Check the Net on Impact 89FM

On this week’s episode of Check the Net, Impact89’s College Basketball Podcast, join Josh, Kylee, Eli, and Colin as they discuss everyone from American University to Theryn Hallock to UCLA, and everything in between!

Creators and Guests

Host
Colin Pearson
Host of the Check The Net Podcast, featuring all things NCAA basketball
EF
Host
Eli Flikkema
JL
Host
Josh Lee
Host
Kylee Tabler
msu jmc’26

What is Check the Net on Impact 89FM?

Are you a fan of college hoops? Check the Net is a podcast that covers everything about the world of college basketball. Whether it is discussions regarding top teams and weekly rankings, updates on transfer portal and coaching news, or commentary on the latest major stories from around the game, Check the Net has got you covered. The podcast covers both men’s and women’s basketball across all Division I conferences. Check the Net is available through Impact 89FM’s website, as well as via all major audio platforms.

Josh:

Welcome back to Check the Net Impact Eighty Nine FM's men's and women's college basketball podcast. I am your host, Josh Lee, and I am joined today by my fellow stressed out and broke college students, Kylie, Eli, and Colin.

Colin:

Man, you doing it, guys. You look

Josh:

actually You're really We're stressed out.

Eli:

We're broke, and we're still enrolled in college.

Colin:

Unfortunately. Speak for yourself. No. I'm just kidding. Colin.

Colin:

Mom, if you're listening, I'm still enrolled.

Kylee:

Colin dropped out. Hate to break it

Colin:

to you.

Eli:

Stephanie, if you're listening, hey.

Colin:

I'd say

Josh:

this would have been a great time to share.

Eli:

Anyway, before we before we start, blimps.

Kylee:

Blimps. Blimps.

Colin:

What about

Eli:

Some basketball teams have them, like Bowling Green State University Shout

Kylee:

out Falcons.

Eli:

And formerly the University of Northern Iowa. Some hockey teams have them, like Michigan Tech.

Josh:

Go, Huskies. And Michigan State should have them. Ideally, multiple. Mhmm.

Kylee:

1 for every sport.

Eli:

Exactly. I want gymnastics blimp. Yeah. Need

Kylee:

Shove some of that NIL money to blimps.

Eli:

To blimps.

Kylee:

To blimp money.

Colin:

Who needs to pay the football players when you can fly blimps over the football field.

Kylee:

That's what I'm saying. Sparty blimp

Josh:

over time. Everyone.

Colin:

That can go through the uprights and score 3 points for us at that.

Kylee:

Since no one else does.

Colin:

So Jesus.

Josh:

Wow. Wow. We just threw shade of the football team.

Kylee:

I feel like it's

Colin:

too loud

Eli:

too. The football team.

Kylee:

Yeah. Our kicker was good.

Colin:

Both Sorry.

Eli:

Our kicker was great.

Colin:

Yeah. Don't diss Kim.

Eli:

Shout out to Kim.

Josh:

Before we hop into the games, I also wanted to say thank you guys for allowing me to join you this semester. I've had a lot of fun so far. Hopefully, for the next couple months, we're gonna continue doing this, and hopefully, I don't get kicked off here in the next couple,

Colin:

shows. But So I'm not legally allowed to kick you off.

Josh:

Oh, perfect. I get to say.

Colin:

Yeah. Also,

Eli:

you're hosting, so

Colin:

I'm pretty

Eli:

sure you made it through the trial period.

Kylee:

Yeah. Congratulations. Welcome.

Josh:

But let's move in to women's basketball where we're gonna talk about the biggest game of last week. LSU in South Carolina with South Carolina pulling off the win sixty six fifty six. Colin? Yeah. You wanna start off?

Colin:

This was kind of an unexpected score, not really an unexpected outcome by any means. You know, we all expected South Carolina to win this 1, just because South Carolina has been so incredibly dominant. Just leagues above what every other team in the league is doing other than UCLA. But really it wasn't a very high powered offensive game. Sixty six fifty six is a very low scoring game for both of those teams.

Colin:

But realistically, I mean, I watched it. It was a great game nonetheless. It was a fun 1.

Eli:

Oh, yeah. Between 2 of the best teams in the country by far.

Colin:

Absolutely.

Eli:

But honestly Yeah. Remarkably poor field shooting from LSU, really terrible 3 shooting from South Carolina, which contributed to this being a really low scoring slugfest. But the Gamecocks really pulled this 1 out because of their ruthless advantage in free in free throws attempted. They shot 26 free throws, and LSU shot 9. And South Carolina made 18 of theirs, and LSU made 7.

Eli:

So when you make 11 more free throws than your opponent and win by 10, that's a pretty good sign.

Kylee:

Yeah. And I just think in general, going to the game, like, I knew South Carolina was a better team. Not saying LSU is not a fantastic team by any means, but I just think South Carolina is a lot more well rounded where I think LSU has specific stars that, like, will outshine a lot of people. But specifically, like, Anisha Morrow is playing so freaking well this season. Isn't she, like, really close to setting, like, the double double record?

Eli:

I think so. Yes.

Kylee:

She's very close. She will a % do that by the end of this year. But, yeah, not really an unexpected result from my perspective.

Josh:

No. Not at all. South Carolina, good basketball team. They're always are under Dawn Staley, one of the best, if not the best coach in America. That's also another point that has to be mentioned.

Josh:

What a coaching duel between these 2.

Eli:

Dawn Staley Incredible.

Josh:

Kim Mulkey, two of the best women's coaches in the country. And I know Eli hit it on earlier, and I've been talking about the past couple weeks I've been on. But when you give up 26 free throws and you only shoot 9, you're never going to win, especially in a game like this. You're never gonna win a game like this. But credit to LSU for staying in it regardless of the fact that they gave up 26 free throws.

Josh:

I mean, it wasn't a blowout. They had 2 bad quarters or only 1 bad quarter looking at the box score, getting outscore 18 to 11. But Dawn Staley, best coach in America for women's.

Kylee:

Oh, a %.

Eli:

And the thing is this absolutely could have been a blowout if Yeah. Kim Mulkey had lost control of her team and lost control of the situation as those free throws start piling up, as you start accumulating those fouls. But, really, it's a testament to how huge of a coaching duelist was that unless you kept it as close as they did.

Colin:

Absolutely.

Josh:

Yeah. We'll set it out.

Colin:

Hey. 1 more thing on Anisha Morrow that you mentioned, the double doubles. She has 93 career double doubles. Wow. She has second all time.

Colin:

The most all time is 112 from Kourtney Perez, and they were consecutive.

Eli:

All of them?

Colin:

All of them.

Kylee:

So she Wow. Kourtney Perez

Colin:

in 02/9 was absolutely insane for University of Oklahoma.

Josh:

I'm gonna do some research.

Kylee:

Wow. Yeah.

Colin:

Super insane. So I don't think I'll scratch that. I don't think she's

Kylee:

beating the record.

Colin:

12 is hard to beat nonetheless.

Kylee:

But 93

Colin:

is gonna be

Kylee:

very impressive. Though.

Colin:

Yes. Absolutely. Yeah. Anisha Morrow is going absolutely insane right now.

Kylee:

Yeah. I guess we can move on to to my game last week.

Colin:

Yeah. Let's do it.

Kylee:

We had number 1 UCLA versus 8 Maryland. Not really the as close of a game I thought it was gonna be, so UCLA

Colin:

ended up winning. Kinda figuring out where that drop off is between those top, like, 4 VRs.

Kylee:

Yeah. The score was eighty two sixty seven, UCLA on top, obviously. But Maryland really has been struggling as of late. They'd have they did win their most recent game against Penn State, but I don't think the margin was very significant. 9.

Kylee:

Yeah. Not a significant margin. I mean, especially they lost to OSU at home when they were favored in that game. So I think this might be a bit of trouble, for kind of Maryland in, like, the future with these next few games coming up. UCLA is still rolling,

Colin:

and they don't seem to

Kylee:

be stopping anytime soon. So we're just kinda waiting for, for a challenger to come up. They do play, I believe, Ohio State this week, so maybe that'll give them pause. But

Colin:

play a challenge.

Eli:

They they play Ohio State, but they play Ohio State in LA.

Kylee:

That's that's the thing. Yeah. So who knows?

Eli:

And I'm just really no longer convinced that Maryland is even a top 20 team right now or, like, should be ranked.

Colin:

Yeah. They're at the moment ranked fourteenth, but which is just above

Eli:

still feels

Colin:

North Carolina just above Michigan State.

Eli:

But High.

Kylee:

Are there but aren't all of their losses

Josh:

ranked?

Kylee:

I know, like, they've had scouts.

Eli:

I know a lot of their losses are very high ranked teams, but

Colin:

I mean, we're talking 3 back to back. That's what's troubling. Texas, Ohio State, UCLA. Those are all top 10.

Josh:

Those are all top 10 teams.

Colin:

And then the fourth loss is USC. Another top

Kylee:

10 team. So, like, understandably, big 10 gauntlet.

Eli:

But that was not Texas. That win against Penn State was just not convincing at all.

Colin:

Yeah. I don't know.

Kylee:

I think there's a lot of teams that also like, that are top tier that don't have convincing ones. So, like, some of the time so I think maybe they just really needed to get over that hump of getting another win kind of under their belts, and maybe they'll be able to

Josh:

bounce back.

Eli:

Turn it around.

Colin:

Yeah. To where they were. Ohio State has lost to Penn State.

Kylee:

Yeah.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah.

