CBS Sports Eye On College Basketball Podcast

The podcast reaches its wonky zenith today. John Gasaway, the driving force behind Basketball Prospectus, and Nate Silver, renowned New York Times statistical political and basketball blogger, join host Matt Norlander. All three were at the mock selection meetings last week in Indianapolis, where they saw how the NCAA Selection Committee goes through the process of picking 68 teams for the best tournament in the world. The process was a lot of fun, a lot of work and a bit flawed. All aspects are covered by the trio today. If you're interested in learning how the bracket is built, there is no better source of knowledge for enlightenment than today's podcast. Enjoy -- the tournament starts in 22 days.

It's the Wednesday edition with Matt Norlander, Gary Parrish and Jeff Goodman. The fellas got up bright and early -- practically before dawn -- to record this one today. Norlander's got to catch a flight and Goodman's driving down to NYC, so an early recording was necessary. The fellas are awake -- mostly. As for the hoops talk, they cover: Is the SEC just not as good as we thought it was going to be? Is Bruce Weber forever on the hot seat at Illinois, and who would be the ideal guy to replace him if/when he goes? Speaking of Illinois coaches, the former one, Bill Self, is officially a magician with the way he's continuing to win at Kansas.

CBS Sports Network analyst Wally Sczcerbiak comes back on the podcast to give his perspective on why big conferences don't need league tournaments -- but small ones do. He also shares how much he'd average in college today, which current player most reminds him of himself when he was at Miami University, and whether Kentucky is a cut above Syracuse right now. Plus, Wally's down on Baylor big-time, and he explains why.

Now that Murray State's lost it's time to ignore them again, right? Wrong! Pod host Matt Norlander explains, with fellow CBSSports.com writer Jeff Borzello, why the Murray State story is still intriguing. This weekend is also stacked with a lot of good/important games. What are the six or seven best? We lay it out for you. The guys also have to talk about the incredible Duke-Carolina game and how far Austin Rivers has come. Is he a top-three freshman this year? Who are the top 10 freshman? Borzello reveals his list. Borzello also runs the recruiting coverage for the site, and with the news that No. 1 recruit Shabazz Muhammad said he'll wait until at least April to pick his school, Borzello breaks down why that's smart and the methodology behind it.

After the way Kentucky won so convincingly, and how Ohio State barely got by Purdue, is it now that UK is on a shelf higher than other teams? Pod host Matt Norlander says no, but Jeff Goodman and Gary Parrish disagree. The trio talks both Buckeyes and Wildcats, then gets to looking at the Duke-UNC game, which doesn't have the urgency it's had in the past. Duke is coming off that loss to Miami, and a double-digit fall to UNC wouldn't be shocking at all. In other news, Memphis is headed to the Big East. Why is that really good for Memphis, really good for the Big East and not all that great for Memphis coach Josh Pastner? The guys also hammer UConn for its incredible fall as of late.

SI.com bracket fellow Andy Glockner comes back on the pod to address, big picture, how GOOD this year's at-large crop is. There are many facets to cover and many angles to predict. Today's podcast covers a lot of them, including seeding issues with the committee and why the Pac-12 is becoming more and more troublesome. Murray State, Harvard and UConn are also addressed, as is Sunday night's Super Bowl. We couldn't not talk about the big game after that finish. Enjoy the diverse pod!

Matt Norlander and Bizarro Matt Norlander, ESPN.com college hoops blogger Eamonn Brennan, have collided their worlds again on the podcast. The two fledgling scribes swap stories about moving and Super Bowl parties and argue over Lost and Dave Matthews Band. As for hoops, there's much more agreement. Murray State's on the docket, as is unpredictable Indiana and the terrific slate of games that are coming this weekend, all a great appetizer to Super Bowl Sunday.

How does one run out of gas more than 30 miles from home? Jeff Goodman has the answer -- because it happened to him last Friday after covering Iona-Fairfield. Goodman and Gary Parrish join Matt Norlander for the usual-yet-not-so-usual Wednesday show. Hoops-wise, the fellas discuss Pittsburgh's surge, Conference USA's big game Wednesday night, Kentucky's eventual shift as the clear-cut top team, and examine the latest field of 68 from CBSSports.com bracketologist Jerry Palm.

