CBB Central: Recent Episodes
Underdog Podcasts
A pair of college basketball writers and fans who met through the all-powerful world that is college basketball Twitter, Kevin and Brad have established the best show for the 365-day-a-year hoops fan. The show focuses on analyzing the game at a high level and breaking down the biggest news in the college basketball world. Kevin's work can be found on Twitter at @CBB_Central and online on his website CBBCentral.com. Brad can be found on Twitter at @BradCav2.
On this week's episode of CBB Central, Brad and Kevin do their deep dive into the ACC ahead of the new season. First, they dish on the news of a potential Fox-run NIT competitor and Zach Freemantle's injury for Xavier. Then, it's on to the ACC, where we give you a rotation preview and outlook for every single team in the league as well as standings projections and more. Can Duke break through and win it all? Will North Carolina bounce back? Where does Miami stand after its Final Four run? And what's next for Louisville? All that and more as conference preview season begins.
On this week's episode of the podcast, Brad and Kevin break down some late-breaking news in college basketball as preview season approaches. They dish on Louisville's disaster with Trentyn Flowers, Pittsburgh losing Dior Johnson and the outlook league-wide for the ACC long-term. They also break down the bizarre Marcus Adams saga, as the top-75 recruit departs a second school this summer, and hit on a few international and late high school additions at Seton Hall and Michigan. Plus, Brad's "Now or Never" players for the 2023-24 season.
On this week's episode of CBB Central, Brad and Kevin break down the latest news in conference realignment and its impact on college basketball. They discuss how a 16-team Big 12 could dilute what was the best conference in college basketball, whether or not that's a good thing for teams in the league, the impact for the Pac-12 leftovers, and what the Big East should do when its TV deal is up. Plus, they go over some observations from preview content, including the challenges of building a top-100 players list in a world with lacking star power outside of the center position.
On this week's episode of CBB Central, the guys dish on some late roster moves before naming their transfer portal Hall of Fame. Kentucky added Zvonimir Ivisic to pick up a stretch big providing insurance for their injuries up front, and UCLA landed Berke Buyuktuncel and Aday Mara after months of rumors gives the Bruins a major talent injection as the calendar turns to August. Then, the guys start naming some legendary portal names from over the years, from the most impactful ever like Nigel Williams-Goss to some major failures and some frequent movers. It's a trip down memory lane you won't want to miss.
On this week's episode of CBB Central, the guys analyze their picks for the breakout stars of the 2023–2024 college basketball season. There are some obvious ones, like Donovan Clingan at UConn and Kylan Boswell at Arizona, but the guys also get into the weeds to break down some sleepers with the talent and opportunity to make a major impact this season. Plus, they dish on the horrible news regarding Bronny James, the loss of Teafale Lenard at Memphis, the latest for West Virginia's roster and more.
The college basketball offseason has reached its halfway point, but there are still moves to break down. The guys hit on Memphis landing Jahvon Quinerly and its impact on the Tigers in 2023, plus how Chris Ledlum fits into the picture at St. John's and how good we expect SJU to be in Rick Pitino's first season at the helm of the program. Then, they go through their "bad gets", an annual tradition breaking down the transfer portal moves we didn't actually like this spring, including some fairly high-profile additions at major programs.
On this week's episode of CBB Central, Brad and Kevin dish on some college hoops odds and ends as the transfer portal dries up. They discuss an entertaining weekend at the EYBL Peach Jam, analyzing the explosion of Cooper Flagg, the excitement surrounding 2025 and 2026 talent like Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa and Tyran Stokes. Next up is the latest on a bizarre saga at West Virginia, where Bob Huggins seems to believe he's still the coach? Meanwhile, players keep departing, leaving the Mountaineers with just nine scholarship players. Plus, a couple other commitments to touch on, including whether Paul Mulcahy makes Washington a tournament team and how the Ithiel Horton addition helps Rodney Terry and Texas.
We wrap up June with more player and coaching movement to discuss! First, the guys dish on the resolution at West Virginia, where Josh Eilert will step in as interim head coach for the 2023-24 season. Is this the right move? Can what's left of this roster make an NCAA tournament push? And if not, was it worth not just biting the bullet now? Next up are some major portal names, with Jordan Brown coming off the board to Memphis, Jahvon Quinerly and Ithiel Horton looming, and more. Plus, the guys register some NBA draft takes, including what happened to Cam Whitmore, some late picks we liked, and where some of our favorite college stars are ending up.
It's NBA Draft week! So much talk at the top is about Victor Wembanyama, but there's truly not that much debate about how good a player he'll be. The guys do register their opinions on the Scoot Henderson vs. Brandon Miller debate, give their thoughts on guards like Kobe Bufkin and Anthony Black, debate how high to take the Thompson twins and dish on some big risers like O-Max Prosper and Brandin Podziemski. Plus, they lead off the top of the show breaking down the Bob Huggins news and where West Virginia might turn next.
After a hiatus for Brad's wedding, the boys are back with a loaded episode catching up on all the latest roster movement! They break down the fits for Arthur Kaluma at Kansas State, Grant Nelson at Alabama, Olivier Nkamhoua to Michigan, Cam Spencer to UConn and Zyon Pullin to Florida, as well as hit on some smaller roster moves at the margins that could have an impact on the 2023-2024 college basketball season. Plus, St. John's makes yet another splash by adding Simeon Wilcher, a top recruit in the 2023 class.
Feast Week is officially upon us! It's one of the busiest and biggest weeks of the year in college hoops, and after plenty of marquee matchups a week ago we've got the Maui Invitational, Battle 4 Atlantis and PK85 all to look forward to. For now though, the guys break down Kentucky's struggles and how fixable things are for the Wildcats, an impressive start for the Big Ten, learnings from Texas dominating Gonzaga, whether Michigan State is for real after a very impressive start, and much, much more as daytime basketball is officially upon us.
