CBS Sports Eye On College Basketball Podcast

Ken Pomeroy houses the stat sanctuary that is kenpom.com. It's become a go-to place for fans and writers and coaches alike. Pomeroy joins host Matt Norlander to discuss how much information can and should be gleaned after one month of the season has passed us by. There are trends to take note of, but where should the line be drawn? Among other topics: unabashedly bashing CBSSports.com national writer Jeff Goodman, who is not a big believer in kenpom.com stats, and looking at just how historically bad Utah is this year. For a major-conference team, they are off to a start we've seldom seen before. If you'd like to know why the Big Ten is the best conference so far, that's included as well. Get smarter, get to understand the game better and see the future of analysis of college basketball on today's podcast. No calculators required.

It's Wednesday, so that means Goodman and Parrish are back on the podcast. Parrish saw Jay-Z and Kanye Saturday night, so we have to lead with how the show everyone's talking about went. Playing the same song eight times in a row? That apparently happened. After the music gabbing, it's on to the hoops, of course. Ben Howland refusing to kick Reeves Nelson off the team, Marquette's ability, Missouri as an elite team, Goodman and Norlander yelling at each other about Marcus Denmon. Oh, this is a good one, indeed. Then there's the Big Ten/Big East debate, which is increasing (we're totally responsible for this).

Jason McIntyre has built up the most successful independent sports blog in Internet history. He runs TheBigLead.com. He also happens to be a fanatical college hoops fan. So he joins the podcast for the first time, as he and host Matt Norlander get into that UNC-UK game, why the Big Ten is or isn't the best league, the myth of Wisconsin, and more. Much more. Are you a stats guy? Jason's not. Norlander is. There's some barroom banter to be had. One of the livelier podcasts to date, we think think you'll enjoy.

CBS/Sports Illustrated's Seth Davis comes on in advance of CBS' first college hoops game of the year: UNC-Kentucky, which happens Saturday. He and host Matt Norlander hotly debate the questionable journalistic behavior from the Post-Standard and ESPN, but also look at the huge game between the Tar Heels and Wildcats Saturday. Seth also brings up his best freshman so far (you won't see it coming) and tells us why Ohio State still has some issues.

The Syracuse/Bernie Fine/Jim Boeheim story is the biggest story in college basketball right now. There are a lot of nuanced elements to it -- then there is what people are naturally gravitating toward: Should Jim Boeheim keep his job? A fair question. It deserves a conversation on our podcast, so Gary Parrish and Jeff Goodman discuss it with host Matt Norlander. They do talk plenty of basketball as well, though, so if the Syracuse topic is starting to become white noise to you, feel free to just skip ahead to the Duke bashing! (Kidding -- but they do talk Duke, Ohio State and more.)

Associate basketball head coach Bernie Fine was fired by Syracuse Sunday after a third victim came forward and alleged he'd been sexually molested by Fine. Now plenty want Jim Boeheim gone too, after his initial statements dismissed any allegations, calling the alleged victims "liars" out for a payday. USA Today reporter Nicole Auerbach -- who covered the Penn State story recently -- comes on the podcast to discuss the latest with what's happening at Syracuse. She and host Matt Norlander also recap the weekend, including the losses from No. 1 UNC and No. 4 UConn. The two also look ahead to the big games this week between Ohio State and Duke, as well as Wisconsin and North Carolina -- oh, yeah, and that North Carolina-Kentucky game that awaits this Saturday.

We're thankful to have you as a listener. Wednesday's edition is the Thanksgiving Eve one, and Matt Norlander, Gary Parrish and Jeff Goodman all share a few Thanksgiving stories and beliefs. But there's also plenty of hoops to discuss, so the trio gets into UCLA and the Pac-12's woes, Missouri's hot start, Memphis' instability and what to look out for in New York City Wednesday and Friday night, as Syracuse is in town for the NIT. Listen before you take your annual Thanksgiving nap -- or use it as a way to steal a half hour from your family. Happy Holidays!

CBSSports.com recruiting savant Jeff Borzello comes back on the podcast to chat what he saw at the National Prep Showcase over the weekend. He and host Matt Norlander also go back and evaluate Friday, Saturday and Sunday's results, picking out some of the most notable ones. And there's looking ahead to this week, a great week, with the NIT coming to a close and the Maui Invitational starting up Monday afternoon. Additionally, there are some stories to share from outside the games, like how one can go through two toll booths unintentionally -- and without paying.

The sexual-molestation allegations against Syracuse assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine have turned college basketball on its head in the past 24 hours. But this is a story that was first sought to go public in 2003. Syracuse Post-Standard reporter Mike Waters, who's been around the Orange basketball program for 23 years, comes on the podcast to talk about why he and the Post-Standard did not run with this story in 2003, shortly before SU won its first men's basketball championship. And why is this happening now? What of Jim Boeheim's quick and angry denial of all these charges against a man he's known for almost 50 years? Waters and host Matt Norlander address how quickly the story is moving and what needs to be evaluated -- and what we should all wait on -- before the story goes to another level.

Parrish and Goodman are back and they've got plenty to talk about. Today's podcast includes how Parrish got lost in San Diego, what the Garden was like for Mike Krzyzewskis' 903rd win, what Coach K is like off the record and out of the public eye. The trio also discuss UCLA's ongoing drama and the Long Beach State upset over Pitt Wednesday night -- which was telling. Plus: Norlander got engaged. Parrish and Goodman bate him into telling us how he did it.

Sports Illustrated's Luke Winn did some heavy, heavy lifting in the magazine's college hoops preview edition. Winn helped bring to the forefront a new and enlightening stat called "D Rating," which evaluates how effective a player is on defense. Winn and host Matt Norlander go over how it was researched and what it means. Also: Luke went to Latvia over the summer to watch international play. Just what exactly is Latvia like? And why did Luke have to give up writing for two weeks over the summer? Get smarter, and laugh a little. Today's podcast is a treat.

With the preseason's best college basketball book now out, College Basketball Prospectus editor John Gasaway gets on the podcast to talk tempo-free, smart analysis -- and why Gary Parrish is unreasonable. OK, that's a bit of an oversell, but Parrish's absolute demeanor is addressed! As is the newest stat metric, which could be the new way coaches and scouts evaluate players. Get smarter about the game you love and geek yourself up for the real start of the sport's season, which begins tonight.

CBS Sports college basketball analyst Clark Kellogg joins Matt Norlander to talk about Friday's Carrier Classic, how he scouts teams early in the season, the outside-the-fray players he's most anxious to see, and the fringe teams who he expects to make the leap within their conference and get back to the NCAA tournament.

Wednesday means it's National Signing Day for college basketball. But should there even be a National Signing Day? Goodman and Parrish are back to discuss that, Friday's game on the aircraft carrier between Michigan State and UNC, the differences between the murder scandal at Baylor 12 years ago and what's happening at Penn State now, plus, Goodman's hosting a national radio show starting next week. And it's with Bruce Pearl -- who knew!

The wait is finally over. College basketball season is back, so rejoice and enjoy Monday's podcast as a way of celebration. Mike Miller of NBCSports.com comes on to talk Pearl Jam, Chuck Klosterman's opinion of the top 50 college basketball players, his favorite under-the-radar teams (Belmont, anyone?) and some breakout players that Jeff Goodman didn't touch upon in his CBSSports.com piece last week.