Takes

Syracuse has a 50-50 shot to make the NCAA tournament, but they will ultimately get in

I think it depends on how the bubble teams around them do... but gut says yes [they get in].

College basketball teams should be forced to wear practice pennies or go 'skins' if they have a bad record

I think teams should start wearing uniforms based on their records. So if you're a really, really bad team, you should actually be wearing your practice pennies. You shouldn't even get to wear real uniforms... Northwestern should just wear — they should have to be in skins against Minnesota last night.

Conference Championship Week is often better than the actual NCAA Tournament

I think Conference Championship Week oftentimes is better than the actual tournament. I like the tournament more because it's just everything about it, but there are more games on Thursday and Friday at Conference Tournament Week than there are in the tournament.

Duke should look at firing Coach K right now

Over 30,000 people want Coach K fired. So I put up a poll when they were getting the shit kicked out of him by UNC. I said, should Coach K retire after this game or after the ACC tournament? ... I would look very hard at firing Coach K if I was Duke right now.

If Gonzaga doesn't join the Pac-12 in five years, they are on a fraud countdown

I'm setting the law down right now. If Gonzaga does not go to the Pac-12, actually, within the next five years, they're on a fraud countdown. Anything longer than that, and you're doing it for your Mickey Mouse game?

Joe Lunardi is secretly miserable because other people are catching up to his bracketology

I think Joe Lunardi is secretly miserable. Because in 2021, it's the Mel Kiper theory, right? ... Now there's a shitload of people who do draft stuff. I think Joe Lunardi is just constantly looking over his shoulder. Like, there's going to be a kid someday that comes and just nails it every single year. And if I slip up, if I put BYU on the 9 seed and they end up being a 10, it's curtains for me.

Jim Boeheim was wrong to attack reporter Matthew Gutierrez during his press conference.

Boeheim should not have gone after him... He was being a pro and being a good journalist. He probably was looking like a twerp, and Boeheim was just like, 'fuck you.'

The March version of the 2021 Arkansas Razorbacks would beat the November version by 15 to 18 points.

This current Razorback team playing in March would probably beat our November Razorback team by about 15 to 18 is what I would roughly guess. We're more confident.

A basketball team that makes over 200 passes in a game is unlikely to lose.

We found if we move the ball 200 plus passes, we're not going to lose many games. And then the games that we play really poorly offensively are usually our lowest passing games.

Illinois is the number one team in college basketball

Illinois is officially the number one team in the country according to my power rankings. What a night in college basketball. They absolutely kicked the shit out of Michigan... I want everyone to understand that the rankings are not predictive. They're reactive. So I reacted to the last week.

Teams should drop in the rankings if they go to overtime

The Baylor game, we can get to that in a little bit. But if you go to overtime, I feel like you should drop in the rankings. That should be reflected on the back end.

Gonzaga will probably win the NCAA tournament

And again, I think Gonzaga is, Gonzaga probably will win the tournament. They probably are going to win the tournament, whatever.

Missing the tournament is better for Duke than losing in the first round

I actually agree with that. I think that not making the tournament is actually way better for Duke than making the tournament and getting skunked in the first round. Just getting, like, blown out.

Michigan is the best college basketball team in the country

I think Michigan should be number one. They're the best team in the country. What they've done has been insanely impressive... They are just killing people.

Hunter Dickinson is the best player in college basketball

I think Hunter Dickinson is the best player in the entire country. I'm only saying that because he's an AWL.

Roy Williams is a better coach than Coach K

And all you haters out there that told me I was an idiot when I said Roy Williams is a better coach than Coach K, he doesn't get the shine, this is just another market in my favor on this.

Duke will make the 2021 NCAA tournament

So Duke, they're going to make the tournament. I just know they will. Of course.

Arizona is a college basketball blue blood

Arizona could be a blue blood. I think Arizona is a blue blood. I mean, they won a national championship in the early 2000s... Legendary coach [Lute Olson]?

No college basketball team will ever win back-to-back national championships again

Back-to-back championships. They'll never be done again.