The Champions Classic is here! It's time to preview what figures to be the most thrilling stretch of college hoops until March, more than two weeks of top matchups almost every single day starting with Michigan State vs. Kentucky and Duke vs. Kansas at the Champions Classic. The guys preview that upcoming schedule and break down a weekend of interesting results, including guard trouble at Villanova and Gonzaga, SWAC upsets against the Pac-12, a bad buy game loss for Oregon, Tennessee's woes against Colorado and much more.
The season is on the doorstep! With conference previews in the books, look at this episode as a general overview of everything we've talked about all summer and fall. We start with exhibition results and what we can overreact to, including Tennessee and Texas looking dominant and Louisville's major woes against Lenoir-Rhyne. Then, we summarize our top 25's and which teams outside of them could make us regret our rankings before hitting on scheduling, waivers and a few other macro notes to watch before the games tip off on November 7.
We're SO close to the college basketball season! On this week's episode, we wrap up our conference previews by spending our first hour running through the one-bid leagues: which teams have real chances to make the NCAA tournament and make some noise while they're there. Then, they spend the remainder of the show breaking down our prop bets for the 2022-23 season. These bets, which range from leading scorers at Duke and Baylor to over/unders on Iowa State's offensive efficiency on KenPom, are a fun way to track our takes for the season.
We wrap up our conference previews with two more leagues: The Mountain West and WCC! The first hour is spent on the Mountain West, which put four teams into the NCAA tournament a season ago but loses some top talent. We break down San Diego State's case as a top 15 team, Isaiah Stevens' injury and its impact on Colorado State, whether Wyoming can live up to the hype and more. Then, they spend the next hour on the WCC, breaking down some interesting storylines with Gonzaga before hitting on teams like BYU and San Francisco.
It's SEC preview time! With less than a month away from a new season tipping off, the guys preview what could be the best conference in college basketball this season in the SEC. Can anyone supplant Oscar Tshiebwe and Kentucky at the top of the league? Tennessee, Alabama and Arkansas have loaded rosters to try to do just that. Plus, six new coaches, including Todd Golden at Florida, Matt McMahon at LSU and Dennis Gates at Missouri. Who's got the best chance to succeed out of the gates (no pun intended)?
The guys sink their teeth into not one, but two conferences for this week! This week's preview is divided equally between the AAC and the Atlantic 10. The A-10 picks up at the 1 hour mark, if you're looking to skip ahead!
The AAC is in its final year as presently constructed, but should be fun with a title contender in Houston at the top and plenty of teams that could make a jump like Tulane, Temple and Cincinnati in the middle.
Plus, who's the favorite in the A-10 between Dayton and Saint Louis? Can VCU, Loyola, George Mason and UMass make tournament pushes? And what's the outlook long-term for some of the new coaches in the league?\
This week's conference preview: the Big Ten. Is this the year the league breaks through and wins a national title? On paper, the league's strength is in its depth, not its top-end teams. But can a new-look Illinois team repeat as Big Ten champs? Does a re-worked roster around Hunter Dickinson get Michigan back to the top? Or can Indiana run it back with Trayce Jackson-Davis and Xavier Thompson and win it? Plus, thoughts on a new coach at Maryland, the bubble hopes for teams like Rutgers and Wisconsin and much, much more.
We're approaching the halfway point in our conference previews! This week's episode gets into the Big East after some news bits at the beginning of the show regarding Emoni Bates and a potential change to the one-and-done rule.
There's plenty to get to in the Big East though, with Brad picking Villanova to win the league in year one under Kyle Neptune while Kevin backs an incredibly talented Creighton team. Plus, thoughts on Xavier and Butler with new big-name coaches, whether Providence can build on its Big East title from a season ago and UConn's small-ball shift.
Conference preview season keeps on rolling with our season preview for the Big 12! The league that has produced the last two national champions has a chance for three straight in 2022-23 thanks to elite top-end talent. The guys break down Kansas's chances of repeating with a new-look roster that could be elite on defense, why Baylor's backcourt reminds them of the group that won it all, take stock of TCU and Texas Tech's potential and decide whether to bet on the pieces gelling at Texas.
We've got breakdowns of every team, NCAA tournament projections and much more.
Conference preview continues with the Pac-12! We go in-depth on every team in the league to give you rotation analysis, state of the program, and much more.
Thoughts on: - Arizona's backcourt with Mathurin and Terry gone - UCLA blending experience with two elite freshmen - USC's frontcourt questions - Can Oregon bounce back? - Why Brad is buying Washington State as a sleeper - Leaving Oregon State for dead - Coaches on the hot seat
and much more! Dive into our second preview of the preseason now.
It's officially conference preview season! We're counting down the final 10 weeks until the college basketball season kicks off, and so that means it's time to start previewing conferences for the 2022-23 season.
We start with the ACC, a league that was much-maligned for most of last season but wound up producing three Elite Eight and two Final Four teams. Now, with Duke in the post-Coach K era and UNC running it back, what's the outlook look like at the top and for the rest of the league? Can Virginia or Florida State return to the top? And is there hope for teams near the bottom like NC State and Georgia Tech with coaches on the hot seat?
We've got news to break down on a late-August college hoops pod, as Brad and Kevin analyze Keyontae Johnson signing on with Jerome Tang and Kansas State, Emmanuel Akot's flip from Memphis to Western Kentucky, Louisville's late addition of Fabio Basili, UMass making a pair of late splashes, and some key recruiting nuggets for 2023 regarding top 2023 targers.
