Locked On Jayhawks - Daily Podcast On Kansas Jayhawks Football & Basketball - ELITE 8 PRIMER: Who Punches Final 4 Tickets? EPIC Duke/UConn Showdown | Arizona/Purdue? | CBB SQUAD

Episode Date: March 28, 2026

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The Elite 8 is set. Who's punching their tickets to Indy? Welcome in to Locked-on College Basketball Squad Show. Your go-to spot for everything happening on the hardwood. From Blue Blood Battles to Bracket Busters and everything in between. Join the squad of hoops junkies as we break down the biggest stories with the boldest takes and unfiltered opinions. Because here, we don't hold back. It's the College Basketball Squad Show on the Locked On podcast.

Network, your team every day. Hey there, happy Elite 8 Saturday. Welcome into the Locked on College Basketball Squad Show. I'm Isaac Shade, the co-host of Locked on College basketball, host of Locked on Tar Heels, joined today by our good buddy Matt Sean Viskey, the host of Locked on Yukon, who is flying high today, I might add, and our guide Derek Johnson, DJ, the host of Locked on Jayhawks. Derek and I are still mourning our losses. I am without a coach.

Derek might be without a coach. We're going to see what happens. Matt, congrats on still having a head coach and being still active in the 26. I'm going on more here. This episode is brought to you by Mazda. Like college basketball players, Mazda is driven by the details. Highlights make the real,

but the work behind them makes it count. Stay tuned for this week's moving the game forward moment. The all new Mazda CX5, more to move every side of you. Guys, there were only seven games left in the 25, 26 college basketball season. We've got two today. To tomorrow next Saturday will be the final four in Indianapolis and the following Monday, the national championship. Wow, hard to think. It is Yukon. It is four big 10 schools and a couple others as well. We got Arizona. We got Duke and one that I'm leaving out, which is going to be

Tennessee. That came to me all of a sudden. So what we're going to do here on the show, we're going to look at the one versus two matchups. We'll get to the others in the next segment. We'll look at the big 10 of it all, make some brand new final four national championship predictions and then get on out of here and get ready for these elite eight games coming up later this afternoon. So fellas, let's dive into Yukon versus Duke. That'll be tomorrow, but obviously it's the freshest on our minds because Yukon map avoids a 19 point letdown, which is very fresh and real on my mind as the host of Locked on Tar Heels. How did Yukon do this and how were things looking ahead of this matchup tomorrow with Duke?

Their regular season experienced prepared them for what they went through last night. Throughout the regular season, they were getting big leads and having to hang on in second halves against the likes of Georgetown a couple of times. Some of the lower level teams within the big east and those situations prepared them to handle what Michigan State was throwing at them in that second half. And then coaching staff, the experience they've been through all those NCAA tournament games over the last two out of the last three years, as well as Alex Caravan, the leader of this team,

being through those battles, being the leader, doing it with his on-court performance, as well as in the huddle with his voice. Michigan State cut it to one twice, late in that second half, and Alice Caravan comes back and bangs to big threes, and really was the difference down the stretch, his shooting, and then at the line,

he knocked those in as well to put the game on ice. Derek, it's been great, like, you look at Alex Caravis, Arabian led the team in scoring with a career high last Sunday in the second round. And then wasn't the leading score in this game, but man, was just right there doing everything you need. DJ, how big is it to have seniors like him? Oh, it's incredible.

I mean, you're talking about a guy who I think I saw he's, what, third all time in NCAA tournament wins among players now. And the two guys in front of them played on, you know, overlapping teams with Bobby Hurley and Christian Leitner. Like, it is incredible. Yeah. And Dan Hurley. now he is, I don't know,

obviously they won. I don't know if they covered the spread or not. I'm trying to think. I think they would have. I guess it depends what you finished it at. But if they did cover the spread, that would make Dan Hurley, I think he's now 13 and O against the spread

in the second weekend and on of the NCAA tournament, which is, again, bonkers, because it's not just you're winning all the games. You're in the most part, obviously last night wasn't dominating, at least the first 15 minutes was. But yeah, man, caravan's been awesome.

This whole, I mean, like, it wasn't just this game. He was he was so crucial for them against UCLA. I know they win that one kind of going away at the end there, but when that was more of a game, he's making big shot after big shot. So he has just been one of those guys that, you know, he's not going to go down as one of the most talented players to play at Yukon ever.