Michigan is good enough to beat Baylor or Gonzaga this season

I feel like in yesterday's game, that was the first time in months that somebody's been like, showed up on a national stage, and you're like, that team can beat Baylor. That team can beat Gonzaga. Michigan, yeah. I feel like we need to include them in that conversation.

Coach K’s empire at Duke is officially crumbling

We're totally sidetracking that Duke is—the whole entire empire is crumbling, Hank. Coach K has nothing. He has nothing left.

Jalen Johnson is a quitter for opting out of the Duke season

[Jalen Johnson] is a quitter. However, as a Dookie, a diehard Cameron Crazy runs in my blood... If they had a shot, even a chance—they're clearly not going to make the tournament. They're terrible this year. If it was like they were even a bubble team or close to a bubble team and he quit now, it'd be like, alright, fuck this guy forever.

Loyola Chicago is in great shape to make the NCAA tournament

They're in great shape to make the tournament... If they make the tournament, everyone's going to talk about [Sister Jean].

Getting COVID is karma that ensures March Madness will happen this year

If you remember, around this time last year... I said that if they don't play March Madness, I will inject myself with coronavirus. Well, they didn't play March Madness, and I didn't inject myself with coronavirus. So I think that getting it is finally karma, and on top of that, it means that we officially will have a March Madness tournament this year.

Coach K is a quintessential jerk for belittling a student reporter

Coach K was asked the question... by a student reporter from the Duke Chronicle... asking Coach K where do you guys go from here which is a very routine question... and Coach K essentially embarrassed and belittled this kid... How can you defend this, Hank? He's such a jerk. He's a quintessential jerk.

It is time for Coach K to think about stepping down

Listen, maybe it's time for Coach K to think about stepping down.

I am okay with moving the Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen to Saturday through Tuesday

I do actually like that. They're the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. Sweet 16 is Saturday, Sunday, Elite Eight, Monday, Tuesday. I'm okay with that because Elite Eight is, it's weird when you have the Elite Eight on that Saturday and Sunday and you're like, wait, there's only two games... Whereas now you'll work all day Monday and then you get basketball at the end of the day.

Coach K is the biggest front-running fraud of all time

Coach K is the biggest front-running fraud of all time. Not to brag, but we called it. It was a one game. Hank, they lost to Michigan State. They got killed by Illinois. And then Coach K said, we got to reassess and start really thinking about this COVID thing.

Gonzaga has the best potential to win the national title because of their multi-player talent

I think it might be [Gonzaga's year]. Gonzaga's going to be really good. I really do... They have like four guys who are the best player, and I love that because – Yeah, you get these situations that you only get with college sports where you pretend like the guy who's not that talented is actually the best player just because he dies on the floor for you.

Iowa will have the best offense and worst defense of the elite college basketball teams

Iowa is going to be the most fun team in the Big Ten... Iowa is going to try to score 100 points every single time they get on the floor. They're going to give up 93 probably every single game... They might have the best offense in the country, but of all the good teams, they might have the worst defense.

Michigan basketball is energized by the failures of the football program

Michigan's football season [will be more disappointing]. Michigan football sucking powers the basketball program. I really think there's something to that. The worse the football program does, the more people shit on Harbaugh by saying Michigan is a basketball school now, which is good because you're saying that to shit on Harbaugh, but what's happening is a real-life narrative is building that Michigan really is a really good basketball school.

Illinois has the highest ceiling and is the most likely Big Ten team to win a national title

Illinois is the team that is the most likely to win a national title, I think. That, now having said that, they could flame out, but like the, the ceiling, if we're talking like ceilings and floors, Illinois has the highest ceiling to me... I think Illinois is the team I'm the highest on in the Big Ten going into the season.

Rick Pitino will eventually become the head coach at Boston College

I'm calling my shot, is going to be Boston College. Because Boston College is about to fire their coach... It's a Catholic school. Iona's a Catholic school. Rick Pitino's a Catholic man. It all lines up. Old Big East ties. Boston College has like some, you know, they had the 1979 point shaving scandal. They have a little checkered past themselves.

UConn is a blue-blood mid-major

UConn is the only blue-blood mid-major we have in college basketball. I think that's what's so unique about them. They are simultaneously a blue blood, but also a mid-major.