Plus, thoughts on which first-year coaches are best positioned for early success and which ones may struggle in their first year on the job!
It's the bad gets show! So much of the discourse all spring is about "good gets", so we go over the signings we didn't love this spring in the portal. Of course, this isn't to say a player isn't good, but the team-building strategy behind the move was often flawed and can be the difference between getting fired and going to the postseason.
Plus, plenty of thoughts on recruiting, including Michigan State's recent heater with Gehrig Normand and Coen Carr, Kansas State's second top-75 recruit of the class, Ohio State's continued success with multi-year guys, and much more.
We're approaching 100 days away from the college hoops season! The main focus of today's episode is breakout players: Brad and Kevin each come with 20 players they believe will take the next step and help their teams this season... who will be the next Keegan Murray or Benn Mathurin?
They also touch on the end of the live period, as Kevin breaks down some of the players he saw on the road last weekend at the Under Armour Finals and NY2LA event in Milwaukee and the guys break down commitments from Justin Edwards, Omaha Biliew and more.
It's the last podcast of June, which means it's time for some reflection. The guys look back at their preseason prop bets and break down where they were right and where they were wrong, like both of us picking other players than Keegan Murray to lead Iowa in scoring or Kevin (somehow) correctly picking a non-D1 over D1 upset.
Plus, the guys put a bow on NBA draft season by breaking down the draft from last week, including whether the top three picks worked out best for everyone and some of our favorite undrafted sleepers.
It's NBA Draft week! The guys log their takes on where they stand on the top prospects in the draft, with differing opinions on Jabari Smith and Chet Holmgren at the top. Plus, the guys they want to bet on in a crowded middle and some sleeper prospects to watch.
Also on today's episode, the guys break down Pete Nance's commitment to North Carolina, its impact on the top 10 with Kevin's top 25 out now, and some minor roster moves like Joey Baker picking Michigan and Casey Simmons departing Northwestern.
There are still a few more transfers to go over, as the player movement machine slowly wraps up for 2022-23. The big ones we hit on in this week's episode: Duke gets some shooting and experience with the addition of Jacob Grandison, Arizona solidifies its backcourt by adding Courtney Ramey and Cedric Henderson, Washington State has new life with the signing of Justin Powell and return of Mouhamed Gueye, and Pittsburgh is all the sudden interesting after landing Dior Johnson! Plus, some smaller moves at the margins and thoughts on some of the wacky destinations for early-season games slated for next season, including the return of the aircraft carrier.
Draft decisions are in, and it's time to break down the biggest winners and losers of the final big wave of roster movement. Teams like Kansas, Houston and Gonzaga were clear winners, solidifying themselves as top-10 teams thanks to high-impact returners like Drew Timme, Jalen Wilson, Marcus Sasser and Julian Strawther. Meanwhile, Duke and Arizona were dealt blows with the losses of Trevor Keels and Dalen Terry, who each elected to keep their names in the draft. Where do rosters stand as of now? We break all that down this week on the show.
On this week's episode of CBB Central, Brad and Kevin recap the NBA Draft Combine and break down the recent transfer commitments across college basketball. Kevin spent all week downtown in Chicago at the combine and updates you on everything he saw and heard there, including thoughts on every college-eligible player who played during the week. Plus, with 10 days in between pods, there have been plenty of transfers to break down, including Osun Osunniyi to Iowa State, Kyle Lofton to Florida, DePaul beefing up its backcourt and much, much more.
On this week's episode of CBB Central, Brad and Kevin break down where things stand in the portal heading into Combine week. They touch on the issues for teams in need of big men right now and its effect on the market as a whole, a big week of commitments for Thad Matta and Butler, Ohio State locking in Isaac Likekele to round out its portal class, and reset some rosters at high-majors that made the biggest splashes in the portal.
They also touch on the USA U18 roster selection that will send top 2022 and 2023 recruits to compete internationally this summer.
On this week's episode of CBB Central, Brad and Kevin get into the latest portal happenings with the names going in mostly set after the May 1 deadline. Baylor Scheierman's commitment to Creighton is massive, and it sets up the Jays to be in the mix to be a top 5 team in 2022-23. Other big commitments discussed include David Jones joining an interesting St. John's team, Efton Reid beefing up Gonzaga's frontcourt, Johni Broome plugging the hole at center at Auburn, Souley Boum giving Xavier the point guard it needed and much, much more. Plus, they hit on the latest NIL happenings and changes, as reported by SI's Ross Dellenger.
The portal and NIL are wreaking havoc on the college hoops offseason. What are the impacts of all this? Brad and Kevin dive into that very question on this week's podcast. They then hit on the most recent commitments, everything from Duke getting a backup PF to Memphis getting arguably the best player in the portal in Kendric Davis. Plus, a whole lot in between.
They also hit on Jay Wright's retirement, how stunned they were by the news, and what it means for the future of the Villanova program with Kyle Neptune steering the ship!
It's our first offseason podcast, and oh boy, it's a doozy. The transfer portal is hotter than ever, and the guys start the pod trying to answer the question on everyone's minds: Is the transfer portal good for college basketball?
After some long debate on that topic, Brad and Kevin get into the nitty gritty of the portal. They react to some of the big names going in the portal, like Tyrese Hunter, Kendric Davis and Kenneth Lofton. Then, they get to as many commitments as they can get to, headlined by names like Tristen Newton (UConn), Devin Carter (Providence), Mark Sears (Alabama), Terry Roberts (Georgia), Will Richard (Florida), Andre Curbelo (St. John's) and much, much more.
