Big Z College Hoops Central
by Matt Zivich
Covering important stories involving NCAA Division One men's basketball. Not only can you expect great coverage from November through the conference season, but I guide you through the key games worth talking about and what to watch/listen to. That all leads up to March, when 68 schools find out when their name will be called on Selection Sunday. Once the tournament is over in early April, check back for some hot topics during the off-season. If you're looking for a podcast that is honest and hard nosed, you have come to the right place. I am looking for some advertisers to help me out.
Episodes
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113. Bill Self Makes History, Kentucky Outlasts Duke
Brief rundown on a busy Tuesday night: :22 Bill Self makes history in becoming the all-time leader in coaching wins at Kansas 2:22 The heavyweight battle between Kentucky and Duke 4:47 Brief recap of some other key games around the nation Please subscribe, rate, and review. Also check out blogs…
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112. 2024-2025 Season Preview
First episode of the college basketball season. I present a 30,000 foot view of what happened in the offseason. Plus, there are a few brief thoughts on what to expect in the first month. Timestamps include: 1:10 NIL, the transfer portal, and increased demands on coaches sending them into…
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111. Raygun Teaches Us A Lesson That Failure Is OK
What the world saw last Friday when Dr. Rachael Gunn, aka Raygun came out wearing that sporty Australian uniform while performing that awkward routine towards the end of the Paris Olympics. Her kangaroo pose became a major meme. But there is a major lesson on how to stay persistent. She admitted...
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110. UConn Huskies Go Back to Back, First to Repeat Since Florida in 2007
Connecticut dominated the 2024 Tournament, just like they did in 2023. I also include my off season plans for both the blog and the podcast. As always, thank you for listening and please tell your friends. More goodies to come during the offseason.
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109. 2024 Final Four Preview
Purdue and NC State in Retro Flashback 1980’s Tour and Defending Champion UConn Against the Football Power in Alabama. Hope to see some fun games, but I feel it will be the two best teams preparing for Monday night’s showdown.
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108. Oakland KO’s Kentucky
A 14 seed has knocked out a 3. Kentucky has won only one tournament game since 2019. John Calipari has upwards of a $30 million buyout, so what will happen in the weeks to come? Instead, let’s all congratulate 40 year old head coach Greg Kampe. As Jack Gohlke told Evan Washburn, “We’re not a...
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107. Selection Sunday 2024: The Real-time Reaction
The brackets have been released and the fun has started. Please have your pencils and brackets ready. Overall, this promises to be the most wide open tournament since 1990.
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106. Welcome to Champ Week
The regular season is over and the conference tournaments are underway. Please stay tuned to my blog for plenty of cool articles, and of course the 32 automatic qualifiers that will punch their tickets to the Big Dance.
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105. Final Stock Up, Stock Down for 2024
The last weekly report of the hot teams, and those schools that are struggling at the worst possible time. All of this happening while a handful of mid-major conferences begin their postseason tournaments this week. Let the Madness begin, and please stay tuned to my blog for frequent updates and...
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104. A Leap Day Poem, With Some College Basketball Themes
With the world having February 29 every four years, I thought this would be a great time to take a break from recapping the games. Hope you enjoy this special pod. Please don’t forget, March begins tomorrow.
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103. Houston Beats Iowa State in Big 12 Showdown
Houston really showed their might. Virginia can’t get anything right. The Southland Conference saw a major fight.
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102. Mid-Major Morning Briefing
The 8th annual bracket reveal had all four Number 1 seeds as unanimous choices by the 12 member Selection Committee. More details are in my blog.
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101. Gonzaga at Kentucky Huge Game on Super Bowl Eve
Saturday promises to be a great set of games leading up to Super Sunday. I also have some brief thoughts on the first ever Super Bowl to be in Las Vegas, plus the Taylor Swift Effect is real. Will she make it in time from her Eras Tour in Tokyo? Find out on Saturday.
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My Milestone 100th Episode, Plus Some Big 12 and Sports Media News
For me to reach triple digits in the very crowded space that is podcasting, it’s been quite a journey. I have been grateful and fortunate to talk about one of my favorite passions starting in 2016, starting with SoundCloud and moving here to Spotify since February 2020. More to come in the weeks...
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Ep. 99 Big Z Makes Impressive Debut, as Big Blue Nation Goes Bananas
Saturday, January 20 proved to be another cool day for fans of Kentucky basketball. Zvonimir Ivisic is already drawing some comparisons to what Tayshaun Prince did in knocking down five straight 3s to start the game against a hot North Carolina squad in 2001. On the other hand, several schools…
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Ep. 98 Brief Stock, Stock Down The January 15 Edition
No blog, but a short podcast. Please pray for everyone in and around Buffalo, who was affected by the major blizzard during this past weekend. To those in the South, especially in Texas and Oklahoma, hope you are trying to stay warm.