Kylee:

Yeah. That was their first and only loss

Colin:

First and only. This season. Yeah.

Eli:

So speaking of a team that isn't besting back, UCLA, Lauren Betts for the Bruins was lights out. She made 14 of 15 from the field.

Colin:

Absurd.

Eli:

And they also UCLA also had a commanding lead down low. They won with a 44 to 26 advantage in points in the paint.

Kylee:

That's Oh, yeah. Really impressive. They do that quite frequently with Betts specifically. She's very talented. Yeah.

Kylee:

You

Josh:

mentioned Lauren Betts. She was a force the other night against Maryland, but another player that deserves a little credit for it is KiKi Rice. She's so good too. I mean, she had 19 points, and 1 thing I love is she went 9 of 10 from the free throw line. Those are easy buckets.

Josh:

Those are easy. You gotta make those shots. 19 points and 7 assists. She was dishing out assists to her teammates. That is an important thing to do when you're a dominant team.

Josh:

You still gotta get assists. You still gotta play team basketball. And Maryland just just could not make shots. I mean, you had players that are four thirteen from the field, 3 of 10 from the field, 3 of 8. You you gotta make shots if you wanna win games, especially when you have home court advantage against somebody like UCLA.

Kylee:

Yeah. With that travel aspect, like, you like, you're playing in your own place, so you need to be able to, like, score.

Colin:

Yeah. You need that home court advantage. 14 Duke at 18 Georgia Tech. We saw Duke win that 55 to 50 in a very surprisingly clean game, with only 15 free throws between the 2 teams and 24 fouls.

Kylee:

Wow.

Colin:

Like, I just something about this game being 55 to 50, a clean game. This wasn't, like, overly dirty. This wasn't bad reffing. It was just bad shooting. You know?

Colin:

There weren't a crazy number of blocks, not a crazy number of steals. And so I just wonder how far either of these 2 teams will make it in in March 0. You know? Even though they're both top level teams, you you have to wonder at this point.

Eli:

I mean, especially against, like, if they're matched up against, like, a big 10 team in March 0, I really don't think they have much of a shot because big 10 teams are, on average, much higher powered offensively than what we've seen from the ACC this season. And big 10 teams, as we know, love to play that full court harassment defense.

Colin:

Yeah.

Eli:

And that's something that when you're already shooting bad and when you're used to playing clean basketball, you simply aren't prepared to deal with. So I definitely agree that that could be a concern.

Colin:

Mhmm.

Eli:

But, also, they just need to shoot better. Georgia Tech was 1 of 20 from a 3 range

Colin:

Holy moly.

Eli:

Which is rough.

Colin:

Why do you keep shooting greas if you're not making them?

Eli:

I don't know.

Kylee:

I mean, coaches will encourage players to shoot to continue to shoot. Like, that's their whole thing.

Eli:

Have to try to get into the rhythm.

Kylee:

You gotta gain your confidence. But if

Eli:

you never find the rhythm

Colin:

But if the team you're playing against also is not finding a rhythm, just go back to what's working and gain a lead at the moment. Right?

Kylee:

I mean, they're really I guess, in theory, they only lost by 5. So there really wasn't 2 I mean, they lost the game. But looking like if neither team is scoring, there really is not that much of a loss if both teams are missing significant shots from the outside. It's not like, well, we're missing all of our shots where they're making majority of them.

Eli:

If the other team is also missing a bunch of their threes, then you should be going for the driving layup because you know they're gonna miss the 3 again, and then you can start to gain

Kylee:

But at that point too, teams are when they see you're missing threes, they're gonna stop guarding the 3. They're gonna crowd the paint. They're gonna crowd they're gonna jam the middle so you don't have those driving lanes. So you gotta try to, like, find out what's gonna be working.

Eli:

Yeah. Well, the 3 wasn't

Kylee:

Not for not scoring wasn't period for either of these teams.

Eli:

I will and then and speaking of scoring, Georgia Tech scored just 2 points in the last five minutes of this game in which they lost by 5.

Colin:

Yep. That'll do it right there. Mhmm.

Josh:

When you have when you have 2 quarters of single digit points, you're not gonna win. Granted, they did score more than Duke in the other 2 quarters, but when you score a single digit in 2 quarters, you're never gonna win basketball games.

Eli:

I will say, before we move on, shout out to Duke's defense. The Blue Devils have not allowed 60 plus points in 8 straight games. Wow.

Colin:

Impressive. That's an impressive stat.

Kylee:

They have a good press.

Eli:

So this 1 was like, it wasn't flashy defensively, and it relied a lot on Georgia Tech missing a lot, but that's still great defense.

Colin:

Mhmm.

Josh:

Yeah.

Eli:

Really great defense.

Colin:

Alright. Another team that didn't allow 60 points.

Eli:

Yeah. We had we had number 21 Michigan State at number 24 Michigan, where your Spartans won the day 88 to 58.

Colin:

A 30 victory when they were down at half.

Eli:

They were down at the half, dear listeners, by 4.

Kylee:

Mhmm.

Colin:

That second half just heals the soul. You know? I mean, doesn't it doesn't make sense.

Josh:

You're very true.

Colin:

You're very right. Robin Frielig was a mastermind in the coaching on that second half. The players all played insane. Yeah. They were just making almost every shot.

Colin:

I've went back and watched highlights of that second half again over and over again because it's just so fun to watch.

Eli:

Julia Arolt put up the first Spartan double double against Michigan in ten years.

Kylee:

Love.

Colin:

Yep.

Eli:

And Theron Hallock was she had a really, really rough first half. And then she's such a leader and she's such a trooper. She completely turned it around at halftime, scored, like, 24 points in the second half to drive a lot of that 30 win. The the Theron Hallock coast to coast steal and layup is a thing of beauty. I could watch it a hundred times.

Colin:

And it was not the only steal. I mean, we had MSU had 11 steals and 7 blocks throughout the night. Michigan had 0 blocks. Wow. Like, it was just a dominant night on the defense.

Colin:

And then once the offense heated up, it was all over.

Kylee:

Yeah. It was very, very fun to watch. That's for I got to watch the first fifteen minutes with, utilizing free YouTube TV, and then I couldn't watch any more of it. So I didn't get to see the really great stuff. But, you know, U of M, very young core.

Kylee:

They're a a majority of their top players are freshmen. So, I mean, that's kinda to be expected. They've been hot. They were hot kind of thus far. However, they also I think this was last night.

Kylee:

Just lost to Wisconsin at Wisconsin, which that is not a good loss.

Colin:

That is

Kylee:

not a good loss for a previously ranked top 25 teams. They really need to come back together, you know, go back in locker room and just discuss what needs to happen for them to continue to, like, try to succeed as the season goes on because they're kind of dropping down from that, like, middle of the big 10 where they were at. And I think, yeah, that might not be great news for them in the future.

Eli:

I will say, in fairness, this might have I think a lot of this was driven by it being a rivalry game because Michigan State also lost last

Josh:

night. Yes.

Eli:

And a close 1 at home to Oregon who

Colin:

Mhmm.

Eli:

It was a previously ranked top 25 team. But still, both of these programs feel like they really tried to pour as much as they could into this game and then stumbled out of the gate and their next ones.

Colin:

Mhmm.

Eli:

So I I want to see both of these teams be good and have an another great matchup again in a couple weeks at the Breslin

Colin:

Center.

Eli:

And I I want that to be a good game, so no more stumbles.

Kylee:

Yeah. They need a each team needs a notable win

Colin:

Yeah.

Kylee:

Soon. Like, a top 25 notable win coming up.

Josh:

Yeah. Those Freeland has been saying all years that for the students section, like, they brought the boom that second half to Ann Arbor.

Eli:

Oh, yeah.

Josh:

I mean, Theron Hallock, performance for the ages, especially for somebody that grew up in Grand Rapids. She knows this rivalry very well. There's not much else to say. You guys covered everything. It was a great offensive and defensive performance, especially in that second half.

Josh:

It's defensively, pulled in Michigan to 25 points in the second half. Very impressive. And then the offensive explosion for 59 in the second half as well. It's always nice to beat a wolverine, isn't it? Always.

Josh:

Always. It's always nice.

Eli:

It's it's great to beat a Michigan wolverine.

Josh:

As I say, there's this is statistic that was thrown out on the birthday of Michigan. I believe Michigan State is 14 and 5 since the start of 2024 against Michigan.

Colin:

Trap.

Josh:

Yes. I say so. Little dominance in all sports for the Spartans over the Wolverines.

Eli:

Yeah.

Josh:

But speaking of rivalries, let's switch over to not a a big rivalry in this state, but not as big as Michigan. Michigan State, Central Michigan versus Western Michigan. Central got the win eighty one seventy, and that's a great win for Central over the rival. Central's not playing as well this season compared to Western, but these little rivalries still matter, and they absolutely earn this win. When you outrebound a team like Western forty two twenty, that's gonna help you win, especially on the

Eli:

road in Kalamazoo. That's dominant.

Josh:

Mhmm.

Colin:

Yeah. Certainly a few mistakes for Central Michigan, but when you come out there and shoot that many more shots than than Western, I mean, it's really hard to lose when you're shooting that many more shots, frankly.

Eli:

And you're shooting better than 50%.

Kylee:

Yeah. Just having good shooting in general, like, you're for the most part, you're going to be able to pull out and win.

Eli:

They central shot better than 50% overall and from 3, and the Broncos somehow failed to capitalize on 19 Central Michigan turnovers. Wow.

Josh:

Ouch.