The season is over, and the guys aren't exactly sure what to do with themselves. Kevin returns with some stories from New Orleans (the best Final Four city), where he saw two of the best games of the tournament. The guys discuss Kansas' title, what the future looks like for Hubert Davis, Armando Bacot and Caleb Love at UNC and next year's outlook for Duke and Villanova. Plus, takes on where things current stand in the transfer portal, including trying to decipher what Arkansas is doing by taking ALL the big men and thoughts on some of the best guys currently in the portal.
The Final Four is here!
Brad and Kevin use this podcast to break down how each of the four remaining teams got to this point, with an ode to the Saint Peter's Peacocks and their remarkable run in between. They break down what makes Duke's offense so good right now, whether Villanova can survive without Justin Moore, how good North Carolina really is right now and if Kansas is flying under the radar still.
Then, they get into some coaching carousel and transfer portal talk as both continue to churn. UMass hiring Frank Martin made a splash, but the guys aren't sure it's quite as great a hire as some are crediting. Plus, Steve Prohm heads back to Murray State in what feels like a good fit for both parties. The guys also hit on some portal strategy and big takeaways from some of the major names to go in so far.
The first weekend of the NCAA tournament is complete! Brad and Kevin go through the 16 teams remaining and break down their path to this point, how they match up in the second weekend, and what this deep run means for each program. They also touch heavily on a huge last week in the coaching carousel world, where Todd Golden to Florida and Matt McMahon were the big splashes but Mississippi State made an excellent hire with Chris Jans. Brad also loves Xavier's choice with Sean Miller and URI getting their hands on Archie Miller, who is back on the saddle at URI.
It's the best week of the year! With a bracket in hand, Brad and Kevin break down the latest in college hoops. They go through what the committee got right, what they got wrong and whether conference tournaments even matter anymore based on the way teams were seeded. Then, they highlight the interesting games of the first weekend, breaking down which teams have a strong path to a deep run and which clubs could be going home early. Plus, some thoughts on a coaching carousel that has picked up in recent days with Mike White's big move to Georgia and George Washington parting ways with Jamion Christian.
Champ Week is here!!!! It's officially time to start handing out bids, and as of recording this three of the 32 automatic bids have been doled out. Brad and Kevin break down those three conference tournaments, spending time on Loyola Chicago and Murray State's chances of making runs in the NCAA tournament after watching both teams over the weekend. Plus, thoughts on Duke's stunning loss in Coach K's last game at Cameron Indoor and previews of every high-major conference tournament coming up in the next week as well as some bubble chatter heading into Selection Sunday.
This is March! We're ready for the best month of the year in college basketball, and I can't wait. The guys break down what was a historic weekend in college basketball, discussing what the top six teams going down means in the grand scheme of things and break down who the best contenders for the title are. They then look at the bubble and which teams have the most work to do in the next week or two before Selection Sunday before briefly previewing the conference tournaments in the first weekend.
We're one week away from March!! And while the madness may not officially start for another week, there has been plenty of craziness in the last week in college hoops. The guys start on Juwan Howard and whether the punishment fits the crime for the Michigan head coach before getting into real hoops. They start on some bubble quirks, breaking down where things stand for teams in the Big 12 with unattractive records compared to their ACC and Big East counterparts. Plus, plenty more on the Pac-12, Butler and much more.
On this week's episode of CBB Central, Brad and Kevin dive deep into the sport with four weeks to go until Selection Sunday. They break down whether you can trust Purdue after a weird week for the Boilermakers, what to make of Memphis after their huge road win at Houston and whether Emoni Bates should be brought back into the lineup. Plus, they hit on the Big 12's bottom and whether those teams can find their way into the field, as well as the devastating injury to Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua at Baylor and what it means for Baylor's ceiling.
Kevin's back from Mountain West country, so the guys hop on a pod to break down a busy weekend in college basketball. They begin with Kevin's trip to Colorado State and Wyoming and some thoughts on the Mountain West as a whole, then pivot into a big Saturday slate that came up short of expectations of close games. Will North Carolina find its way into the NCAA tournament? Is something wrong with Baylor, or did Kansas' blowout win say more about the Jayhawks? Plus, thoughts on Kentucky over Alabama and whether Illinois is the best team in the Big Ten.
It's February! That may be hard to believe, but Brad and Kevin are ready to give you all the analysis you need on college basketball's big last week. They start on Providence, CBB's "luckiest" team that just keeps winning and whether Ed Cooley should be a candidate at emerging vacancies at Louisville and Maryland. They touch on the ridiculous atmosphere in Lubbock for Chris Beard's return, how good this Kentucky team can be, thoughts on a weird buzzer-beating win for Purdue over the weekend and what makes Duke a top-tier title contender. Plus, chronicles from Kevin on four games in four days.
College basketball's conference slates are in full swing, which means great games to discuss every night! Brad and Kevin dive deep into the week that was in the sport, hitting on the following topics:
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Auburn's No. 1 ranking and its huge win against Kentucky.
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Marquette's six-game winning streak and emergence into a Big East contender in year one under Shaka Smart.
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A weird week in the Big Ten that featured Indiana's upset win over Purdue followed by its disaster at home against Minnesota.
Plus, thoughts on Penny Hardaway's latest issues at Memphis.
Just when you think you know something in college basketball, the sport surprises you again. Duke, expected to run away and hide in the ACC, drops a home game to Miami. Does that mean the Hurricanes are legit? Is Duke's ACC supremacy in doubt? Brad and Kevin try to answer those questions and more from the week in college basketball, including dishing on Auburn's continued emergence, Loyola Chicago's huge week and what it means for their at-large hopes come March, flex scheduling for mid-majors in hopes of a bid and Texas Tech's statement win over Kansas.