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97. Plenty of Movement Among The Top Teams
Lots to unpack in this post holiday edition. Plus, I go outside of my comfort zone and talk about a pop culture moment worth checking out. Please subscribe, rate, and review.
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96. Purdue Hammers Iowa, Happy Anniversary to the NET, Thoughts on Fate of Integrity in Journalism
Zach Eden had another double-double as the Boilermakers won their first Big Ten game of the season. The first NET rankings came out on Monday, and there were a few surprises. Finally, with AI creeping more into our lives and what Charissa Thompson admitting to fake her sideline reports—I have...
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95. Michigan and Purdue Look Impressive
Rick Pitino did not get the happy homecoming that he was looking for.
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94. St. John’s and Georgetown Roll, while Baylor and Indiana Hang On
Rick Pitino does it again. Ed Cooley gets off to impressive start with Georgetown. Meanwhile, Indiana and Baylor sweated it out for 40 minutes, Creighton dominated, and Presbyterian upset Vanderbilt. Please check out my first poll of the season as well as subscribe, rate, and review.
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93. 2023-2024 Season Preview
Welcome back, as the most unpredictable college basketball season is about to start. I have several key topics that were discussed--including the top teams to watch, changes in the media, and paying tribute to the late Bobby Knight. Please rate, review, and subscribe as I will cover the sport…
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92. R.I.P. Pac-12 Conference 1915-2024
Over a century of top flight competition will end in June 2024. Not even Bill Walton can save one of his favorite things to talk about. Thanks to the Big Ten and the Big 12 adding schools, the era of
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91. San Diego State to Stay in Mountain West Conference
The Aztecs will be sticking around, at least until July 1, 2024.
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90. Final Thoughts About Inaugural Chicago Street Course
Even with all of that rain and the threat of darkness, the /shortened 75 lap race was amazing and surreal as many thousands of people managed to get a glimpse of what was happening on many major streets in the city of Chicago. Major kudos to Ben Kennedy and Julie Geise for pulling this event off....
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89. Rain Continues at Chicago Street Course
Very little to mention except that 20th century technology was needed, because 5 to 6 inches of standing water has made the course being flooded. With 10,000 pounds of concrete on both sides, there’s no place for the water to go. That’s why there are manhole covers. Note that this podcast went…
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88. NIL, Major Rule Change, ESPN Layoffs, and NASCAR Hits Streets of Chicago
Been a long time since I did a podcast. Lots of ground to cover from June, from San Diego State remaining in the Mountain West, and at least 15 on-air talent lost their jobs at ESPN. Finally, a first will take place in the streets of Chicago’s Loop.
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87. Mental Health Could Cause Major Ripple Effects Across College Basketball
On this National Mental Health Awareness Month, there has been a lot of discussion about the importance of the NCAA trying to improve the way they handle waivers for those students who transfer. It is definitely something to consider, considering how mental health is setting record numbers. I…
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86. UConn Wins For Fifth Time
4 for 4 in Texas. Amazing performance.
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85. 2023 Final Four Preview
Houston, The Hoops World has Landed
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84. No More Number 1 Seeds in Elite Eight
History was made for the first time ever since seeding began in 1979, as all four Number 1 seeds were eliminated. Texas is the highest seed remaining at a 2, followed by Kansas State and Gonzaga at 3 heading to a really crazy and unpredictable Elite Eight.
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83. Sweet 16 Preview
A wide open second weekend promises many fun games. For a handful of games, will they be competitive for the lower seeded teams? This podcast and blog will hopefully give fans the 411 on what you need to know.
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82. Alabama, Texas, UCLA, and Houston Survive
Sweet 16 Bound for the remaining Number 1 seeds after some injury concerns during both games in the Birmingham pod. I have your brief recap. For more details, please check out my blog on the JetPack app and search for All Things About Men’s College Basketball. And please don’t forget to subscribe.
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81. Fairleigh Dickinson Knocks Out Purdue, Becomes Second 16 Seed to Beat a 1 Seed
The record was 1-250, the one being in 2018 when Maryland-Baltimore County were the first 15 seed to knock out the then overall Number 1 seed in Virginia. On Friday night March 17 at the East Regional in Columbus, Ohio saw more history. The FDU Knights were quicker, they were more aggressive, and...
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80. Furman Knocks Out Virginia
Congratulations to the Furman Paladins for being the 22nd school since 1985 as a 13 seed to knock out the 4 in Virginia. Ironic that it happened on the 5th anniversary of the first 16 seed to KO a 1 when UMBC made history. More updates to come throughout the Big Dance, and remember to check out…
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79. Welcome to the Fun, The First Round
16 Games On Thursday, 16 Games on Friday. All Day and Into The Night. Since 1982, no other sports event has captured the fun, passion, drama, and excitement as the NCAA Tournament. Only the FA Cup in the UK comes close. Will your brackets stay intact or will it crumble to pieces? Enjoy the games...