They've had so many great players, but he's going to probably go down the biggest winner in Yukon history, at least certainly in the conversation. It's funny we bring up the Hurley brothers. Matt, this is not Elite 8 related at all. Is there any, like, is Bobby going to join Danny's staff with, you know, we got an opening. Luke Murray headed off to BC. Like, is there any world where that happens? They've been on the same staff before at Wagner.

So it's happened before Bobby Hurley was on the bench, on Dan Hurley's bench and his staff at Wagner. So I wouldn't be shocked because there's a phone call. I don't know if Bobby Hurley will have other options out there because obviously he could coach. He knocked off Kansas at home. down the stretch, even though his career was on the line already. So I think that could be a situation where, hey, he comes back east. His dad's always at all the games. I was going to say it makes life easier for Bob Sr.

Yeah, he's not going to have to travel. He's not going to have to watch games. He can just have a family event right behind the bench. Are you worried at all about Luke Murray leaving? Because I'm looking at Dan Hurley's time. And the first two years, no Luke Murray, he misses the tournament both years. Now, maybe that just draws up to as simple as it was his first two years. he was just establishing himself.

But I don't know, I think very, very highly of Luke Murray. Like I'll be honest, if the Kansas job would have opened up, I wouldn't have been upset if Luke Murray was the higher. That's how highly I think of him. So is there any worry for you that like, you know, Yukon's still really good, but like, what if this is the difference between being this consistent national title threat and being, you know, more of a team that we saw earlier in the Hurley days where it was, okay, you know, Hurley hadn't made a Sweet 16 until he won the national title.

Yeah, I think there'll be some sort of consistency there still. And the Hurley's basketball royalty. So they'll be able to bring some guys in. Tom Moore last year, an assistant all the way back to the Jim Calhoun days at Yukon, stepped aside to a non-coaching role. He's still around the program. In came Mike Nardi from Villanova. They haven't missed a beat there.

So Luke Murray going over to BC, yes, it is a loss, no doubt about it. Kamani Young might go somewhere as well in this office. He could have some options too. Maybe Bobby Hurley comes in. there's some instability there with what Dan Hurley wants to do from an X's and O standpoint. And then there will be options. I mean, look out there. There'll be opportunities for other coaches to come in and want to join a program that is having this much success.

Man, it's so interesting. And obviously for those who are unaware, Luke Murray is basically the offensive coordinator for Yukon, handling that side of things while Kamani Young is more the DC handling the defensive side. Which, by the way, I don't know. This is maybe something to look into later. Like, I don't mean to throw this on the spot. I would be very curious if you did a show on this sometime this week, like once we get the final four teams, how many of them have that set up for the staff, like have the offensive coordinator, defense coordinator?

Because it feels like that's something that started getting popularized, I don't know, like five years ago or something like that. And it feels like a lot of the teams that have done very well are doing that. And like I'm looking at the mirror here in Kansas, a team who has missed the second weekend four straight years and was only made one to 16 since 2018. And they don't do that. And I'm kind of wondering, like, is that something that is, I don't know, almost revolutionizing coaching staffs and is a positive, you know, for a lot of these schools that are doing it. Matt, how is that helped Yukon?

And let's just lean into it for a second. Yeah, it's been spectacular. You see how Yukon's offense flows. The defense has taken a tremendous step forward and the offense is rolling. So the way Dan Hurley set this up at Yukon, you can't argue with the success that they've had over the years, could be a potential third final four. in the last four years. So it's worked wonders.

They've gotten consistency offensively. They've gotten spectacular defense across the board. So be able to focus and really hone in. You can see when they go into timeouts, if things aren't working, Murray's in there in the huddle, running the show offensively. Same thing with Kamani Young. And then Dan Hurley takes over, obviously, before the final whistle. But it's been a spectacular situation for you, God, for sure.

What's interesting, too, is like it's in the same vein as teams now starting to get general managers more consistently, right? It's this very similar conversation there. All right. So let's look ahead to this elite eight game tomorrow then. One of the interesting storylines here for both of these teams is we got kind of a banged up point guard situation where Caleb Foster like miraculously like the touch of God must have been on him and he plays last night and is a massive fat like I do not think Duke beat St. John's without him last night. And then Silas Demery just kind of working his way back in. Did he start Matt last night? I can't remember.