Brad and Kevin are back after a week-long hiatus, breaking down the latest in college hoops. They open with Wisconsin's stunning win over Purdue that Kevin saw in-person on Monday, breaking down how Johnny Davis willed the Badgers to victory and made himself the favorite for National Player of the Year in the process. They also hit on Auburn's emergence as a national contender, Baylor's continued success, Northwestern's missed opportunity at home against a vulnerable Michigan State team, and much more. It's a loaded show and so good that you can barely tell it was recorded while Brad was mourning a Providence loss!
Brad and Kevin give you the gift of a new podcast this Christmas week, breaking down the latests news and notes around the college hoops landscape. They start on COVID-19's re-emergence in schedules, how to combat it and what may be next as conferences re-assess protocols and scheduling plans. Then, they get into the biggest games of the week, including Villanova's woes, what to make of the great start at Providence, Kentucky's resurgent win against North Carolina, and plenty more before previewing the Diamond Head Classic.
We have yet another new No. 1 team in the country, as Purdue's buzzer-beating loss at Rutgers and Baylor's dominant victory over Villanova shifts the AP Poll balance of power for a fourth consecutive week. Brad and Kevin break down the Bears and what makes them so good despite losing four starters from last season and what them getting blown away means for Villanova. They hit on what to make of the Boilermakers' fall back to earth, what Kevin saw in Champaign in an incredible game between Arizona and Illinois. Plus, quick hitters on Alabama, Michigan's continued struggles and more.
On this week's episode, Brad and Kevin recap yet another week in the college basketball. They start on Mark Turgeon, who is out at Maryland after 10+ years. Kevin defends the move to look for a new head man in College Park, while Brad pushes back and fears this could be a Jamie Dixon 2.0 situation. After our first foray into the coaching carousel, the guys whip around the landscape to give their takes on the long week of games, which saw two top-3 teams lose and Iowa State and Minnesota somehow stayed unbeaten.
Feast Week has come and gone, and that means Brad and Kevin have plenty of college hoops to discuss after a loaded week of action. The discussion starts with Duke vs. Gonzaga and the thriller that game was... the guys debate what it means about the rest of the season and whether Duke should be the nation's new No. 1 team. Then, they dish on Kevin's week at the Maui Invitational, the incredible action at Battle 4 Atlantis all week, and all the other key games from Feast Week. What did we learn about CBB in the first month of the year?
It's Feast Week, and Brad and Kevin have PLENTY to say about the state of college basketball after two weeks. They start on the Hall of Fame Tip-Off, which saw Purdue play two incredible games, Villanova show their promise and flaws, and UNC expose its weak defense. They then hit on the Gavitt Games, including Marquette's surprising start under Shaka Smart and Seton Hall winning on the road at Michigan. Then, they look ahead to the upcoming week, previewing the Maui Invitational, Battle 4 Atlantis and Gonzaga's big tests with UCLA and Duke.
Week one of the college basketball season is in the books, and there's plenty to break down from the week that was. First, they get into the Champions Classic, with their takes on all four teams' opening audition in front of the college hoops world. Brad and Kevin agree that Kentucky doesn't look like the BBN teams of old, and they also touch on the Kansas rotations and much more. Plus, thoughts from UCLA vs. Villanova, Gonzaga vs. Texas, and some of the many intriguing upsets that went down in the opening week.
It's here, folks. Brad and Kevin get you ready for Week 1 of the college basketball season with a preview of the biggest games. They make their picks for the Champions Classic, Gonzaga vs Texas, UCLA vs Villanova, and the other key games. They then hit on some conference champ futures odds they like (and why Kevin's high on Dayton). And finally, a tradition: season-long prop bets. From annual tough ones like the highest-scoring non-top-100 freshman to random ones like where Syracuse's defense will finish in KenPom, these bets let you look into the crazy, crazy minds of the two genius that run this podcast.
Brad and Kevin wrap up the CBB Central Pod's conference previews with their breakdown of the Pac-12. The league earned its flowers in the NCAA tournament a season ago, and the guys break down whether it will maintain its strength into the new season. New coaches like Craig Smith and Tommy Lloyd could breathe life into a pair of high-upside programs, while USC and Colorado look to build on historic seasons despite departing program-defining players.
Timestamps: Cal: 6:45, Washington: 14:10, Washington State: 22:00, Arizona State: 29:05, Utah: 37:45, Stanford: 44:55, Oregon State: 57:10, Arizona: 1:03:05, UCLA: 1:09:30, Colorado: 1:16:30, USC: 1:22:10, Oregon: 1:29:35
The CBB Central pod's conference previews continue with the SEC. Brad and Kevin break down every team in the league with thoughts on the rotation, team fit, and the outlook for this year and beyond. Kevin is bullish on TyTy Washington's potential at Kentucky and thinks he could be one of the nation's best guards, while Brad is still confused about what exactly to do with LSU after the Adam Miller injury. Plus, some secret scrimmage and charity exhibition thoughts and more.
Timestamps: Vanderbilt: 3:25, Texas AM: 11:25, South Carolina: 20:45, Georgia: 28:30, Auburn: 35:40, Mississippi State: 42:25, Kentucky: 47:45, Missouri: 54:55, Ole Miss: 1:01:10, Florida: 1:07:00, Tennessee: 1:12:20, LSU: 1:20:25, Arkansas: 1:25:40, Alabama: 1:29:40
On this week's episode, Brad and Kevin continue their conference previews with their analysis of the Big 12. There's plenty to discuss in a league that features the defending national champions in Baylor, two other likely top-10 teams, and some high-profile new coaches and transfers. The guys break down every team with analysis of rotations, team outlook and more, plus the league's overall outlook.