Colin:

Yeah. 9 Wow. That's tough.

Eli:

19 opponent turnovers, and you lose by 11?

Josh:

I think key key thing there is the fact that it was the margin. The fact that they only had 9 turnovers too. Exact

Eli:

a a plus 10 turnover margin.

Josh:

And you still lose by 11.

Eli:

And you lose by, like, 4 possessions.

Colin:

Yeah. That's crazy. Yikes. Alright. Another rivalry.

Eli:

Another it's rivalry week at checking out. Yeah.

Colin:

It's rivalry week. No one knew it was rivalry week, but here we are.

Josh:

This is

Kylee:

the service rivalry. Patriot League.

Colin:

Yeah. Because for some reason, they're not in the American and

Eli:

all the best. For the heart of America.

Kylee:

Are the patriots.

Colin:

That's the Army versus navy. We had an army victory of 59 to 49, and it really can be attributed to 9 more rebounds for army and 34 points in the paint. I mean Wow. Yeah. There was just some dominance down low for army.

Colin:

Yeah. And it was really reliable for them. They just shot well from the paint specifically. They were really good under the basket, and navy couldn't stop them.

Josh:

Yeah. Completely. I mean, army because this was a very fair game looking at statistically wise. I mean, Navy did have more fouls, but everything else looks pretty much similar. The fact that they were 41.7 from the free throw line.

Josh:

Yep. Army didn't do much better. They were 8 of 12 while Navy was 5 of 12. You have to shoot free throws. You have to get easy buckets.

Kylee:

And if you're shooting the same amount of free throws too, like, that's that's not, like, a disparity.

Colin:

Less 30. 50 percent from the free throw line. I mean, that's something you've practiced since you started playing basketball. That is where you started playing basketball is from the free throw line. I was at my cousin's game two weeks ago, and they were shooting free throws.

Colin:

And he's he's young. Like, I went out of preschool. Okay. Young. Young.

Josh:

He's young. But Kaia Smith in this game for army had 14 points, 15 rebounds, absolute dominating performance from her. And it was a key success for army to get the win in this 1.

Eli:

Yeah. Unfortunate for me. I did pick navy to win the Patriot League.

Kylee:

Scrip.

Eli:

But great win for West Point, which I didn't know, extends their win streak in this rivalry to 6.

Kylee:

Wow. Nice.

Eli:

They haven't lost since, like, 2022, the Navy. Oh. But armies with this win slots into second in the Patriot League behind Holy Cross.

Colin:

So Holy Cross does look dominant.

Eli:

A really unexpected and great performance from the Black Knights. Yeah.

Kylee:

It feels un American for Holy Cross to be winning the Patriot League.

Eli:

It does.

Kylee:

But that's just my personal opinion.

Colin:

Yeah. Especially with the universities, like, American.

Josh:

Yeah. Maybe.

Kylee:

Yeah. Maybe army, like, come on now.

Eli:

Like, there's so many opportunities.

Colin:

Yeah. George no. George Washington. George.

Eli:

George Washington. Yes. George University.

Kylee:

Yeah. My favorite.

Colin:

Alright. Howard at Norfolk State. Norfolk

Eli:

State won sixty nine fifty three, which is basically what I thought they were gonna do.

Colin:

Yeah. They remain undefeated in Miak play. Norfolk State does.

Eli:

And barring an unseen conference tournament upset, which seems increasingly unlikely based on their conference record and who they've been beating, they should absolutely be eyed as a contender for, in my opinion, that rare early NCAA tournament upset.

Kylee:

That'd be awesome.

Josh:

That'd be incredible.

Kylee:

Yeah. We also all picked them to win, so go us.

Eli:

So go us.

Kylee:

Go us.

Josh:

2 important players in this game for north Norfolk State were Diamond Johnson, who had 24 points, and then Kiara wheel Wheeler, whoops, with 17 points and 10 rebounds, another double double, which is always hard in college basketball regardless of regardless of anything. That is very difficult in general, but women's basketball, it's less less common. So that's impressive from Kiara Wheeler to get 10 rebounds and 17 points. So impressive for the no for Norfolk State.

Eli:

Especially in a game where your offense as a whole doesn't break 70 points.

Josh:

Mhmm.

Eli:

Getting a double double and being involved enough in that offense is really a testament to how crucial of a player Kiara Wheeler is.

Kylee:

Oh, yeah. I mean, combined, they had over half their points. Yeah. Or about half their points. Yeah.

Kylee:

So I mean But

Eli:

I I absolutely see Norfolk State as a very sneaky, easy to underestimate eleven, twelve, 13 seed.

Kylee:

Love. That's what I like to hear.

Eli:

I I hope we don't play them.

Kylee:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Definitely.

Eli:

If we're, like, a if we're a solid 5 by NCAA tournament time, they better not be our 12.

Colin:

Look. As fun as it would be to have, you know, Spartans be Spartans in the Breslin

Eli:

Of course.

Kylee:

That would be.

Eli:

No. Thank you. I'm afraid. Yeah.

Kylee:

Yeah. A little bit scared.

Eli:

I don't wanna talk about this 1.

Kylee:

Oh, I was. I said it was my game. My game.

Eli:

We don't have to.

Josh:

Go ahead and talk

Colin:

about it.

Kylee:

It should.

Josh:

I don't think we

Eli:

need to.

Kylee:

I mean, we mentioned the

Colin:

last week.

Kylee:

Yeah. I totally did. I did pick it. I picked it for you, actually. But so, you and I traveled to Missouri State who is at the top of their conference, I believe, and, Missouri State won 81 to 45.

Colin:

Yikes. My reaction my immediate reaction was thinking of the Simpsons meme. Stop. Stop. He's already dead.

Kylee:

Yeah. And

Josh:

I just put big boo boo for you and I. Big, big boo boo.

Colin:

It was it was bad.

Eli:

It's it's

Colin:

You and I scored 15 points in the second half. Oh my.

Josh:

Oh. Oh. Oh.

Eli:

Everyone is so mean to me.

Colin:

That was that that was that that was that nice. That was a nice Remember,

Kylee:

they, they beat Iowa State. I I'm beginning

Colin:

to realize that the Iowa State game was mostly just to this team's Super Bowl.

Eli:

I I'm beginning to realize that the

Kylee:

and

Eli:

incredible win at home. It was awesome. And now we're just bid again, I guess.

Colin:

Ten and eleven.

Josh:

Alright. Mid.

Colin:

Slightly low. Of yeah.

Josh:

Eli, do you want you want me to move on for a Yes. Okay.

Colin:

Upsets of the week.

Josh:

Let's go to the upsets of the week. And can I explain, Colin, what happened last

Colin:

week? Absolutely. Yeah.

Josh:

So I am very new to the people that have listened to this for three seasons now. And when I looked at our sheet, it said upset of the week. So I thought it was talking about the games going into the week of, like, potential upsets that could happen, not we upsets that happen throughout the week. So I initially put in our document, Colorado knocking off Kansas State. And then I got into the studio, and I saw everybody put, like, upsets that already happened.

Josh:

I went, whoops. Let me fix that. And I actually got the upset right. He did. Colorado

Colin:

That was very impressive.

Josh:

Colorado knocked off Kansas State, and I was amazed. I that was incredible. I mean, 49 they shot 49% from the field against Kansas State, so a flood of Colorado. And I just wanted to explain my mistake from

Colin:

last week because

Josh:

that was Hey. Very funny.

Eli:

You killed it.

Kylee:

I saw that upset. I immediately thought of you. I thought

Eli:

No. I saw it immediately. That was like, Josh is gonna freak out.

Josh:

I got I got I got a I got a message from Colin going, how did you manifest this? How did you do that? I go,

Eli:

I have

Colin:

no idea. Mind you, Colorado was three and four in big 12 play at the time.

Eli:

Not great.

Colin:

I know. Kansas State was undefeated in big 12

Eli:

play at the time.

Josh:

I I can't explain it. Somebody else explained their upset because that was the crate. I'm not gonna get much better on this show. That's my peak moment.

Colin:

I haven't seen any better. You

Eli:

you actually have to leave after this episode.

Colin:

I'll see you guys.

Josh:

I'll never see you again.

Colin:

RIP. Alright. I had Texas A and M over number 12 Kentucky. You don't see a lot of, you know, top 15 upsets, and that was a fun 1. Texas A and M, definitely not an expected team, so that's a good 1.

Eli:

Yeah. I had Vanderbilt upsetting Alabama

Colin:

Love.

Eli:

Which was their second ranked conference win in 3 games and solidified them as a really, really solid team. Maybe not 1 that's gonna contend for the SEC title, but definitely 1 that I think could be a middle seed good tournament team that could definitely make the sweet 16 at least

Colin:

Absolutely.

Eli:

If they get a favorable draw.

Kylee:

Yeah. I had, I was trying to find their ranking, but I literally cannot find. I don't know why I didn't write it down. But, unranked Arizona topped the West Virginia. I think they were at 18 or something, at the time, but they were ranked.

Kylee:

So, good win.

Eli:

Nice. Alright.

Colin:

Next week, what's everyone got?

Eli:

I've got number 10 Duke at number 17 NC State, which is Feb. 3. And this is 2 ranked in state rivals, Duke coming off of that defensive shutout win at Georgia Tech, and they're jockeying for position behind Notre Dame in the ACC. The winner of this game will secure completely second place in the conference standings. So that would be huge.