He did. He did. He started, but his minutes were seen to be limited again. He had 21 in his first game back, 23 last night. He's usually 35 minute per game. And in the game against UCLA, he came off the bench, right? If I remember correctly. And so limited in minutes didn't have as much of a statistical impact. We've got that. We've also got Foster. I think maybe whichever of these point guards can give their team more tomorrow is maybe the team that's moving on to Indy. potentially yeah i mean silas demmer junior he's been we we've talked about it before isaac he's been the focal point for the yukon defense the head of the snake defensively for yukon in terms of being able to lock down i think the reason why he did start is because of jeremy fears so he needing to be out there on the court in the starting role UCLA had dent of course but fears is a different animal as you know and the way you kind of approached defensively we talked about kemani young a little bit the way they defended fears on the perimeter, shading terrorist readover, putting a second body on him to avoid penetration in the pain and avoid him getting to the rim. And then I know he likes to drive and kick and find open guys.

So Yukon's approach defensively, Kamai Nyong did a spectacular job. I just want to talk about that. But yeah, Silas Emery Jr. He's just one of many that have been injured throughout this year. I did, I pulled the statistics for the postgame show last night. Only 15 games they'd have their top nine players available this entire season. And they've won 32 games. So they're top end town.

If they have all guys available, and finally last night, Jill and Stewart came off the bench. He only played three minutes. Knocked down a three. His first shot, if you were watching the game broadcast, Israel was in the post game, at the break in the conversation. He said, listen, they're hitting everything. You have a guy that came off the bench,

hasn't played in a month, and he's already knocking down threes on us. So it's just everything that you kind of threw at Michigan State yesterday, it showed through. And then from an injury standpoint, if they can stay healthy, if Silas Demmer can stay on the court, he was, Dan Hurley said post game, he was at 70%. I think he was only at 50%.

I mean, he was getting into the lane, but short-arming runners, not even able to convert on layups. So he's on there to be a defensive force. So we're going to make picks for this game coming up in the third segment. But DJ, if you are Yukon, what Blue Devil are you most concerned about in this matchup? So the answer is Cam Boozer, which is like, duh, obviously.

But here's specific. specifically why. It's not just the Camboozers really good at basketball. My worry would be Terrace Reed getting in foul trouble as a result of Camboozer. So right now, will he be, will they guard each other though? Because I don't know, but I mean, he might read is going to be on Gangba and it would be Caraband on on Boosur, right? Is that right? But then you're worried about then you're worried about Caraband getting in foul trouble and Caraband strength like caravan can can play up to a lot of bigger guys, but strength wise on Boozer, that's a tough. So whoever it ends up being, right? And Duke right now is out free throw

shooting their opponents in the NCAA tournament, 68 to 24. Now, some of that is how Duke plays. Some of that is probably some of a friendly whistle. Here's the problem. Yukon is outside the top 300 nationally in free throw attempt rate defense. I am very worried this number is going to balloon even further after this game. And if you get caravan and or terrorist read and foul trouble, what does that mean for Yukon?

Yep. I completely agree. because if you have to rely on Eric Rob to come in, he's been a foul machine this NCAA tournament. I think he played four or five minutes in the game against Fermi, at four fouls. And that's going against Furman's bigs, not Camboozer or whoever else you want to throw at them.

So, yeah, foul trouble is going to be a big thing. I completely agree with you, DJ. Hey, Matt, let me ask you to put your Duke hat on. And I want you to answer the same question, but in reverse. If you are John Shire and company, what Husky are you most concerned about? I would say Terris Reid.

Yeah. I would say Terris Reid for a multitude of reasons. I think he's a different player than the first half of the season. You saw the 31-27 against Furman. He's been consistent. And that's the biggest thing that Darren Hurley has been trying to get out of him. And even back half of the year at the podium, he's Dan Hurley sitting next to Terris Reed,

talking him up saying, Terris, you are the difference between us going to the final four and us going out in the Sweet 16. If you have this consistency and play like your cable, of because you are one of the top two centers in the nation. If you don't, if you're, if you play like you're number 10, then we're not going to make it. If you play like you're capable of, he's not asking Territory to do anything he's not capable of. If you come through and are the consistent force that we know you can be, sky's the limit for this team.

Sky's the limit for this team. I'll throw one in for each team as well. If I'm Yukon, I'm very worried about Isaiah Evans right now. This dude, like in moments where Cam has started a little bit slow or, taking some time to kind of find his footing in a game. Like Isaiah Evans has been getting to, it's not just knocking down these threes, man. He's getting to the rim.

