CBS Sports Eye On College Basketball Podcast

No one knows ACC basketball like Jim Young, the funny/snarky presence who runs ACCSports.com. Young joins Matt Norlander fresh off that three-point Duke win over Virginia Thursday night. Virginia did a lot of good there. But beyond Mike Scott, what do the Cavs have? The duo also dishes on Harrison Barnes -- they disagree on how good he is -- and the fact UNC's become a bit of an afterthought right now. Duke, Austin Rivers also get debated. Is Rivers not getting enough control of the offense? And as for the ACC as a whole, is it doomed to three bids? Who's going to step up and play itself into the No. 4 spot? Maryland can in the coming two weeks, actually.

There's a grouping of surprising college basketball teams who've yet to feel the swoon of conference play. But are they for real? Gary Parrish and Jeff Goodman present their cases. The guys also discuss UConn's Final Four chances, why they'll come together. There's also the matter of the Mountain West, which Matt Norlander believes is the fourth-best league in hoops, better than the ACC and Pac-12. Goodman and Parrish can't quite go there. The guys gab for 40 minutes. You know what you're getting at this point: unfiltered bickering mixed in with some smart analysis.

We can't turn our heads anymore. The Pac-12 is miserably bad, perhaps continuing in the worst season in its existence -- that dates back to when it was the Pac-8 and the Pac-10. What's the reason for this? Is it doomed to become a one-bid league? Matt Norlander and guest Jeff Eisenberg say no, even if you want to upchuck your dinner just following this league. Today's 'cast isn't all negative, though. Jeff and Matt give their top five non-BCS teams and also wax on the Mountain West, which is down to just eight teams thanks to realignment, but what an eight-club crew it is. Could the MWC be the fourth-best conference in basketball? Listen to find out why it's true.

Twenty years after Christian Laettner hit arguably the most memorable shot in college basketball history, it's time to look back on that game and ask if it's the best the sport's seen. ESPN.com senior national columnist Gene Wojciechowski wrote the book that is a college writer's dream: a complete chronicle of everything that led up to, produced and fell out from Duke's 104-103 win against Kentucky on March 28, 1992, in the East Regional finals. Wojciechowski's book, "The Last Great Game: Duke vs. Kentucky and the 2.1 Seconds That Changed College Basketball" is on sale now. He discusses how the title came to be, his best interviews, Rick Pitino's feelings about the game 20 years later, and how Pearl Jam ties into all of this. Today's podcast is a college hoops junky's dream. A great discussion -- enjoy.

We're in the throes of conference play now, so the podcast takes this opportunity to share the best and worst of the college hoops season so far. How can Syracuse be overrated? Matt Norlander, Jeff Goodman and Gary Parrish also discuss the state of Michigan State, Wisconsin -- and that crazy clock ending to their Tuesday night game. Additionally, Joe Jackson opted to not transfer from Memphis. Goodman and Parrish know Jackson well, and they shed light on who he is, why he stayed and Memphis' overall state of existence right now. Finally: Jarnell Stokes should not play at Tennessee this year. He could be an NBA player. He might not be one. But the Tennessee transfer needs to sit tight.

The cross-country American road trip. A staple of how our nation's citizens and families find unfamiliar ways to bond -- and loathe. Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, the fellas who run Ballin' is a Habit, will embark on a three-week gallivant from D.C. to Indiana to Missouri to Wisconsin to Kansas to Utah and about six other states as well. They join the podcast to share their itinerary, all the things involved in a massive, enviable college hoops trip like this. The two also discuss, with host Matt Norlander, recent goings-on in the sport, like how Duke sneaked itself into a top-five ranking, and why Georgetown isn't getting respect.

On Saturday at noon on CBS, one of college basketball's best rivalries -- some say it's the best -- will be renewed when Louisville heads into Rupp Arena to face Kentucky. Plenty aren't giving U of L much of a chance. Is that fair? Kentucky Sports Radio's Matt Jones joins host Matt Norlander to discuss how this week has been. Jones is based out of Louisville and has become the fan's voice for UK hoops. The two look ahead to the game but also chat about how Kentucky hasn't clicked as a team yet, even though it only has one loss. Jones also shares his thoughts about which teams are most capable of reaching the Final Four.