Eli:

It's an in state game. They're right down the road from each other. And then, technically, I I picked there's another game that's coming up that is really, really interesting, and I'm not really sure why it's happening. But I it's technically ineligible because it's happening next Thursday when we're recording. But it's number 6 Yukon at number 18 Tennessee.

Colin:

Why do we have another out of town? Yeah. What's with Sam? What's going on

Eli:

right now? I'm excited.

Kylee:

Yeah. That's awesome.

Eli:

Yukon and Tennessee have hated each other for, like, forty years.

Josh:

That totally have. Geno and

Kylee:

Pep. Yeah. Summit.

Eli:

So that should be an incredible game that I'm really looking forward to.

Kylee:

Yeah. That's I

Josh:

don't know

Eli:

why it's happening, but it's awesome.

Kylee:

Yeah. Love it up. Maybe maybe you kinda just need some more, ranked opponents because, you know, the biggies.

Eli:

East. Because the big

Colin:

east didn't

Kylee:

be locked. Do be lacking. It's not

Eli:

it's not putting them much of a fight.

Colin:

Alright. I just looked it up. They actually have played annually in just a rivalry series Go ahead. Towards the end of

Eli:

the season. And they usually play in the spring for some reason.

Colin:

Yeah. That's interesting. Okay. You know what?

Kylee:

I'm not gonna question it.

Colin:

I'll question it. That's awesome.

Josh:

Great.

Kylee:

If it's tradition

Eli:

That's awesome.

Colin:

Yep. Yeah.

Eli:

Good for them.

Kylee:

I have my game, also another really interesting 1. Top 15 matchups. I have number 9 TCU traveling to number 11 Kansas State. So, that's Feb. 5.

Kylee:

Don't know what day that is next week, but,

Josh:

I think it's day.

Kylee:

There you go.

Eli:

I feel like the interesting thing to point out there is that Kansas State only dropped 1 spot after losing to Colorado.

Kylee:

Yeah. Which is kinda crazy. But, again, there's not much fluctuation in the rankings of women's basketball that often.

Eli:

Josh, you can write a letter to the a people.

Josh:

No. Don't worry. I'll do that already.

Kylee:

We got 1 drafted of.

Josh:

Between the men's and women's, I will. My power 5 meme of the week is number 1 UCLA hosting number 8 Ohio State. It's a big question mark if Ohio State can go on the road, try out this new West Coast. They're gonna play UCLA and USC within three days of each other

Kylee:

That's terrible.

Josh:

Which sucks for the Buckeyes. That's a grind. That's gonna be tough.

Eli:

That's rough.

Josh:

But see if they're may what they're made of. It's I'm not gonna say that they're gonna win, but let's see if Ohio State can at least put up a good fight better than Maryland. And if they can right the wrong that happened against Penn State, it'll be a big win it'll be a big game. Expect UCLA to come out hot and potentially win this 1, but let's see if Ohio State can put up a fight.

Colin:

Absolutely. Alright. I've got 1 more. Top 15 matchup with number 12, Kentucky, and number 13, Oklahoma. Oklahoma really has some stuff to fix up after their fight with LSU the other night.

Colin:

And, I mean, not only a 7 to a hundred loss Wow. Which is an insanely high scoring game.

Eli:

And it was the first time in SEC history that both women's teams scored a hundred in regulation.

Colin:

It is. Love. But there was also a literal fight in that game. Oh. And so, you know, Oklahoma has got a calm down.

Colin:

They got

Eli:

a lot of work done.

Colin:

But, you know, they don't have a lot of time to rest here with Kentucky coming down to, where

Josh:

do they play? Norman?

Eli:

Norman. Norman, Oklahoma.

Colin:

Yeah. Kentucky is heading down to Norman. So Oklahoma, lot of stuff to fix up after that game. Kentucky coming in hot. It'll be a good 1.

Josh:

Let's switch over to the small conference games that we have on the docket. Yeah. Kylie. Yeah. Kylie.

Josh:

Go for it.

Kylee:

Yeah. I have Missouri State.

Eli:

Kylie loves Missouri State.

Kylee:

I apparently love Missouri State. At Illinois State, that's Saturday, Feb. 0. No. Wrong.

Kylee:

Sunday. I don't know my days, people. It's it's Sunday, Feb. 2. A win in this game can keep Missouri State tied for first place in the n v in the MVC or knock them down to a tie for second with Illinois State.

Kylee:

So, yeah, this is kind of a potentially make or break game for Missouri State and their, standings on the MVC.

Eli:

And a huge game for the Redbirds. Mhmm. Like, really putting Illinois State right back up into conference contention. Yeah. Also, Illinois State's mascot is the Redbirds.

Colin:

Yes. How So

Eli:

we can just we can just think through that for a second.

Josh:

I have a state state school in Illinois. I don't expect anything less from him.

Colin:

That's Speaking of state school in Illinois, I got 1 too.

Kylee:

That's terrible.

Colin:

That's terrible transition. I didn't even mean

Josh:

that. I'm sorry.

Colin:

I didn't get it. I didn't even mean us.

Kylee:

Do that. You let you let that happen.

Eli:

You and and it and they're also playing a team from Missouri.

Colin:

They are also playing a team from Missouri. I got and they're also in a River Valley conference. That's so cute. Ohio Valley conference. Get out.

Colin:

Eastern Illinois, who is ten and one in their conference, thirteen and seven overall, is heading out to Lindenwood, nine and two in their conference. But thirteen and seven overall. This is for first place in the conference right now. And they are both undefeated or no. Lindenwood has lost games at home.

Colin:

Eastern Illinois mostly loses on the road. Eastern Illinois is also coming off their first conference loss of the season when they were upset by Western Illinois in a conference rivalry. And if Eastern Illinois is able to win their women's tournament for OVC, it would be their first time in the NCAA tournament since 1988.

Kylee:

Wow. Wow.

Colin:

And their school's first time in men's or women's since 02/1. So big deal for Eastern Illinois.

Eli:

Go EIU.

Colin:

Really a lot of Period. Lot of, lot of risk, first reward here, but yeah.

Eli:

That made no sense.

Josh:

That made absolutely no sense. Make much sense.

Eli:

Go Panthers. Anyway, I've got North Texas at UTSA, so that's Feb. 4, and it is a slugfest for the top of the American. I picked North Texas to win the American preseason. So I'm really hoping they pull it out and move into sole possession in first place.

Eli:

And then I checked, and Kylie and Colin picked Tulsa, who's sitting at three and four in conference and eighth in the sports.

Colin:

Wanna hear it. They're four and five in conference. Thank you very much. No.

Eli:

That's way better.

Colin:

They've got

Kylee:

ever. If I can't have the conference winner, neither can you. So, go UTSA.

Eli:

The Kylie curse. It's here.

Kylee:

It's here. It's happening.

Colin:

Yeah. Why do I pick the same team as Kylie ever?

Eli:

I don't know.

Colin:

I don't

Kylee:

know. But some of my picks are right.

Eli:

So It's usually just because she convinces us to pick Toledo.

Colin:

That's actually usually true. Yeah. You're welcome.

Eli:

And I guess Tulsa and Toledo must are with t.

Colin:

True. Becoming self aware here.

Kylee:

Yeah. That's kind of bad. Wow. I like to be in my own little bubble.

Eli:

Josh. I

Kylee:

did not think about it.

Josh:

What do

Colin:

you got?

Josh:

I'm still upset after that terrible transition.

Kylee:

We all are.

Josh:

I'm mad

Eli:

at you.

Josh:

I'm very I'm very upset with myself.

Colin:

Anyway let me get away with that.

Josh:

I didn't mean to. I was just poking fun at the state of Illinois. Anyway, I picked Colorado State and New Mexico. They both have 6 wins in conference play, but a key thing here is the fact that these 2 teams already played on the 18th of January, at Colorado State, and New Mexico picked up a win. So it's a big question mark if Colorado State can avenge that loss, put themselves back into the driver's seat to get back towards the top of the conference.

Josh:

It'll be a really interesting 1 for sure. Hey.

Eli:

We're Colorado State.

Kylee:

So true.

Josh:

Alright. Let me slowly

Eli:

I'm a Rams legacy.

Colin:

Alright. Should we hop over to men's?

Josh:

Yes. So I can get rid of this transition. Yeah.

Eli:

Yeah. Yeah.

Kylee:

So we can forget about it. Please.

Colin:

Alright. On the men's side

Eli:

Guess who the number 1 team in the country is.

Colin:

Number 1 team in the country, Auburn, is somehow still evading.

Kylee:

Shut up. Should've Oh, tomato tomato tomato.

Colin:

Tennessee traveled to Auburn, and Auburn won that game 53 to 51. All I have to say is what happened to SEC offense? Fifty three fifty one?

Josh:

That's a big 10 basketball game right there.

Colin:

That is 6 matchup. That is a big 10 basketball.

Eli:

I'd like to point out that there were a 4 points scored in this game total, and the LSU's women's team scored a 7 all by themselves.

Josh:

Good for

Kylee:

the you know what, Tee? Good for them.

Josh:

Yeah. That's great.

Colin:

It it's just how? I I mean,

Kylee:

I can tell you how.

Josh:

I mean

Kylee:

They can't make anything.

Eli:

Josh, you go first, and then I'll go next. Yeah.

Josh:

I was gonna say, it there's a clear one two in the country right now based off resume. You can critique their style of play. But Auburn's still winning. Even though they don't look great, they still win, and all that matters is winning. So right now, they're the clear cut number 1 in the country, and the reason is because of Janai Broom.