College basketball's most epic road trip this season has finished, and since the duo behind Ballin' is a Habit made it back after their three-week cross-country trip in one piece, we had to get them on shortly after they walked in the door to tell their tale. From Kentucky to Wisconsin to Ohio to Tennessee to Missouri to Kansas to Utah and back, there are many things to share. After the road stories finish, the guys and host Matt Norlander address the Ryan Boatright situation at UConn, why he's so little of what's ailing the Huskies, and where the rest of the Big East is going this season. Plus -- other things that stood out from what turned out to be a surprising weekend in college hoops.

Yahoo Sports' national college columnist Pat Forde comes on the show for the first time to give tips on where to go in New Orleans for the Final Four, his new duties at Yahoo after leaving ESPN two months ago -- and of course so much hoops. Pat's one of the few national guys to have seen undefeated Murray State in person. He gives his impression of that team and how they're similar to another group that once made a national title game. Pat is a Missouri alumnus who didn't expect Frank Haith to amount to much, yet the Tigers are a top-five team, so it's time to eat some crow. Also: Pat and host Matt Norlander agree Indiana's best basketball is behind it this season. The two also lament how this season, so far, hasn't had the juice or oomph that many hoped/expected. Why?

Our weekly Wednesday show with Gary Parrish and Jeff Goodman is goofier than usual. That's a good thing. Goodman explains which college basketball coach is closest to Bill Belichick. Parrish, who just turned 35, shares his philosophies on birthdays and why he was OK spending his night watching the State of the Union. Norlander almost dies from laughing at one point. Oh, right, basketball -- the fellas discuss Purdue's troubles, North Carolina's title chances without Dexter Strickland, the Duke student section not selling out, and how about college basketball just lacking oomph so far? That's the unfortunate truth. The sport isn't sexy at the moment. That said, the BracketBusters games are coming up and Goodman's plan for organizing the event is filled with hilarious loopholes.

One of, if not the biggest, names in college basketball sportswriting, Seth Davis, is back on the program. All that great football overshadowed what transpired in hoops, so we're here so you can hear all about it. What were the biggest results? What of Fab Melo not playing at Syracuse? Why can't we focus on the positive with Murray State? And why on earth does Seth root for the Redskins? All extremely important topics that are covered in the Monday edition. It's one of our best this season, so get to clicking.

Bilas is back! ESPN's Jay Bilas joins the pod to discuss North Carolina, Murray State, the Big East, Syracuse, officiating inconsistency and why college basketball has a coaching problem. Oh, and why Digger Phelps is who he is.

Have the perceptions of Kansas and North Carolina greatly changed in the past few days? They have for Gary Parrish and Jeff Goodman. CBSSports.com's senior college basketball writers hop on, as usual, for the Wednesday pod with host Matt Norlander to discuss why Kansas is probably going to win the Big 12 again; why Baylor isn't the Final Four-ready team many have said it is; why North Carolina won't win the title (and it's more than the 33-point loss to Florida State); and the 20-0 Syracuse Orange? One of the three says it's all but a lock that this team is going to the Final Four. But before we get to talking about basketball, Gary's house almost burned down Monday night, so that comes first. Enjoy!

If a team gets beatdown like UNC did at Florida State Saturday, does it mean they won't win the title? Well, nobody's ever lost by 33 and done it before. No one's ever lost by more than 27 in a season and gone on to win it all. CBSSports.com recruiting savant and bro supreme Jeff Borzello calls in from the Hoop Hall Classic to discuss Carolina's chances, as well as Roy Williams taking his team off the floor before that game was over. Borzello and Matt Norlander also get into the Ryan Boatright situation at UConn -- he's sitting out of games again, pending NCAA review of his eligibility -- as well as a look ahead to tonight's huge game: Baylor at Kansas.