It's that soft spot between Christmas and New Year's, but lots of good basketball is about to get going thanks to conference play starting in earnest. Jeff Goodman, Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander have their weekly Wednesday podcast and discuss Jordan Taylor's somehow underrated play this year; Creighton's Doug McDermott is about to explode on the national college hoops landscape; Rick Pitino can't be trusted; and this week is so huge for Louisville. The next three games, really: Wednesday vs. Georgetown; Saturday at Kentucky; Jan. 3 against St. John's.

Fresh off winning the third national title in program history, Aaron Torres wasted no time writing the story of college basketball's most unlikely champion. Yeah, UConn's a national program with top-rated recruits coming in almost every year, but the 2010-11 team wasn't expected to make the NCAA tournament, let alone win the title, by some people. Torres joins Matt Norlander to discuss his first book, "The Unlikeliest Champion," which chronicles all the details of the amazing run. Hear stories you've not yet been privy to, and see why last year's Huskies were so special. The two also address this year's team, which has more talent, but could very well fall short of doing what last season's squad accomplished.

It's Part Two of our look-back on college hops in 2011. But before Gary Parrish, Jeff Goodman and Matt Norlander get to talk about the memories, events and games that shaped the best of the sport this year, the trio addresses for the first time the Todd O'Brien situation at St. Joseph's, a story that continues to have legs and is in need of answers. After that, it's the retrospective, followed by some holiday thoughts, memories, and cheer. Get some hot chocolate, throw a log on the fire and enjoy.

Todd O'Brien's story caught fire in college sports circles Monday, and so we had him on to tell his side of the story for a special Tuesday podcast. O'Brien played at St. Joseph's the past two seasons, graduated over the summer, and transferred to UAB for grad school. St. Joe's coach Phil Martelli still has not signed a waiver allowing him to play there. It's an unsual case, one that O'Brien claims stems from Martelli feeling slighted by O'Brien leaving. O'Brien tells his story, including the laptop-theft incident from last February, which some believe relates to this situation; O'Brien says that's not the case.

With 2011 about ready to come to a close, CBSSports.com blogger Jeff Borzello joins colleague Matt Norlander to exchange their favorite memories from this year in the sport. The two also discuss the weak Pac-12 and some underachieving teams with real chances to make the 2012 tournament. Since it's Christmastime, there is some holiday talk, such as favorite Christmas music and movies, and best memories of Decembers past.

In case you missed it, college players will no longer be afforded a $2,000 cost-of-attendance stipend bump. After the NCAA voted it into legislation, more than 125 colleges stood up and voted against it this week, mandating the legislation to be tabled indefinitely. Veteran USA Today columnist Christine Brennan comes on the podcast to discuss the issue, plus the reputation of college sports. Is this fair? Is Title IX going to stand in the way of this? Brennan also shares some of her stories with Pat Summitt, and she and host Matt Norlander discuss why the Penn State and Syracuse scandals do little to actually change the interest in college sports.

If you could assemble an entire college basketball program -- coaches, players, recruits, the whole she-bang -- but with certain stipulations, how would you do it? We undertook that project at CBSSports.com recently, and so Jeff Goodman and Gary Parrish join host Matt Norlander to discuss who they all took and why. Much debate. Much talk of "spacing," which is clearly important to Goodman. Additionally, the guys put the finishing touches on Cincy-Xavier commentary and look at Syracuse strictly from a hoops perspective and warning signs with Ohio State and Memphis.

There was a national writer at the Cincinnati-Xavier brawl Saturday, and we've brought him on the podcast to discuss every angle of this story. Mike DeCourcy of Sporting News lives in the Cincinnati area and knows the two programs as well as anyone. Did he see this coming? Why were star players on the court in the closing seconds of a blowout? DeCourcy and Matt Norlander disagree on the severity of the suspensions -- the latter thinks they're too soft. And isn't it clear the coaches weren't the ones calling the shots with the player suspensions? We also squeeze in room for the biggest basketball only-related topic from the weekend: Indiana's buzzer-beating win against Kentucky. This doesn't mean Indiana's all the way back, but the Hoosiers still provided a top-10 moment for this season with that W.