Josh:

He came back, and he is he is the difference maker. He is he's without a doubt the favorite to win player of the year. He is Yeah. That big difference maker that helped propel Auburn to a very close win against the Vols. So right now, to me, it is clear that they are the number 1 team in the country.

Josh:

Yeah.

Eli:

I so for context, Josh wrote down clear cut number 1 without a shadow of a doubt, and then I wrote down roughly cut number 1 with several shadows of many doubts.

Josh:

That's very true.

Kylee:

I mean, they still have to play Alabama twice. And, like, I talk about that later, but they still gotta you know, they play Alabama twice. They still

Colin:

have no effort left. Yeah.

Eli:

Auburn has a lot to prove. Mhmm.

Colin:

Mhmm. And a month to prove it.

Eli:

And only a month to prove it. And if we talk about resume comparison between the number 1 and the number 2 teams in the country, Duke beat Auburn.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah. That's what I was trying to throw. That was the thing I was trying

Kylee:

to throw out. Early losses are what's keeping them away from that number 1 spot and a very, very close game against Wake Forest where, in my opinion, Wake Forest should have won.

Eli:

They should.

Kylee:

Yes. So that's awesome.

Eli:

But, hey, Auburn's also playing very, very close bad games with people.

Kylee:

Yeah. But ranked people.

Eli:

That's okay.

Colin:

People. You can't fault them. They're still winning. Yeah. That's the problem.

Colin:

It's like, that's a tire

Josh:

still winning. And I will.

Kylee:

Until until they lose, you can't move them out of that number 1 spot.

Eli:

That's the

Colin:

thing. I'm

Eli:

not saying

Colin:

And even

Eli:

if they down.

Kylee:

Even if they lose, depending on who it is, they might not even move them out of that number 1 spot.

Colin:

If they lost by 2 points to Tennessee, I don't think they

Kylee:

would've moved out of number 1. Because I That

Josh:

would've been that would've been No.

Eli:

They would've. Uproar. Because Duke because Duke did that. Won both of their capes.

Colin:

Yeah.

Josh:

They would've Anyways.

Eli:

They would've moved Auburn to 2.

Josh:

Anyway Yeah.

Eli:

We also had last week, top 15 matchup in the big 12, where we had number 7 Houston at number 12 Kansas, where Houston won ninety two eighty six in double overtime.

Colin:

Incredible comeback for Houston. Lot of resilience

Eli:

that they

Colin:

showed right

Kylee:

there. So happy.

Colin:

There was something else with that team that I, it was

Kylee:

That first half was ugly, ugly for Houston. They could not make anything, happen in that first half, but, you know, they really picked it up. They they pulled it together. And, you know, I'm just a Kansas hater for life. And I it makes me happy every time they lose.

Kylee:

And, my pick to win the big 12 remains at the top of the big 12. So, that makes me even happier.

Eli:

Also, Houston finally got a quad 1 win.

Josh:

They did. That they did.

Colin:

Yay. Good

Kylee:

for them. Good for them.

Eli:

Them. Unfortunately, both of these teams shot 56% from the free throw line.

Colin:

Josh, go ahead and scream right now. Just

Josh:

get it out. Gosh. How do you miss 11 free throws from Houston and 13 from Kansas? Oh my gosh. You have scholarships to play college basketball.

Josh:

You need to make those.

Colin:

Alright, Josh. I'm gonna cut your mic now, and you can just scream. Here he is. Hear that. On the recording.

Colin:

Anyways, welcome back, Josh.

Eli:

Kansas missed Thank you. 13 free throws and which contributed to sending it to overtime, sending it to double overtime, and then losing. So Love.

Josh:

Yeah. That's Anyway That's my only thought. That was awful.

Eli:

Moving on. Yep.

Josh:

That was my only thought.

Eli:

We also had number 4 Alabama at number 14 Mississippi State

Colin:

Yeah.

Eli:

Where another very highly ranked SCC team pulled out a very close win against the worst team where Alabama won 88 to 84.

Colin:

Yeah. But, again, top 15 ranked team. Yeah. Like, this is a matchup we all expected to be close. Alabama has a little bit more to prove here.

Colin:

They probably should be better than that, especially because Mississippi State has had some recent losses. But at the same time, Mississippi State is ranked 14 for a reason because they are a good team.

Kylee:

I mean, at this point too, this win did slide them into a number 1 seed as of right now

Eli:

Yeah.

Kylee:

Yeah. For looking ahead to the tournament. But, again, for the SEC, it's coming down to Auburn and Alabama.

Eli:

This 1 a %. More acceptable to me because at least they both scored 60 points.

Kylee:

That is also very true. True.

Colin:

Yep. Yeah.

Kylee:

Because They're scoring a bit more.

Colin:

Yikes. But There was offense in this game, you mean?

Eli:

I mean, there was I think there was offense.

Kylee:

With Alabama comes offense, unfortunately. Like, even in their losses, they're up in, like, the hundreds.

Eli:

Except from the free throw line. Yeah. Exactly. Alabama was 11 of 20, which is 55%, which is worse than both Houston and Kansas.

Kylee:

Yikes.

Eli:

And then, unfortunately, I also have to pick on Mississippi State because they missed 6 free throws in a 4 game.

Colin:

Yeah. Josh just mouthed to me. I don't wanna say anything.

Josh:

And I just wanna comment that. I I'm not I'm not gonna make a comment on the free throws. I'm gonna try and keep my composer after that Houston, Kansas 1. I'm gonna try and keep my per composure.

Colin:

Josh, how about you talk about something better? Like the Iron Bowl.

Josh:

I was gonna say the fact that the Iron Bowl is coming up in basketball is going to be a block buster event.

Colin:

Oh, yeah.

Josh:

I mean, we had a cup there was a couple years ago where Michigan, Michigan State was fighting for the big 10 title. This feels way bigger to me. This feels like this could be a huge game that draws in, a stupid amount of celebrities, alums, donors, everybody. This is going to be when that game comes up, everybody's gonna wanna watch that game between Janai Broom and Mark Sears. That's gonna be a battle for the ages.

Josh:

In Auburn or not Auburn. Jeez. Alabama, they love shooting that 3 ball. And when you shoot 48% from the 3 ball, you're doing something right. That's for sure.

Kylee:

And what's what's inter what's fun is that this game happens twice. Is that it happens, I think, in two weeks, and then their last game of of SEC play is against each other.

Josh:

I love when

Colin:

the cheapest ticket right now for either of those is $257. Yes.

Eli:

And that's gonna go up.

Colin:

Yep. That is more than sweet 16 tickets or elite 8 tickets at the moment.

Josh:

I love when conferences do this when they put, like, big time rivalries right at the end of the season. I mean, we play Michigan at the end. Yep. We thought it was gonna be for something bigger, but Michigan is kinda sliding right now. So could they which that'll be that'll be all very much could be.

Josh:

That that'll be, I'm sure, brought up later. But I love when conferences do this, and I'm sure Alabama, Auburn, where where is that a home which 1 is home, Colin?

Colin:

Auburn hosted the last game of the season.

Josh:

Yeah. That

Colin:

So that might be great. That particular game right now, which is general admission, standing room only in the very back, is $435 for a ticket. Wow.

Eli:

Because that's the game that'll win Auburn and the SEC, almost certainly.

Josh:

Basically. Mhmm. That's the great. If you want to be a lower goal, it

Colin:

is $3,359. Incredible.

Eli:

Oh, man.

Josh:

Alright. Anyway, moving on.

Eli:

Speaking of games with much lower ticket prices, we had we had way more

Colin:

at Louisville, man.

Eli:

At number at number 25 Louisville.

Colin:

Ranked Louisville and Louisville dominated in this game. I mean, seventy two fifty nine win. Pat Kelsey is doing some incredible things with this team. You know?

Eli:

I was He should be a coach of the year candidate.

Colin:

Yeah. I think yeah. He's gotta be. Yeah. I was hopeful at the beginning of the year.

Colin:

After last year, didn't live up to expectations. I wasn't so sure, but Here we are. Ranked Louisville Cardinals.

Kylee:

You did pick them to win

Eli:

the AFC. Hopeful. You were delusional.

Josh:

I was

Kylee:

beyond Multiple years in a row, you picking them to win the ACC.

Eli:

Is this

Kylee:

I mean

Eli:

They might not lose the ACC.

Kylee:

They might not lose the ACC, but they're not gonna

Eli:

Anyone else?

Colin:

They're ranked right now. Interesting things can happen.

Eli:

Louisville shot statistically worse than the Demon Deacons, both from the field and from 3, but they capitalized on 15 Wake Forest turnovers and a bunch of high paced possessions, and they got to the free throw line way more than Wake Forest did, and they won.

Kylee:

It's that it's that Chucky Hepburn difference. I'm gonna I loved watching him play last year in Wisconsin. He is super duper fun to watch, not just, like, scoring. He's also a great facilitator. So watching him play, is super fun.

Kylee:

And when, when I watched Louisville, I was like, oh my gosh. That's where Chucky Eppern went. So he he is, yeah. He's very fun. Since, you know, Wisconsin's entire team.

Eli:

Truly what we're all thinking.

Kylee:

Well, yeah. That's exactly what I was thinking.

Colin:

That's all Kylie has thought thought about for the last few years. Wait. Wait.

Josh:

Where is he?

Kylee:

Where is he? Where are all of Wisconsin's players? Because when I saw AJ Store play Kansas. At at Kansas, I was like, what the heck? But no.