He's causing problems. It feels like his confidence is growing by the day. That causes me a lot of worry. And in our chat, Ace 546 says solo ball, three fire emojis. And so just a couple other, you know, like we're always looking in these big time, lights are on everybody moments. Who are the X factors beyond just the absolute dudes and studs? in these games. I mean, Braylon Mollins looks like somebody who would have gone to Duke.

So maybe it is destiny that he's going to go off against. That's a great take, Derek. I love it. All right, this game is going to be the final of the elite eight matchups. It will be Sunday in the East region that's on the left side of the bracket. Duke is a five and a half point favorite over Yukon, 505 Eastern on CBS. Now, we got another one versus two matchup. That's going to be in the West region coming up today, Saturday, Arizona, Purdue, boy, I can't wait for this one. How on earth is Purdue going to contend with his deep Arizona roster? We'll get to that coming up in just a second.

Right after I tell you about Mazda, this is Mazda's moving the game forward moment. For those who know, the score never tells the whole story. How about it? We just talked about him. Caleb Foster returns shockingly from a broken foot and surgery just like three weeks later, drops 11 points on five of eight shooting in Duke's narrow win over St. John's. When the Blue Devils were down 10, it was. this dude that went on a personal 7 to 1 run and really helped get the Blue Devils back in the game.

There's more to these players than the highlights. It's the early mornings, the late night runs, constantly showing up for their squad on and off the court. The all new Mazda CX5 moves the same way with more space to connect, a bold new design and more intuitive technology so you can stay connected to the road and every position you play. The all new Mazda CX5. More to move every side of you. This episode is also brought to you by Fan duel. The tournament is here. It is the best time of the year. Brackets, buzzer-beaters, upsets, non-stop action from Tip all the way to cutting down the nets in Indy in about a week and a half. And right now, Fandle is giving new customers a way to stay in all the action all tournament long. Here's the best part. You get up to $300 back in bonus bets every day for 10 days.

That means 10 chances to stay involved throughout the entire tournament. You can mix it up however you want. Game picks, futures, even same game parlies for bigger potential payouts. for the tournament because every day there's something new. Different matchups, new storylines, and more ways to get involved as the bracket unfolds. We got four elite eight games, Illinois, six and a half over Iowa, Arizona, five and a half over Purdue. Tomorrow, Sunday, Michigan's seven and a half point favorite over Tennessee. That's the biggest spread. And then Duke, as we said just a minute ago, five and a half over Yukon.

Visit fanduil.com today to sign up. Fandull.com to get in on all the action. All right, fellas, we move from the left to the right side of the bracket. where we have another one versus two matchup. Number one, Arizona versus number two, Purdue in the West region. That's today Saturday, Arizona five and a half point favorite. It's the night cap, 849 Eastern on TBS. Derek Johnson, here's how I'm going to form this question to you.

Arizona to me is the deepest and most complete team in this field. With all due respect, Matt, to your huskies. Is there any world because this Purdue team has been looking better and better. They go win the Big Ten tournament. and I think they're rounding more into the form of the team that was voted AP preseason number one. But this Arizona team is a different animal. Can they do it? I do not think they can do it. I think Arizona wins this game and I would not be surprised if this one gets a double digit deficit between the game. The reason why Purdue, this has been an awesome run for them. And credit to them, Matt Painter is an incredible coach.

It doesn't always get the credit. I think he deserves in March because of some of the losses, the lower seeds. but like this dude's consistently, you know, at this point, kind of making deep runs. And when I look at Arizona, I look at them as being able to match what Purdue wants to do, which is play the two big basketball that when Purdue is able to kind of provide a brunt force down low and get a bunch of rebounds, that's when they're at their best outside of the efficiency from some of the shooting of Fletcher lawyer and the passing and stuff of Braden Smith. That's when they are at their best. And I think Arizona has the bigs and the size to be able to contend with that.

