz I'm the minus sign of King and I'm about to lay a brick on Yukon... So it might be a foregone conclusion that Yukon's gonna win this.

Jerome Tang going into the FAU locker room was the classiest move a coach could make

Jerome Tang stole my heart going into the FAU locker room after the game and coaching him up and telling 'em how proud of him that he was. I just think that's the classiest move a coach could ever make.

Tom Izzo is not overrated

Is Tom Izzo overrated? [PFT: Yeah]. Here's not He's ready to, he's not. He's not. But he, but we did get a little salty Tom Izzo after he said that they had some lucky shots.

UConn might be the best looking team in the tournament so far

UConn might be the best looking team in the tournament so far. Overall start, start to finish every game. They have in complete games, they have dominated their opponents.

John Scheyer lost because he wore a black sweater instead of a gray one

The game was decided well before that, before the boys even stepped on the court because Scheyer wasn't wearing the sweatshirt. They were wearing the same sweaters, different color black... The gray one was way better.

UCLA's Max Clark is fine and his ankle injury isn't serious

He literally said he's fine... If he just repeats that he's fine enough. Yeah, it would be fine... I put on my PMT's stethoscope and say that his ankle is very, very swollen. Yeah. And his ankle is very, very badly sprained. Yep. So he probably won't be fine.

I'm betting the under on Maryland vs. West Virginia

Maryland, West Virginia that opened at one 40. I took that under, it's already down to like 1 38 I think.

Kansas will reach the Final Four

I have Kansas going back to the final four. That's my pick... when Bill Self has a one seed, he's gone to seven out of nine elite eights. So I think Kansas is, is a shoe-in to the elite eight.

Rick Pitino needs to be back at a major basketball school next year

Rick Pitino better be at a, a major school next year because it's, it's it's time. And there's some openings that perfectly fit Rick Pitino. So we need it. We need Rick Pitino back.

UCLA will still earn a #1 seed despite Jalen Clark's injury

Blue blood, blue blood number one seed. They're [UCLA] probably still gonna get a number one seat.

The college basketball chaos on Saturday was triggered by Fran McCaffrey's stare down with the referee

I think Saturday we got the chaos all because of Fran McCaffrey's stare down. It was from that point on the day, just went off the fucking rails. There's nothing like a good old fashioned coach just staring at a referee so close and neither one of them was gonna walk away.

Duke is officially back after snapping their losing streak against North Carolina

Who's back is Duke? They snap their losing streak. Their two game losing streaks [against] North Carolina over the weekend... they're one and oh in the post coach K era against North Carolina.

The Big 12 is the toughest conference to win on the road

When I first got to Baylor, Roy Williams said, toughest league to win on the road, you gotta win your home games. And I think that's so true in the Big 12... it is really hard to win on the road in the Big 12 and there's no feeling like when you get a road win.

A 'motor' is the most important attribute for a basketball recruit to have

I think it's something a lot of coaches wish more players had nowadays and that's a motor. And if a guy really plays hard, competes every possession, they're gonna get better.