Kylee:

It's interesting to

Eli:

say that They're in

Kylee:

k states. They're like, Louisville is a tournament team at this point and, which which is really an insane statement to make currently after, like, what's been happening the past few years.

Josh:

So What Pat Kelsey has done with that program, that program was dead. Like

Kylee:

Oh, yeah.

Colin:

It was lifeless. Beyond dead.

Josh:

There was no bringing it back. That Remember. Was dead.

Colin:

Last year, their donors did not donate money to the team. They donated money to Oakland for beating Kentucky. That is So real.

Josh:

Sad. Like, that's embarrassing.

Kylee:

That's petty, and I love it.

Josh:

I give like, it's left me

Eli:

in awe struck. At least someone can.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I've didn't Kentucky fans, like, take over their arena that day that they played? It was that bad.

Colin:

Yes. They

Josh:

did. But program has been revitalized. It's reminding me of the Rick Pitino Louisville Cardinals when I was a kid watching, and they had 3 guys with 14 plus points in this 1. Yeah. That's all you really need to say.

Josh:

Awesome. They played good.

Eli:

Let's go back to the Patriot League.

Kylee:

Back to the Patriot League. We had Colgate at army, and army ended up pulling it out 84 to 72, which was

Eli:

2 great wins this week for

Josh:

the army.

Kylee:

Not what any of us thought because we all picked Colgate to win, the the Patriot. But, I mean, it's it's interesting.

Eli:

Hey. Go Army, I guess.

Kylee:

It is, it launches Army closer to the top of the Patriot, and it could knock Colgate out of contention for the conference title.

Eli:

Army and Colgate are tied for second right now, and the Patriot League get six and three. And American University is in the lead at seven and two.

Kylee:

What's what's more American than that?

Eli:

So I don't know where

Kylee:

my god.

Eli:

I don't know where the Americans came from.

Kylee:

Is that their that should be their

Eli:

best shot. Eagles.

Colin:

That's No. But the American They're the American Eagles. Come on. That you

Josh:

can't get more Americans

Kylee:

than that. The American Americans. Sponsored. They literally. American Eagle, that's you know, Colin, you're funny.

Eli:

We're talking about sponsorships, and we're gonna talk about toothpaste university, Colgate.

Kylee:

So true. So true.

Eli:

Who is that?

Colin:

Falling apart this season.

Eli:

Army shot Yeah. Army shot better than 50% from the field, and you're just probably not gonna win a basketball game if you're not also doing that.

Kylee:

Yeah. You have to match their energy.

Colin:

Yeah. RB was shooting And

Eli:

Colgate did very, very well.

Josh:

And then another thing that's really important is the fact that they had 23 assists compared to Colgate's sixteen.

Colin:

Yeah.

Josh:

When you're I said it earlier in the podcast, when you're facilitating the ball like that, it's especially if you're shooting the way they did, it's hard to beat the team like that.

Eli:

Oh, yeah. It's gonna be impossible. Unless you're playing lockdown defense, which I guess Colgate wasn't No. You're not gonna win.

Kylee:

Mhmm. Definitely.

Josh:

Wouldn't it be something to see army in March Madness?

Eli:

Isn't army one of the only teams that's never made March Madness since, like, 1948?

Josh:

Something like that. I've never I don't remember ever seeing the army black knights I am in March Madness.

Colin:

Eight percent of the time.

Kylee:

Making March Madness within, like, years

Josh:

of years.

Eli:

There's, like, 4 founding d 1 teams from the that have never made the tournament, and army is 1 of them.

Josh:

I see. I am looking up

Colin:

the list. Army is on that list. Yes.

Josh:

That would be so is

Kylee:

on that list.

Colin:

Army, that's a well, bunch of teams that joined recently.

Eli:

But, like, founding d 1 teams.

Colin:

But, like Old teams. Older teams, army, Denver, Chicago State.

Josh:

Okay. That makes sense why

Colin:

they haven't

Josh:

made it. Yeah. I said I've never really heard of them besides Denver.

Colin:

South Dakota.

Kylee:

Chicago State's, like, at the bottom of their conference.

Eli:

Okay. And then we're going back to the Ohio Valley conference, I guess.

Colin:

Yeah. Let's do it.

Josh:

I would say the game that I mentioned last week, Morehead State and SIU Edwardsville. SIUE won sixty five fifty four.

Kylee:

Game of the year.

Josh:

I would say game Game

Eli:

of the year.

Josh:

I would say my key statistic, and I talked about this last week, was Rayshawn Taylor, and he showed up, but not in the way that you think. He was 4 of 14 from the field and 2 of 9 from 3. But you know what he did good? He was 12 of 13 from the free throw line.

Colin:

Yeah.

Josh:

That is exactly how you win basketball games.

Eli:

That's how you win Josh over mostly.

Colin:

Yeah. I love

Josh:

I'm a give myself a Rayshawn Taylor jersey now. I'm gonna send you

Eli:

some NFL Incredible.

Josh:

NIL money, man. That's how you win basketball games. And it's a good win for SIUE. They can put themselves closer into the driver's seat for the, OVC.

Eli:

I I will say it's not as earth shattering as it would have been. Morehead State still has a solid 1 and a half game lead in the conference standings, but Little Rock, SIUE, and Southeastern Missouri are all tied for second and very much creeping up on them.

Colin:

Yeah. SIUE, after that win over, Morehead State, actually had the second place locked up and then proceeded to lose to Lindenwood

Kylee:

We don't talk about that though.

Colin:

In the following game. That's not relevant.

Eli:

Well

Colin:

Despite Rayshawn Taylor having 19 points in that game.

Josh:

8 of 9 from the free throw line.

Colin:

Yeah. That's

Eli:

That's Josh's guy.

Colin:

Guys. I'm telling

Eli:

you, Rayshawn Taylor Josh's guy right there. We'll we'll be back with more Ray Sean Taylor updates next week.

Josh:

Don't worry. I'll bring you the Ray Sean Taylor stats.

Eli:

Anyway, we're we're going down to the ASUN, where we had Jacksonville at Queens, and the Dolphins won it 87 to 77. And they did it by scoring 18 fast break points and only allowing 2.

Colin:

They really controlled the pace of that game. Yeah. No question.

Eli:

They completely controlled the pace. They forced queens to rely heavily on physical paint scoring, which led them led them to foul a lot. And it didn't give Queens enough room or enough time to take that decisive lead. So great coaching, great play style from Jacksonville.

Colin:

What's crazy to me is that Jacksonville still does not have control of the ASUN by any part.

Eli:

Title race is wild.

Colin:

Yeah. I mean, they are tied for first in the ASUN, seven and two record with Florida Gulf Coast, notorious for being dunk city. F just too. Second place, there's a 3 way tie right now with North Alabama, Lipscomb, and Queens at six and three, just 1 game behind. 2 games behind, you've still got Eastern Kentucky and Stetson.

Colin:

I mean, we are looking at Yeah.

Eli:

Your sun is vicious.

Kylee:

Yeah.

Josh:

It is.

Colin:

8 teams that have a solid chance, and none of those are North Florida who had the major upsets early in

Kylee:

the season. Their conference tournament is going to be insane.

Eli:

I'll be tuned in.

Kylee:

Yeah.

Eli:

I'll be tuned in. No kidding. Jackson. Because any of those can make a fun tournament team.

Kylee:

Oh, yeah.

Josh:

Let's say Jacksonville really won this game from the 3 line. I mean, they were 10 to 22. That's 45% from the 3 line. That's how you win games, especially in this modern era of basketball where it's all about shooting. Even though they had more turnovers, that's that's impressive.

Josh:

And they outrebounded. Tom Izzo would love this team. It's the fact that they stopped the 3 well and they outrebounded. Forget the turnovers. If you're winning basketball games like that Yeah.

Colin:

You're gonna

Josh:

you're gonna do well for yourself. Absolutely.

Eli:

Kylie, where are we going?

Kylee:

Maktion. Maktion, baby. So, we had Miami at Akron, and Akron won a 2 to 75,

Colin:

which is

Kylee:

quite literally insane. Akron remains undefeated in Mac play with an extremely convincing win over Miami who is now in second with 1 loss, and in third is the University of Toledo with 2 losses.

Eli:

And, yeah, my Miami didn't have a conference loss before this, and then they lost by 27.

Colin:

Yeah. Yeah.

Kylee:

So I just think, yeah, Akron like, it's gonna be tough again. And you know what? I'm gonna be real. The MAC in, like, regular season just never determines who makes the tournament. From personal experience

Eli:

tournament is always insane.

Kylee:

Yeah. The MAC tournament is, like, will determine who goes. And, like, by some stroke of luck, BGSU will make it to the tournament.

Eli:

The the MAC regular season is always the most boring dry basketball you've ever watched, which is why I was flabbergasted when somebody scored a hundred points with a Mac offense.

Colin:

Yeah. Okay.

Eli:

So shout out Akron. That was crazy. But this by no means guarantees will be a tournament team. No.

Colin:

No. But is this your different? No. No. No.

Kylee:

I've been try it's UT has won the MAC the past four or five years, and they have yet to make the tournament.

Colin:

Maybe that's just a UT problem.

Kylee:

No. It's not a UT problem.

Eli:

Next year will be different when we randomly get UMass a 10 basketball in the MAC.

Colin:

Yeah. I don't know what to think about that still, and I'm just trying not to think about that.

Kylee:

It's about to be a Mac attack.

Colin:

I

Kylee:

think that's gonna be smacked, literally.

Josh:

I can't wait. This is just an ouch game for Miami. This is It

Eli:

really is.