I'm also looking at this on the season in top 50 games. Purdue is in the 55th percentile in defending high, low. Well, guess what Arizona does as much as any team in the country? Arizona is in the 99th percentile in frequency of running high, low, and they do it at a 96th percentile efficiency. So I think Arizona is going to be able to score. Purdue also hasn't been a great mid-range defense because of the drop defense they play. Well, guess what? Arizona's in the 100th percentile in mid-range. scoring efficiency. So I think the matchup isn't great. I think Arizona has the horses to go up with

Purdue at the other end. You also have the factor of Jaden Bradley, who's an excellent defender to put on Braden Smith. And then it's like, oh, well, you know, if we want to switch up a body, like we'll just throw a huge guy in Karchankov and just bother whoever we want on Purdue. So I am totally in on this Arizona team and I think they roll against Purdue. Matt, what do you think? Same way, Arizona. short answer, Arizona. They've been on. So Matt, let me give you, let me give you something longer to answer then.

Because I've been looking at this Arizona team very similar to the second Yukon championship team in 24, where it was like, this team was a wagon, a juggernaut. And we like all had to try to pretend to play up other teams. But there was no world where anyone was coming close to that Yukon Huskies team in 24. And I feel like we're looking at the same thing with Arizona is like, why, why are you? are we trying to complicate this thing? Arizona is about to blitz through everybody. Agree with that comparison or not? To a certain extent, yes. Yukon did play Arizona early this year without Territory, without Breland Mullins. Arizona is a different team now,

though, at the same time. So it was Yukon. So at full strength, who's the better team? I think you got to look at the resume right now and say Arizona is that better team. And Arizona, I think, to me, as I look at the rest of the teams in this tournament, Michigan, yeah, maybe to a certain extent, but Arizona is really the only one that scares me as a Yukon fan. And I think that speaks to Isaac, exactly what you just said. They're rolling across the board and every position, their bench, their coaches staff. They've got it all together and it's all rolling downhill. And when you get something rolling downhill is very hard to stop. And I think that's what Arizona is put together right now. There's also a world in which one of my concerns about Purdue all year long is they are, there's such a veteran team. They know what they're doing. They, they, they, they, just follow what coach painter is laid out for them. But on the defensive side, I worry about a lack of athleticism outside of maybe like C.J. Cox, who's a little bit banged up himself right now.

And when you look at Derek, everything you laid out about the makeup of the roster and Karchankoff, and you've got the freshman guys in Burries and Pete, but the experience of Krivoss and Bradley. And it's just like, that's a modern day college basketball roster that in my mind is kind of unparaised. paralleled. And so like is that lack of athleticism and obviously that's maybe a bit reductionistic,

but is that one of the major issues here? I think it is. Like when when you look at Braden Smith, he's been an all time college legend, the times where he has maybe struggled a little more is against the athleticism. We know Arizona has that. You've got a potential lottery pick in Brayden Burry's. So clearly you're going to have some good athleticism to do that. Obviously, Jaden Bradley's a very good athlete, right? And then I look at the front line and I'm like, you know, Tray Kaufman, has dominated so many of these games. Well, I think Mo Krivus got completely snubbed, not being in the finalist for the defensive player of the year award.

It's just because the block numbers aren't super high, but the rim protection, the field goal percentage against when he was on the floor is incredible. And he's so good at just standing there and being gigantic and just being vertical. And I think that becomes really important when you look at Trey Kaufman-Renn. You come off the Texas game. People are like, oh, is that a foul? Is that not a foul?

Like, what's going on here? Crevis is usually really good at avoiding those things. Then at the other end, I'm like, okay, are you really going to, like, is Trey Kaufman Wren or is Oscar Clough going to be guarding Coa Pete? And is he going to be able to, are they going to do some of the things they did earlier in the season with Pete, like when they beat Florida, where they're running Pete on these like little almost pick and rolls from like the middle of the court where they're going to use the athleticism?

There's just so many answers for this Arizona team on both ends of the floor that, like, if Purdue would have been the two seed in, in maybe a different region, like maybe I could get here, but I just, Michigan's region or something, like in the Midwest. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, they beat Michigan, obviously, right? I mean, or if you're in the south, obviously, then you're playing Iowa, right? So, um, kind of an unfortunate draw for them. It's just that I, I just think that highly of this Arizona team.

Yeah, that's a good word. Let me ask you guys the same question I did about the other one to matchup. Matt, I'm going to, which hat do you want to put on? Do you want to put on the Arizona hat or the Purdue hat? Give me the Arizona hat. Arizona. What? as you look at this boiler makers team, what player are you concerned about and making them boil down?