Timestamps:
Iowa State: 8:20 Kansas State: 18:00 TCU: 25:25 Oklahoma: 32:38 Texas Tech: 40:05 Oklahoma State: 48:05 Texas: 55:30 West Virginia: 1:06:45 Kansas: 1:13:25 Baylor: 1:19:00
On this week's episode of CBB Central, Brad and Kevin break down the Big Ten as the season inches closer. Kevin is back from Big Ten media days with plenty of takes from the coaches and players he spoke to, so the guys go deep on every single team and their outlook for this season and beyond. Plus, thoughts on number of bids the league will get and if anyone is on the hot seat. Timestamps below:
Nebraska: 8:15 Minnesota: 17:42 Northwestern: 25:40 Indiana: 32:10 Penn State: 38:55 Michigan State: 46:45 Maryland: 51:37 Rutgers: 56:35 Wisconsin: 1:07:00 Ohio State: 1:13:35 Purdue: 1:19:50 Iowa: 1:26:55 Illinois: 1:32:55 Michigan: 1:42:10
On this week's episode of the podcast, Brad and Kevin dive deep into the Big East with in-depth breakdowns of every single team in the league. New coaches at DePaul and Marquette might bring some hope after things stagnated under their predecessors, while Travis Steele enters year four needing to win with a talented roster. Plus, the guys break down why they are so high on Seton Hall, Brad makes breaks down his love affair with UConn, plus plenty of thoughts on his beloved Friars. Finally, the give their predictions for number of NCAA tournament bids, where the coaching situation sits league-wide, and more.
On this week's episode of the CBB Central podcast, Brad and Kevin continue their conference previews with an in-depth breakdown of the ACC. They go through each team and project the team's rotation, break down each team's key strengths and weaknesses, and then provide an outlook on the team's postseason hopes for 2021-22. It's as in-depth a look at the league as you'll find anywhere and produces some fun debates about a league that looks pretty mediocre in the middle. Plus, the guys disagree on a champion!
It's mid-major week! After touching on what Dereck Lively's commitment to Duke over Kentucky means for recruiting in 2022, the guys dive into the AAC, the A10, and then all the one-bid leagues. The previews of the AAC and A10 are a bit more in-depth, with thoughts on every team and a sense of where the league stands as a whole, while the one-bid league conversations are a bit more brief but tell you who we project will win every league and the other possible contenders.
Timestamps:
AAC: 17:20 A10: 43:15 A-East: 1:07:05 A-Sun: 1:09:00 Big Sky: 1:10:35 Big South: 1:12:55 Big West: 1:14:40 CAA: 1:17:05 Horizon: 1:19:40 Ivy: 1:22:10 MAAC: 1:23:10 MAC: 1:27:00 MEAC: 1:30:40 NEC: 1:32:40 OVC: 1:34:55 Patriot: 1:40:40 SoCon: 1:42:20 Southland: 1:45:35 Summit: 1:48:20 Sun Belt: 1:51:10 WAC: 1:54:35
The guys celebrate being eight weeks out from college basketball season with the beginning of conference previews! Brad and Kevin break down the WCC, Mountain West, Missouri Valley and C-USA, with thoughts on every team and how many bids each mid-major power could earn. Plus, they go through Brad's list of his 25 teams he can't wait to watch, with everyone from mid-major stars like Nevada to blue bloods like Duke and Kentucky and potential bottom-feeders like South Florida. It's a fun list of squads you'll be sure to want to watch in the season's opening month.
We're nine weeks away from college basketball, and the guys continue to prep you for the season with another episode of the pod. They talk through the top 100 players in college basketball, comparing Brad's preliminary rankings with Three Man Weave's strong effort at a ranking of their own to break down some macro trends about the sport and where the two of us stand on some breakout candidates and more polarizing players in the country. Then, they dive into what the Big 12's reported expansion plan means for college basketball -- both to the Big 12 and the stragglers left behind in the AAC. Plus, thoughts on Allen Flanigan's injury and Shaedon Sharpe's commitment to Kentucky.
Emoni Bates is officially a Memphis Tiger! We break down all things related to the announcement, including his fit with Penny Hardaway, the roster's strengths and weaknesses, whether Bates is a suitable option at point guard, and what this team's ceiling is. Then, they dive into other key news, including Northwestern landing a commitment from Rowan Brumbaugh and a few other key recruiting notes. They also react to an interview by the leadership of Overtime Elite from earlier this week and break down what the program's vision could mean for top talent.
After a weeklong hiatus, the pod is back and better than ever! Brad and Kevin recap their podless weeks, break down Emoni Bates' looming decision and why they expect him to choose Memphis, dive into the late transfer commitments of Mason Faulkner to Louisville and Tyrece Radford to Texas A&M, and recap some key recruiting announcements of the last two weeks while previewing a few crystal ball picks for 2022 recruits that could come in the coming days... including a surprising huge commitment for Chris Collins and Northwestern.
It was a big week in recruiting for both 2021 and 2022, so the guys spend much of the pod diving into that. Jalen Duren's commitment to Memphis and reclass decision to join the fray in 2021 is one of the biggest moves of the offseason, providing the Tigers with a low-post force for what should be a top 20 team. They also touched on Emoni Bates officially reclassifying into 2021 and whether he'll play college basketball, plus the implications NIL has had on these top recruits. Plus, quick-hitters on Keyonte George committing to Baylor, Tarris Reed popping to Michigan and Kel'el Ware choosing Oregon over hometown Arkansas.
The guys also take on a fun exercise: building a hypothetical college Olympic team. They each pick 12 guys they would have taken with them to Tokyo if basketball only allowed amateur players.