Josh:

Ouch. I mean, it's 1 thing giving up a hundred, but not only to a conference rival, an in state rival too. That is bad. It's just not. But the thing with Akron, they couldn't have missed if they tried.

Josh:

Like, if you paid them, they probably weren't gonna miss. They were 55.4 from the field, 44 from the 3, and they were 79 from the 3 throw line. Hey. You're gonna win if you make your shots.

Colin:

It's a

Eli:

great win for the Zips who remain undefeated at home and perfect in conference.

Kylee:

And isn't the Akron team I know we talked about this at the beginning of the season. The baguette oh, the beginning of the season. Is their

Colin:

of the season.

Kylee:

Yeah. Isn't their makeup a lot of

Eli:

It's like 5

Colin:

power power power

Eli:

5 transfers.

Kylee:

Yes. So they have a huge transfer team.

Eli:

Because we talked about it in the preseason predictions, and I almost picked them to win the Mac, but I didn't know if their transfer experiment was gonna work out. Yeah. But clearly, it has.

Kylee:

Thus far. I mean, yeah, they're about the about the halfway point. So, I mean

Josh:

Quick note before we get into the upset of the week. They had 6 guys with double digits. Wow. That's impressive, and you're gonna win. Alright.

Josh:

Got depth. Let's go to the upsets of the week.

Eli:

Well, it's kind of hard to not have 6 guys in double digits when you score a hundred points.

Josh:

That's a good point. But the fact that 2 of them came off the bench, and they had a guy that had eight and seven from the bench still.

Eli:

That's great.

Josh:

That's impressive. Alright. Upsets of the week. Who wants to go first? You want me to go?

Josh:

Alright. I just found this really funny, the fact that Kansas State has now lost in the women's and men's or Kansas State lost in the women's side, but then they pull off a huge upset at when they were eight and eleven and knock off number 23 West Virginia. That's just funny to me.

Kylee:

You know who I forgot goes there? Coleman Hawkins and Doug McDaniel. They both go there.

Eli:

Doug McDaniel?

Kylee:

Yeah. I was watching with my brother. Shout out, Brady. Big, U of M guy. So, I was shocked to learn this

Josh:

as a case of Kansas State had a forty two point first half while West Virginia only scored 18. That is how That's That's impressive. That's very impressive. Even matter what happens in the second half of that boy. Mhmm.

Josh:

The deficit, I believe, by the end was, like, close to 10. So, obviously, Kansas State was not playing their best basketball towards the end, but when you're up that much going into halftime, there's not much you

Eli:

can do wrong. Need to.

Josh:

I was like, they didn't need to worry. I just think it's very funny that an eight eleven eight and eleven team beat a West Virginia team that was getting a lot of praise for what they had done. Yeah.

Colin:

Yeah. I'm gonna stay quiet over here. I liked that West Virginia team. Well Yeah. That's

Kylee:

unfortunate. Colin always likes unfortunate.

Josh:

I want I want Kylie to go next because I loved I loved this moment.

Colin:

Oh, yeah. It was a beautiful Yes.

Kylee:

So, this was the only thing I could think about, was Arizona defeating Iowa State, eighty six seventy five in overtime. That's not really the notable thing. Like, yes, Arizona is not ranked, but, again, we said they're finding their footing. The notable thing is that Caleb Love hit another former well, was gonna go to Michigan, rip, but former, North Carolina guy, hit a game tying half court shot to send the game into overtime. And I saw this online, like, people commenting about this, and this really actually made me a goal.

Kylee:

Caleb Love will lose the game and win the game simultaneously for Arizona. Apparently, he had some I didn't end up watching this, but, apparently, he had some late game turnovers that led to

Colin:

Multiple.

Kylee:

Multiple that led to Iowa State, leading them, going getting into crunch time, but, he pulled through, and they ended up winning the game.

Josh:

So Foul 3 foul 1 up 3. Yep. That's all I'm gonna say. Foul 1 up 3.

Eli:

Yep. What what we said after this game was, thank goodness he didn't get into Michigan.

Kylee:

Yeah. That is exactly what

Eli:

we said. Gonna be randomly really, really good at clutch moments, he would probably do it against us.

Kylee:

Well, he would have stepped onto a really, really rough Michigan team that was the team last year. Yeah. That was the team he was going to be stepping into. And I don't know if he would have made much of a difference with people on academic probation

Eli:

But still.

Kylee:

And coaches fighting.

Eli:

So I had Minnesota beating number 15 Oregon 70 7 to 69. T. And, hey, Minnesota is trying really, really hard to qualify for the conference tournament.

Kylee:

And they're still in the bottom 4.

Eli:

They're they're currently still out of the Big Ten tournament, but they're close to being in

Colin:

They're just Minnesota.

Kylee:

They're just upsetting people, which I love it. Go go. I love it. They didn't upset us. But, They

Eli:

lost us by, like, 22. Yeah.

Colin:

Look. It's really sad to me that not every big ten team is gonna make the tournament this

Eli:

year.

Colin:

I know other conferences do that, but, like, I I kinda wanna see a really, really bad team pull off a few offs. No. I don't really need

Eli:

to see Washington play Minnesota.

Kylee:

I don't need I don't need point. Yeah. Another Ohio State go on a 3 game tear through the big ten the big ten tournament and almost, like, shake our chances of making it because they get the auto win.

Eli:

Yeah. That was scary.

Josh:

That was was too close.

Kylee:

Yeah. That was rough. Like, they were going on a tear.

Eli:

I know small conferences have to support bids dealers, but big conferences don't.

Kylee:

We do not support bids dealers here.

Colin:

Yeah. Xavier beat Yukon.

Josh:

Yeah. I

Colin:

really like that game. I guess. Everyone

Kylee:

does. Yeah.

Colin:

And somehow, UConn still stayed in the rankings. Talk about it. And I don't know how at this point.

Kylee:

They must be getting paid. I'm gonna I'm starting the rumor.

Josh:

I thought if you wanna join me in that letter. Yeah.

Colin:

To the

Kylee:

8%, I'm starting the rumor.

Colin:

I outplayed Yukon. Almost all the stats were favored Xavier. Almost every single 1. We're talking shooting percentages. We're talking steals across the board, and Yukon is still ranked.

Eli:

It's okay, guys. They just beat DePaul, so they totally deserve to be ranked.

Kylee:

But I just

Colin:

I how much did they beat DePaul by?

Eli:

They were down by 14, and then they won by 11.

Kylee:

Do these do these

Colin:

voters have deserve to be ranked.

Kylee:

Do these voters have money on Yukon still winning the national championship with them?

Colin:

Behind them making the tournament. Like, gosh. No more

Kylee:

than that. Looks horrendously mid all around.

Eli:

Okay. It's

Josh:

fine if they make

Eli:

the tournament. They they all

Kylee:

Saint John's is the other team that's really up in the game.

Eli:

Think that Yukon is gonna be that one six seed that you really, really, really don't wanna blast.

Kylee:

Oh, a %. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Eli:

And they'll probably win, like, 2 weird games and then lose in the elite 8.

Colin:

As long they have something we're looking like being a 3 seed, which would be in the path

Eli:

of a

Colin:

6 seed. Like, Yukon or Arizona, for example. Oh, yeah. Hey. Give us

Josh:

give us a little credit. We might be at 2. Give give us a little Or Give us credit. Don't don't hate on the Spartans.

Colin:

I've been asking for it in the tournament.

Eli:

Speaking of future games, what are everybody's power levels?

Kylee:

You start we were just talking about the Chiefs. Big East basketball. So I have number 9 Marquette at fifteen, Saint John's on Feb. 4. That'll be basically for control of the Big East at this point in time.

Eli:

So Which which team winning this would raise the Big East stature for you?

Kylee:

None of them. Neither

Colin:

1

Kylee:

of them. Because I think no. It it's it's nothing. The Big East is mid all across the board, because who just beat Marquette recently? Was it Xavier?

Josh:

I think it was Butler. Butler.

Kylee:

Yes. Butler, who I've watched play basketball. Not not they're fine. They're fine.

Eli:

Crazy review.

Kylee:

But,

Josh:

I watched

Kylee:

But you expect saw. But it's not it's not a game that you expect Marquette to lose at all, and Saint John's really has not been kinda up in the the top 4 ish of the, Big East in a while. So I don't really know. I think neither 1 of these teams winning would raise, like, my, my opinion or regard for the Big East, but I love a good upset, so I would not mind Saint John's taking it.

Eli:

Nope. Fair enough. I've got number 3, Iowa State at number 11, Kansas.

Colin:

Beat Kansas.

Eli:

So this this would be Kansas's opportunity to get revenge for the loss in Ames from a couple weeks ago. But Kansas has been very, very iffy at home Mhmm. Including that double overtime, very avoidable loss to Houston. Yep. And they just last game beat UCF by 4.

Kylee:

It's it's very uncharacteristic for them to be at home. Like, this is not normal behavior.

Colin:

Fieldhouse is, like, 1 of the hard

Josh:

usually, 1 of the hardest things

Colin:

to be in the country.

Eli:

And they only beat Kansas State, who we've established as terrible, by 10.

Kylee:

Yeah. Yeah. They're just not having it at all. You know what? I'm but I'm eating it up.

Kylee:

I'm enjoying every minute of it.

Colin:

Well, of

Josh:

course you are. Isaiah, I'm a number 1 Hunter Dickinson hater. So Hey, Josh.

Eli:

What you got?