I don't even know if it's a player. I think it's Coach Panor. Oh, I like that. I like that. I think it's Coach Paner. Just the experience that he's had, he's gotten to the Final Four, he's gotten to a national championship appearance. So he's been there, done that, and I think he knows how to navigate these type of games. So if Purdue can keep it close with Arizona, maybe that's a, that goes in the favor of Purdue. and that's something that Arizona's got to struggle with. All right, DJ, you put on that Purdue hat, ultimately, what of the stable that you've mentioned,

which one is the one that most concerns you? Yeah, I think that experience important, like Tommy Lloyd's never been this far in the tournament, Matt Painter has. And I don't think it's just the experience for the coach. It's the experience for the player. Like Braden Smith goes to a Sweet 16 last year and nearly upends Houston. He's been to the national title game. I think it would come.

Braden Smith is in, control of the basketball game and you have the battle of the big 12 player of the year with Jaden Bradley, he wins that matchup. And then you're able to get, you know, maybe Mo Creevis in foul trouble. Like I think that would be kind of the avenue to making it happen. All right. We're going to look at our other two games coming up here in just a second. I hate to call them under cards, but kind of are when you look at these one versus two matchups. We'll carry that on. Plus our final four picks coming up in just a second. Right after I'd tell you about supply house, you wouldn't show up on game day without a plan and you

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All right, fellas, let's get into our other two games. We'll start with the other game that is today on Saturday. It's a Big Ten battle for Iowa. It's their second straight Big Ten battle. This is in the south region on the left side of the bracket. The winner will play the Yukon Duke winner. This game, Illinois, six and a half over Iowa. It is the first tip of Saturday, 609 Eastern on TBS, where I grew up, always watching the Braves. I'm rocking a Braves quarter zip today because it is the first weekend of the MLB season. By the way, fellows are y'all baseball guys? And who is your team? I am a little unhappy with the start of the season. I have not seen my team score run yet in two games. So DJ. I'm sorry. The giant.

for those of you who are listening. What about you, Matt? Up this way, Red Sox 100%. And I'm about to start coaching my son's little teabot team. So there we're. Is this the first time for you? First time, yeah. I will tell you this.

As someone, like I always do that for my, it's unreal, special, magical soak up every moment of it. Derek, did you know, so Kylin Mills, that it's part of the locked on, did you know she is now starting to do the pregame and post game stuff for the Giants? No, that's awesome. That's awesome.

I'll have to check that out. Yeah, Locked on, baby, the network that keeps growing. And now, thank you for everybody. Make the number one sports podcast network. How about that? Love it. Your team company every day. Or as we like to say here on Locked on College basketball, your 365 teams, all 365 days of the year.

There you go. All right. Boys, let's get into it. As we said, Illinois, Iowa, we're going to head there first. As you look at this, Illinois is this juggernaut of an offensive unit. And they upset. Houston in Houston that defensive team Houston's offense was just not there look Iowa has done it they just knocked off Nebraska but for my money's worth this Illinois team is at a different level than

they're going to have to contend with Matt what's going to happen here on Saturday? I think Illinois big I don't even think it's close I think Illinois is just playing so great offensively and just like Arizona I see those two as the teams that are playing the best right now in the nation so listen We were just talking about Purdue. Just going back to Purdue real quick, they came out of a team, out of a conference, the Big Ten, that has all these teams in the elite. It reminds me a little bit about Yukon and their run back in 2011, 2014, where they competed and had to come out of a very stacked conference as well. And going through a tournament like that and winning that tournament prepares you to go up against a lot of these teams in the NCAA tournament.

So just going back to that game, I think that also is a factor for Purdue. but Illinois, just speaking about them in that conference, they're just playing too well in my mind. So this is what I'm super interested in. Okay, the first game was six points, but it was like 13 at the 10 minute mark. So, you know, Illinois starts up 29 to 11 at one point. Like they kind of dominate the game. But you look at the box score of the game and it took Colin Boswell having 17 points. And it's like, we know he has been a roller coaster throughout his career.

He'll have a game where he has four points. He'll have a game where he has 20. So it's like which one are you going to get there, right? The other thing is Andre Stoyakovich had 17 points. And he struggled a bit with his shot so far this season. And then you have Bennett starts in that game only going five of 17 from the floor. So can some of those things swing Iowa's way? I think so highly have been McCollum.