The NCAA should run the March Madness tournament in a bubble right now

Why aren't we just doing the NCAA tournament right now? Like if someone... go, yeah. Hey, whoever wants to win the presidential election just pay for it. Like that would be pretty good. How about him in a bubble? And let's just do the NCAA tournament.

It is inevitable that Power 5 football and basketball players will be financially compensated

It's inevitable now, it's inevitable that power 5 football and basketball players are going to be compensated in some form. It's inevitable, right? It's going to happen and... not a not just saying from the like this obviously, you know, the the NCAA I think is going to allow players to use their likeness starting after next season.

NBA players are not amateurs and the 1930s model of amateurism is dead

To argue for amateurism Based On A system that was set up in the 1930s and 1940s prior to billion dollar TV contracts and ticket sales and Merchandising is crazy. Amateurism does not exist in high-level college basketball and high-level college football.

I will inject myself with coronavirus if they cancel March Madness

Right before 24 hours before they decided there was going to be no March Madness. I said I would inject myself with coronavirus if they cancel March Madness.

Roy Williams is only the second-best coach in the ACC

Roy Williams. Ty Lawson called him out. I mean, everyone knows Roy is a little bit suspect. It's not surprising. Second best coach in the ACC.

The lawsuit against Zion Williamson for allegedly receiving money to attend Duke is cloud chasing

Zion Williamson's former marketing agent has served request for admission in their lawsuit, asking him to admit that he received money... She's cloud chasing, yeah.

A good portion of high-level winning college basketball programs are cheating

I think that if you let's say it's 300 schools. I don't know how many is division one... a good portion of the schools that are are winning at a high level are doing something and it doesn't necessarily mean that they're dropping bags off at someone's house. But you've got to get creative man. Like this is It's a blood sport to get talent.

Dayton would have beaten Kansas to win the National Championship this year

I think they can beat Kansas... having a rematch with the national player of the year the national Coach of the Year a mid-major. When's the last time I made major won a national championship? It's been a long time.

Michigan State's hypothetical run would have ended with Tom Izzo and Cassius Winston winning it all against a nobody

I feel like they would have it feel like a fanfic for Michigan State would have had them playing complete nobody came and coming out of nowhere in the finals. So it would have even been a memorable final except for Izzo and Cassius Winston.

Maryland would have made a Final Four run in the 2020 tournament

I do honestly believe that [Maryland] were one of those 15 20 teams that could have made a final four run... you're probably always going to think the most positive outcome was what would have happened because who sits around goes, 'you know, we probably lost to Akron in the first round.'

Rick Pitino will be coaching at a Power 5 school within three years

I own a fancy. Yeah, damn Rick and so he is ready to get mean he's going to be in a power 5 school in within three years too.

The NCAA will use lost 2020 revenue as an excuse to avoid paying student-athletes

I think the NCAA probably will use this as a 'we can't pay the players' we lost 2020 tournament. Is there going to be like a trickle down effect here where they start crying poor or there's things get caught because they missed this much money.

Kansas was the best team in the country and would have won the 2020 National Championship

I need a John Rothstein certified NCAA champion who won the tournament this year... I would have picked Kansas to win a National Championship. Kansas was the team. In the last month we saw Kansas separate, they were as the best team in the country. They were a cut above everybody else.

If they cancel March Madness, I will intentionally contract coronavirus the next day

If they cancel March Madness—I'm not talking about playing it with no fans—if they cancel it outright, I will get coronavirus the next day. I do not want to be healthy in a world where March Madness does not exist.

Adding football players to the Nebraska basketball team will change their morale and toughness

Nebraska, Fred Hoiberg has pulled out all the stops. Tomorrow against—I don't even know who—but Fred Hoiberg is bringing on Brant Banks and Noah Vedral to the basketball team. They are on the football team. I love that. He's adding toughness. At least it will be a bare minimum the morale and the attitude that the team will have will be significantly different.

Washington and North Carolina are the dark horse teams of the conference tournaments

By the way, Washington, if you're looking for Long Shots, Washington and UNC. Those are the two teams and their conference. [PFT:] You don't think UNC and CI Cole Anthony said that they were top 10 team right now when like a week ago.