Josh:

I got the revenge game from that weird that weird

Eli:

Oh, the 30 loss.

Josh:

The 30 loss that I've talked about already a couple times on this podcast, the weird 1 where Florida knocked off Tennessee by 30. That was just a weird 1. This time, the game comes to Knoxville, and then can the Vols get revenge, or is is Florida a really good basketball team, and is Tennessee gonna confuse me even more? It's good. It'll be a great game, though, to watch for sure.

Colin:

If Tennessee wins this by more than 10, I am not sure what I Yeah. What to do with them in the poll.

Josh:

Exactly. Because they're very yo yo.

Colin:

Stick them in a separate poll and just, like, call it a day. Tennessee question mark.

Eli:

If if Tennessee loses this, they are below 500 in SEC play.

Josh:

Wow. That's that's something that I

Colin:

don't know.

Eli:

Currently four and four.

Colin:

And top 10 in the country still, mind you. Who is that?

Kylee:

So their losses are

Eli:

Florida. Yes. Auburn. Auburn.

Josh:

Yes. Bama? Vandy. Vandy.

Kylee:

And who is their other 1 if they're four and four?

Josh:

They don't Someone. Google. I say this would be really shocking for a Rick Barnes

Eli:

And Kentucky. Just last game. Kentucky.

Kylee:

That's right. Yep.

Josh:

Yep. This would be really shocking for a Rick Barnes led Tennessee volunteers to not only to be on this kind of weird funk, but to be below 500 in SEC play. I don't know when the last time they were below 500 in SEC play under Barnes was.

Eli:

The SEC is really tough this year, but four and five would be rough. Mhmm.

Colin:

That'd be embarrassing.

Eli:

Even if all the losses except Vandy were to ranked teams.

Kylee:

Rank Vandy.

Eli:

Rank Vandy. But I just that's and if if I could the thing is, I can absolutely see this becoming a 3 game losing streak. Yeah. Because it's currently a 2 game losing streak, and I could totally see them losing to Florida again.

Colin:

Yeah. I I

Kylee:

if they do, I just hope it's not another 30 horrendous game. Yeah.

Colin:

I hope they put a positive serious question. If it is,

Eli:

I have questions. If it isn't

Kylee:

If it is Florida owns Tennessee

Eli:

Colin also wants to talk about Tennessee.

Colin:

I also wanna talk about Tennessee because I have number 20 Missouri traveling to Tennessee next game.

Kylee:

That could

Colin:

be Because 4 game

Eli:

losing streak?

Colin:

Tennessee has another ranked game right after that. But because that was also Tennessee, we can talk about them together next week. I wanna pick a different 1. And so, naturally, Michigan State at UCLA

Josh:

That'd be great. Yeah.

Colin:

Should be a great game. I am a little bit worried because UCLA seems to play a lot better at home.

Kylee:

Or just on the West Coast because they just demolish over here. Yeah.

Colin:

And so UCLA, a very confusing team, very in and out of the pool, seems to defeat anyone that comes to visit LA or the West Coast, and seems to just fall apart when they go east.

Kylee:

And the game is at 10PM eastern time.

Colin:

Yeah. Which is going to be late for our Spartans. Late

Kylee:

and For us.

Colin:

Even later for me. Yeah. So

Josh:

I'd say, can we can I mention it?

Colin:

Yes. Yes.

Josh:

How about those fighting aligners?

Eli:

I swear. Do we just ruin teams when we beat them?

Kylee:

We do.

Colin:

And I

Eli:

love that. North Carolina. We we ruined Colorado. We ruined Illinois. Anybody we beat becomes immediately terrible.

Kylee:

I'm I'm loving it, though, honestly, because they were picking about that game.

Eli:

I know. Because Colorado was, like, thirteen and two, and then they lost, like, 9 straight big 12 games to start the season.

Josh:

Yeah. Before you guys got here, I told Con, like, I really wanna mention Illinois because Illinois has turned into a dumpster fire

Eli:

I would love

Josh:

ever since USC.

Eli:

I would love if a single 1 of our quality wins would remain quality for, like, more than a week.

Josh:

Yeah. The Ally and I are just too young, to be completely frank. They're just too

Colin:

young. They're not young.

Josh:

They're a very young and inconsistent team, but I just found it

Colin:

a lot of potential. Yeah. They do. Especially for next year.

Josh:

Their ceiling is very high. People. KJ is probably gonna go to the draft. But That Their their seal their ceiling is very high, but, man, are they way too inconsistent.

Eli:

Is their floor low.

Colin:

I don't know.

Kylee:

I'm not convinced by Underwood as a good coach.

Eli:

Me neither.

Josh:

Neither am I. The 21 loss at home against Maryland. You lose on the road to Nebraska who Nebraska had a rough Jan. 0, had a rough Bottom

Kylee:

of the big 10.

Colin:

Like, they are also missing the tournament. Yeah.

Josh:

You lose to USC who for a long time there, we were like, man, how bad is this team under Musclemen? Because Musclemen was brought in to revitalize this USC program. And then, of course, you lose to Michigan State, which Illinois fans were complaining about the referees for

Colin:

Ever.

Josh:

What felt like weeks on weeks even though it was only about a week ago when or a cup or a week ago.

Eli:

Anyway Alright. That was rough.

Colin:

Small conference. Yeah. I've got a WAC battle. Utah Valley at Grand Canyon. Utah Valley is 7 and o in the WAC, and I was looking to defend their lead over the conference favorites, Grand Canyon.

Colin:

And so this is really it's gonna come down to this. Utah Valley is at Grand Canyon. And can you play in Phoenix and defeat a team that is favorited over you when you have a better record?

Eli:

That's still Mhmm. Nobody clipped this out of context. Huge Utah Valley fan. Go, Wolverines.

Colin:

I am dead sitting clipping that out of count. Clipped.

Josh:

That's going into the outtakes episode. Yeah. Anyway,

Eli:

UVU. I want them to get it done. I want them doing the WAC.

Kylee:

No. They

Eli:

got this.

Kylee:

Come on.

Eli:

Kylie, go next.

Kylee:

Me. Okay. So, basically, I was doing all my little research today, and, I picked this game. It's when you think about it because we talked about it. It's not really like, when you imagine this, you're not thinking small conference.

Kylee:

But, it it is. It technically is. We're going to the West Coast Conference. So it's it's Gonzaga at Saint Mary's, literally Saturday night at, like, 11PM or, like, 11:30PM eastern time.

Eli:

West Coast basketball time.

Kylee:

Yeah. So I and, you know, this is a gonna be a tough game. It's gonna be a fun game to watch probably, and it'll be hopefully pretty good. But, yeah, this was, like, the smallest I could get without having to dive into, like, the 500 level teams

Colin:

each time. Goal for that game. Yeah. A %.

Eli:

So fair.

Josh:

I'd say mine comes straight out of the horizon. I know we talked Love

Eli:

the horizon.

Josh:

Yes. We talked about this this this female team last week, but we're gonna talk about their male team. We're gonna talk about Purdue, Fort Wayne, and Milwaukee. Love They're both 8 they both are have 8 wins. I believe 1 of them's 8 in 2 and the other is eight three.

Josh:

They're both jockeying for second position in the Horizon League. They're trying to catch up to Cleveland State who is eleven one. It should be a great matchup for sure. I when these lower level conferences, when, obviously, you're not gonna get that you're not gonna get the at large bid, you don't have the resume that some of these other teams do, it's important to jockey for positioning to play a lower level opponent. It looks like Cleveland State's gonna run away with the the Horizon League, but they can still fight for second place to get a better chance to play against Cleveland State in that title game.

Josh:

Yeah.

Eli:

It should be a good 1. Should be great.

Josh:

Eli, finish this off. Alright.

Eli:

I've got Hampton versus Howard at the Washington Mystics Arena in Washington, DC, and that is a nonconference game for my listeners that have memorized a weird fact about the Coastal Athletic Association. But it's a nonconference game in Feb. 0, just like Yukon at Tennessee on the women's side.

Kylee:

Interesting.

Eli:

And I apparently, these teams are arch rivals in the battle for the real h u.

Josh:

And they

Eli:

and they play each other twice a year nonconference.

Josh:

That is the greatest that's gotta be 1 of the best statistics I've heard, Eli. That's great.

Eli:

Shout out to Hampton versus Howard at the WNBA team Washington Mystics Arena in DC. Honestly, that sounds pretty fun.

Kylee:

I That does sound great.

Colin:

I can't help, but I feel like there are other HUs, but I cannot think of a single 1 off the top of my head.

Kylee:

Is Hofstra an h u? Yes.

Josh:

Hofstra University.

Colin:

Is it Hofstra University, or is it college? No. University k.

Kylee:

I'm sorry. I was just looking at this. Yeah. I found 1.

Josh:

Well, they

Eli:

can That's a great poll. Yeah. Play Hofstra next year.

Kylee:

Throw throw Hofstra

Colin:

anyway.

Kylee:

Hofstra in there.

Eli:

Shout out to the battle for the h u at a neutral site in DC. Should be fun.

Kylee:

Yes.

Eli:

Yeah. Josh.

Josh:

Everyone. Close this out. Alright. Thanks for listening to this week's episode of Check the Net on Impact eighty nine FM. Let us know what you think by connecting with the station on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram at w d b m and at impact eighty nine FM.

Josh:

This is our second basketball season, and we are very excited. This season's madness is just getting started, and we can't wait to talk about it more in a few weeks on Check the Net.

Eli:

Go, Wolverines.