The flip side to this is. Oh, do you think highly have been McCollum? I do. But okay, so Iowa in Big Ten play, just based on conference games, was in the 30th percentile defending pick and pops. We know Illinois runs pick and pops as much as any team in the country. They're in the 100th percentile of doing it. They do it very, very efficiently.

And that showed up in the first game. When you look at the combination of the two, it would be a viches or a visi, whatever you want to say the plurals is. Vich to go. There we go. When you combine those two and David Murcovic, they went four of ten from three in that first matchup, so 40 percent. I think that's going to be a problem again for them in this one.

So I'm going to say Illinois wins, but I think the familiarity, I think the Ben McCollum factor, I think Bennett starts who's been incredible 120 minutes in the tournament with one turnover. I'm going to say it's a close game that Illinois pulls out at the end. Derek, I laugh at the Ben McCollum thing because I'm like, look, I'm not like it. When Bill Self's time is done, I think there's a phone call going to Iowa City if we're being, and I can't blame them. Dude, he is a phenomenal basketball coach. I'm right with you guys.

I think Illinois wins this game. kind of running away. But if Bennett Sturts, who has been struggling with his shot a little bit in the tournament, if he can do it, man, things will go well there. But Fulgaris has really been stepping up in the tournament. We saw obviously the game winner to knock off the reigning champs. He had another nice game back on Thursday. And that'll be interesting. But I just think it's too much of the Eastern Block. And I know LeBaron Filon went off for 35 last night for Alabama in a loss. But if anybody's going to get a 40 burger in this tournament, my money's on Keaton-Wagler. This dude is an absolute dude. I really hope that he and Bennett Sturt Square off and they have the primary

defensive assignment on each other. All right. Let's go to the other game, the Michigan, Tennessee, Midwest region Sunday. That'll be the first tip, 215 Eastern on CBS. This is the right side of the bracket. It'll match up with the West. So the winner will play the Arizona Purdue winner in the final four next Saturday. You guys, Michigan's rolling. The LJ. Kaysen thing at first, the LJ. case and injury hurt things a little bit. But this front court of Merez Johnson and a Daimara and Big Ten player of the year, Yaxel Lenderbork, who nearly had a triple double last night, just seems to be a bit too much. Obviously, though, Jacoby Gillespie could be the dominant factor at guard in this game.

DJ had like same kind of thing. Does Tennessee have a hope here against the Wolverines? It's interesting because you have two teams that are just going to bludgeon the, rebounding battle, right? Like we know Michigan is really good at getting rebounds on both ends of the floor. But Tennessee is the very best. And that is what carried. I mean, Vernon Carey was so good against Iowa State.

And they just dominated on the glass. So like if they're going to continue to grab that one rebound shy of doubling them up last night, by the way. I mean, ridiculous. Keep going. That is insane. And so it's like, you know, we know Tennessee is going to play a physical, rugged brand of basketball. They're going to have a bunch of big men that can actually probably, you know, go toe to toe with. typically a team in Michigan who's going to overwhelm opponents with their size.

I do give them a real shot, but it's going to take Nate Amit having one of his, like, really good shooting games. It's going to take Jacoby Gillespie having one of his, like, you know, 25 point performances. I will say this. We talk about guards winning in March, right? Jacoby Gillespie is the best guard on the floor in this game. So I give Tennessee a real shot and keep this in mind, too. This is their third straight elite aid.

I know we've talked a lot about like Rick Barnes and people like, oh, not performing well in the tournament. He's made three straight elite eights now. And, you know, as a Kansas fan, I saw KU make three straight elite eights, 2016, 2017, 2018. And by the time we got to 2018, they lost the first two. And you're playing a Duke team with Wendell Carter and Marvin Bagley. And I'm just like, yeah, this one ain't going to be the one that they're going to win.

I thought they were going to win the first two. Didn't think they were in the third. The third one was the one they won. So I don't know. Like sometimes weird things happen. I am picking Michigan. but I think it's going to be kind of an ugly game, very opposite of the Michigan, Alabama game that was wide open.

Matt, quickly before we get your thoughts, Derek, I love when moments like these happen. Did you say Vernon Carey? I thought I did. Did I? It's because Vernon Carey is. I did.

For Duke, right? Yeah. Yeah. I think I did. Jalen Carey. Yeah, yeah. Jalen Carey is the brother that plays for Tennessee. And why I love that moment is because we have shouts at the end of our show.