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78. Selection Sunday Special Realtime Reaction to the 68 Team Draw
The brackets are set and the seed lines proved to be mind boggling at first glance. Here was my first time reaction, but for more details please find my blog All Things About Men's College Basketball on the JetPack app. Thank you so much for listening and please check for my key thoughts all...
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77. Bubble Watch Has Penn State as the Last Possible Bid Thief
An exciting, but exhausting Saturday saw many mid-majors dominate. Separately, I want to welcome everyone to my debut podcast on the Spotify platform. I am looking forward to using some of their tools to reach more listeners and hopefully they stay active and interact when I think something is…
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76. Mid-Major Evening Briefing
Happy Valentine’s Day. I wanted to take some time out of my blogs normally dealing with the Power 5 and decided to give some love to the mid-major schools, who are hoping to become the next Cinderella darlings when the tournament commences in March. And yes, there's a lot of 2022 St. Peter's love...
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75. Welcome All Bandwagon Fans
With the Super Bowl behind us, I want to welcome all of you bandwagon (aka the casual) fans who only follow college basketball in March. And there has been plenty of news besides the hiring of Charlie Baker as the next NCAA President. Three schools have been playing musical chairs on who will be...
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74. Miami pounds Duke
Miami certainly has bite Texas put up a good fight The crowd at The Phog was out of sight
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73. Matt’s Basket
A special tribute to the master disk jockey who did a popular Monday feature called "Lin's Bin", which aired for over 20 years on 93 WXRT in Chicago. This podcast is dedicated to the man it all possible, along with his rather expanded use of the English language in Lin Brehmer. Enjoy.
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72. Thinking About Los Angeles and San Francisco, Plus Some Games Worth A Peek on Tuesday Night
The first part of this podcast is dedicated to everyone who survived all of the flooding and those frightening mudslides in Los Angeles and especially in the collar counties surrounding San Francisco. For those of you having to endure rain since Christmas, if I read it correctly from what both…
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71. From the Road--A Special Christmas Message, brief review of 2022 and a look ahead to 2023
Very little news on Tuesday, except that the Pac-12 mentioned on Monday that their overall TV package may not be as much in terms of overall dollars as either the SEC or the Big Ten. The possibly of moving most of their basketball games to Amazon might be gaining some steam. ESPN however still...
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70. Gonzaga-Alabama in Birmingham a Sweet 16 atmosphere, Field of 68 broadcasts their first game
Final big Saturday before Christmas. Gonzaga and Alabama went down to the wire, while the Field of 68 crew broadcast their first game broadcast live on YouTube (4:30 p.m. Eastern/1:30 Pacific.) Here is the link. Enjoy the game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Juo4zR4U8
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69. UC Regents In Historic Vote Approves UCLA to Join the Big Ten
So long PAC-12. Hello snowy weather. That and more in this very special podcast.
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68. College Hoops Wake Up Call: Dec. 6, 2022 Kentucky Wins Overseas in London, Tar Heels Lose 4th Straight
Another interesting weekend on the hardwood and two news stories that grabbed the nation’s headlines. First one involves the popular co-anchor team at ABC News GMA3 with the budding love affair involving T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach. And on Monday morning, a sad chapter came to an end in cable…
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67. 2022-2023 Season Preview. It’s All About NIL
It was a very busy off season. And the same two schools that met for the 2017 title might meet again in Houston come April. Please stay up to date with my blog, where I post frequently at https://fortyminutesofhoopsfun.wordpress.com/ Please rate, review, and subscribe-especially on Apple…
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66. Everything You Need To Know About NIL
Name, Image, and Likeness. It's in the news and nobody can escape it. Since the 2021 Supreme Court decision that opened the floodgates for students to profit while playing their favorite sports, there was very little to mention in this short podcast. For more information, please visit my blog at...
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Ep 6-19 NCAA President Dr. Mark Emmert To Step Down No Later Than June 30, 2023
A day very few people thought would never happen in April 2021 finally came true on Tuesday night. This is truly a pinch-me moment, as Dr. Mark Emmert--the ultimate jerk outside of former President Donald J. Trump will finally leave behind one of the worst run organizations in United States, let...
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Ep 6-18 Kansas Rock. Chalk. Champions for 2022
What a comeback.
About this show
Covering important stories involving NCAA Division One men's basketball. Not only can you expect great coverage from November through the conference season, but I guide you through the key games worth talking about and what to watch/listen to. That all leads up to March, when 68 schools find out when their name will be called on Selection Sunday. Once the tournament is over in early April, check back for some hot topics during the off-season. If you're looking for a podcast that is honest and hard nosed, you have come to the right place. I am looking for some advertisers to help me out.
Hosted by
Matt Zivich
Categories