With less than 100 days until the season tips off, Brad and Kevin catch you up on all you need to know in the college basketball world. First, they hit on the NBA Draft, breaking down some of the picks they liked and didn't like. Then, they move to a couple of straggler transfer decisions, hitting on Kim Aiken's commitment to Arizona and Xavier Green solving Maryland's wing depth issue. They also break down HS commitments for UConn (Alex Karaban) and Duke (Kyle Filipowski, Dariq Whitehead) before giving you an early look at some high-profile non-conference games on the books for 2021-22.
Player movement has slowed down, but there's still plenty to discuss on this week's episode of the podcast. First, Kevin breaks down what he saw at the Under Armour Finals in Indianapolis this past weekend and paints a picture of what a big recruiting event looks like. Then, the guys discuss the impending death of the Big 12, what it means for college basketball, and what the next chances in college sports could be. Finally, they break down the NBA Draft, giving their favorite and least favorite prospects as well as some general draft philosophy takes.
It's top 25 time! Almost all the big transfer and recruiting moves are complete (looking at you, Jaden Shackelford and Jalen Duren), and that means Kevin and Brad can officially take you through their too-early top 25's after breaking down commitments from Kofi Cockburn, Kevin Obanor, and Marcus Carr.
Both Brad and Kevin take Gonzaga at No. 1, but after that there's plenty of spirited debate about where things stand at the top of the college basketball landscape. Can UCLA live up to the hype? And where do things stand in a crowded Big East middle that sits near the cut line.
With the NBA Draft decision deadline past us, the boys break down the biggest returns and departures from the sport. Kansas and UCLA officially load up for title runs with the returns of Ochai Agbaji and Johnny Juzang, while Texas Tech got a huge lift from the return of Terrence Shannon to Lubbock for another year. Brad and Kevin also preview the upcoming decisions for Kofi Cockburn, Jaden Shackelford, Kevin Obanor and Marcus Carr and break down big commitments from Dawson Garcia and Cedric Russell.
The transfer portal's second wave is here! High-profile names like Kofi Cockburn, Marcus Carr, Jaden Shackelford, Dawson Garcia and several others have taken their names out of NBA consideration and are looking for a new college home, so Brad and Kevin dive into where they could land and the impact it could have on college basketball. They also break down St John's getting important news on the return of Julian Champagnie, bad news for Iowa with the loss of Joe Wieskamp, and a mixed bag at Ohio State with Duane Washington gone but EJ Liddell back.
Finally, some FIBA U19 takes from the first two days of action and brief NBA Finals predictions!
On this week's episode of CBB Central, Kevin is joined by new Portland head coach Shantay Legans (36:30-1:00:00)! They discuss Legans' player development philosophy, what drew him to Portland, how he wants to build his rosters, and Black coaches getting more head coaching opportunities.
Brad and Kevin also break down the Penny Hardaway NBA rumors and where Memphis would go next, diagnose the Big East after key additions and subtractions at Marquette and DePaul and break down the FIBA U19 rosters.
On this week's episode of CBB Central, Brad and Kevin break down the scariest programs to recruit against in CBB, prognosticate the ACC after Trey Murphy's draft decision, and much more. They get into who to buy stock in from the ACC's crowded middle, then break down the G League Elite Camp and some of the key draft decisions to come from that event -- including whether Aaron Wiggins' standout performance is enough to to worry Terrapin fans.
Plus, Jalen Duren begins his official visits -- will he land in college for 2021?
The boys are back for another episode of CBB Central. First, they break down a pair of huge transfers in the Big 12 -- Tre Mitchell's commitment to Texas and Bryson Williams popping to Texas Tech. They discuss if this move makes the Longhorns a legitimate national title contender, the strength at the top of the league, and whether Texas Tech can climb through the middle with an addition like Williams. They also hit on some other notable transfers, Jalen Duren's reclassification decision, whether Penny Hardaway would make a good NBA coach, and more.
An action-packed offseason podcast! First, the guys break down Coach K's retirement announcement, how the hire of Jon Scheyer could fare, and what it means for college basketball long-term to lose the likes of Roy and K. Brad and Kevin also break down several key transfer additions, including Jacob Young popping to Oregon, a pair of additions at Utah, Trey Wade at Arkansas and more. Finally, they hit on some draft decisions looming with the Combine later this month and touch briefly on some FIBA U19 rosters.
Recruiting is back! With the dead period over after nearly 500 days, Brad and Kevin give you a brief inside look at what recruiting on campus might look like as coaches finally can host prospects, then update you all on the major happenings in the portal (with an emphasis on mid-majors like Louisiana-Lafayette, Colorado State, Nevada and BYU). Then, they preview the FIBA U19 roster that Team USA plans to trot out there and talk about the value of international events as a college evaluation tool.
Another week, another podcast! Brad and Kevin open the show with some commitment analysis on the latest transfers, including thoughts on Quincy Guerrier's fit with Dana Altman at Oregon, the big signing of KD Johnson for Auburn, and Rocket Watts helping Ben Howland continue to load up in Starkville.
Then, the guys spend the second half of the podcast putting a bow on the 2020-21 season by tallying the winners from our preseason prop bets. It came down to the wire, but Brad steals the victory by a single bet.
On this week's episode of the show, Brad and Kevin catch up on two weeks of transfer portal and recruiting action. They begin with Kansas, where the commitment of Remy Martin changes the trajectory for the 2021-22 Jayhawks. They also get to Kentucky's big point guard additions with Sahvir Wheeler and TyTy Washington, Creighton getting it right on the recruiting trail, Gonzaga landing Nolan Hickman, Georgia's free-fall under Tom Crean, and several quick-hitter commitments from the portal like the work Tim Miles is putting in early at San Jose State.
On this week's episode, Brad and Kevin step away from the transfer portal for a week to grade every coaching hire this offseason. They spend the first hour of the show on the high-majors, breaking down why they love the Chris Beard, Porter Moser, Shaka Smart and Craig Smith hires and why they don't love some of the others. The second hour speeds through every mid- and low-major hire, including A+ grades at Portland for Shantay Legans and less promising takes on Fordham's choice of Kyle Neptune.
Dive into our rankings for every single hire here!
The portal isn't sleeping in May, so neither are we! Brad and Kevin bring you part three of our portal breakdowns, updating you on the latest key commitments of the last week and how they'll impact next college basketball season. We break down Adam Miller's fit with a reloading LSU club, Michigan finding its point guard in Coastal Carolina's DeVante Jones, how Rasir Bolton fits into the team construct at Gonzaga, and many other key moves of the last week. Plus, the guys dish their takes on Emoni Bates' decommitment and whether it actually makes sense for him to go play at Texas.
The pod is back with more transfer talk as the guys react to the biggest news in the portal of late. They break down what adding Dylan Disu means for Chris Beard and Texas, how much of an impact De'Vion Harmon will make at Oregon and Rutgers finally making an addition with the signing of Aundre Hyatt. They also dive deep into some mid-major classes they like, including the monster group that Richie Riley has built at South Alabama and many other big-time mid-major additions at Robert Morris, Stony Brook, San Diego and more.
After a bit of a break to digest the end of the season, Brad and Kevin are back with a LOADED episode about all things transfer portal. First is our new "bad gets" section -- where we talk about a few of the transfer additions we didn't like so far to push back on the "good get" culture on Twitter. Then, we go conference-by-conference through the high-major leagues to break down all the major transfer additions thus far. We break down if the Big 12 might be trending down, whether the SEC's recent hot streak will create a great year for the league, and how experience will help teams throughout the Big Ten. Plus, is Washington State a threat in the Pac-12 now?
Sad it's over, happy it happened. The 2020-21 college hoops season is officially in the books, so the guys break down the Final Four thriller between UCLA and Gonzaga before diving into how Baylor looked so good against the undefeated Zags. They take a quick look at some teams worth mentioning from the way-too-early top 25 rounds, then break down the coaching hires at DePaul, Texas, Texas Tech, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Utah State and the new vacancies at Arizona and UTEP.
Finally, we crown a few early winners from the transfer portal, namely Seton Hall and Maryland.
Three games to go! Brad and Kevin dive into the last three games of the college hoops season, breaking down UCLA's miracle run, Gonzaga's continued dominance, Baylor's cruise-control run through the second weekend and Houston's defensive grinder mentality to get to the Final Four. The guys make their picks, then pivot to the coaching world and break down some of the key hirings and firings of the last week. Is Shaka the right guy to bring Marquette back? Can Mike Woodson make it happen in Bloomington? Plus, transfer portal musings.
The guys have a lot to get to after a thrilling weekend of NCAA tournament action. They break down the anatomy of all the big upsets, including Oral Roberts' shocking run, Loyola's thrilling win over Illinois, North Texas and Abilene Christian pulling big upsets, and the Pac-12's great weekend. They then preview the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, giving our picks in each region.
Then, they head to the coaching market, where there have been a lot of surprising moves made in recent days. They evaluate whether Ben Johnson can build a winner at Minnesota, the home run hire of Shantay Legans at Portland, and the question mark at Iowa State with the TJ Otzelberger choice.
An absolute mammoth of a show, Brad and Kevin dive into Champ Week, the Field of 68, and Black Monday all in one show! First, they break down the best of the action they saw during conference tournaments and what that can tell us about the Big Dance. Then, they go region by region, making their picks and breaking down their favorite upsets. Finally, it's coaching carousel time, talking through a wild Monday that saw Indiana, Minnesota, DePaul, and Iowa State all fire coaches and Boston College make an outside-the-box hire to fill its vacancy.
It's an episode fit for March, bringing you nearly two hours of analysis on where the college basketball world stands as we approach Selection Sunday. The guys start on the bubble, breaking down the NCAA tournament cases for the mid-majors near the cut line and what Duke, Michigan State, and some other high-major programs need to do to get in. They then decide if they are buying or selling some of the teams in the second tier of college hoops, breaking down where they stand on Villanova, Arkansas, Texas Tech, and more. They also give their Jerome picks for the first wave of conference tournament and share some thoughts on the coaching carousel with Kevin sharing some intel.
This week on the show, Brad and Kevin jump into the latest with regards to rescheduling games and conference tournaments, plus give an update on what might happen regarding Covid issues in the NCAA Tournament. Then, they dive into the last week of action, including the bubble's struggles, Duke coming to life, and whether Minnesota will sneak in without a road win. Then, they hit on some potential coaching change moves to monitor and discuss Isaac Brown's candidacy at Wichita State and a few other jobs that could open this spring.
Kevin and Brad dive in after a wild week of news in college hoops. First, they touch on the Jalen Johnson situation and whether it's a big deal for college basketball moving forward. They then hit on the Boston College coaching search, breaking down the job, some candidates, and whether it was unfair to fire Jim Christian midseason. They also hit on some other jobs that could open before diving into last week's slate of games, including the Loyola/Drake series, Villanova and Virginia's struggles, who to trust in the Pac-12, and where the Mountain West stands on the bubble.
After a weeklong hiatus for Brad to mourn his Friars, the boys are back with a new pod breaking down what they've seen in recent days in college basketball. Kevin breaks down why the gap between Baylor, Gonzaga and the field is only growing, Brad debates whether to go all-in on Ohio State, and we discuss whether we are buying St. John's in the midst of their six game winning streak. They also touch on some wacky scenarios for the coaching market this spring and make some predictions for the open jobs so far.