Literally every show, I apologize to the lawyer family because I once called, Fletcher lawyer, Foster lawyer, his brother that played at Davidson and other places. And then literally this weekend, I was talking about Iowa's Price Sanford, who somehow we completely forgot to mention in that game and called him Peyton, who's his brother. And so welcome to my club. And we might now need to start apologizing to the lawyers, Sanford's, and Carrie family. So it's a holy trium.

All right, Matt, your take on this game. Yeah, Michigan, I got to go Michigan. And I think it's their bench. Gailen McKinney against Alabama combined for 33 points, 11th, 17 from the field, six to nine from three. I just think they give a lot of reinforcement off the bench that, hey, if Tennessee sticks around, if some of those starters got to go down, Michigan, when they put the bench players in, I think it's going to be a difference.

Okay. So, guys, we talked about the fact that we've got literally half of the elite eight is made up of the Big Ten. It's the second year in a row that we've had a conference populate half of the elite eight last year obviously it was the SEC and their 14.2 million teams that made the tournament I think was the number obviously that's a joke but as we look at it we've got duke yukon that can't be a big 10 team we've got Arizona Purdue that could be one we've got Michigan Tennessee that could be one in iowa illinois gonna have to be one so we've got at least one big 10 opponent or team in the final four the question is well either of the other two who are clear underdogs here

excuse me, Michigan, the favorite, but Purdue, the underdog. How many big 10 teams are making Indianapolis? Matt, what do you think? Michigan, Illinois, and then on the other side, you got Arizona, Yukon is my, are my picks. Yeah, I think that's the smart money. I think those are the teams that are playing the best. Duke and Yukon, I mean, that's the one that, hey, you said the spread, five and a half, Duke's favorite.

I just think that Yukon, if they have all nine players available and the experience that they've had. And Dan Hurley, his, he just took down Tom Izzo in a very close game. Now Dan Hurley against John Shire. I'm taking Dan Hurley in that matchup. So listen, I like Yukon. No surprise there, obviously. Arizona, Michigan, Illinois.

That's your final. All right. One more time. Run that back. Let me hear your final four. Illinois, Michigan, Arizona, Yukon. Love it. So what are the odds in like 20 years from now, you know, with all the college realignment,

Duke is like a big 10 team? Can I count that? You know, can I count that to boost the numbers here? Because then I might predict three. Then you got an extra shot at it, right? Then you just need two of the three to win between Michigan. So I am going to go Duke over Yukon in that one. And then I'm going to go with Arizona.

I'll go with Michigan in an ugly close game over Tennessee. And then I'll go with a kind of a close one that I could see Illinois pulling away late over Iowa. So I picked before the tournament. I picked Duke to win it all. I changed on Wednesday to Arizona. because of all the uncertainty with player stuff for Duke. I think I'm officially back now with Foster and Gongba back to Duke being my title winner over Arizona. All right, boys, I like it.

I'm going to go with y'all. I have two big 10 teams in the final four, which it could be a national championship because they're going to be on opposite sides of the bracket. As a reminder, we have not had a big 10 champion since 2,000 when Michigan State. And the boy, the man, Mateen Cleves got it done. One of my favorite point guards of all time, like him and Khalid L. Amin, two of my favorites from the early 2000s, late 99s era. Man, that's great. Wow, they won back-to-back championships.

They did. Right? That's cool. I love it. Okay. That just came to be in real time. And Elamine, that's over Duke, too. Yeah.

You know why I bet that probably- Championship that year over, Matine? That's right. That was like my high school year. So that's probably why I loved those guys so much. For me, I had Illinois actually in my final four predictions, so I got to keep rocking with that. I had Michigan State in the final four coming out of the east.

And I just, I feel like Yukon, if they can look like this Yukon that they were last night, with the still uncertainty of Foster how long he'll be able to play, I just think that they're going to be able to get it done and get to the final four there. So I'm going to go Yukon, which I guess, you know, feels very Carolina homery of me, but fine, whatever. I don't care. I'll embrace it. And then Arizona, they're my national champion.

Yes, they're coming out of the West in Michigan. I had Iowa State as my team out of the Midwest, obviously the Joshua Jefferson injury changed that, and Michigan then is the obvious choice. And then I've got Arizona versus Illinois. Yep, and I'm going to go Arizona. I'm going to stick with that as my national championship game. All right, boys, lots of fun today.

We got the action starting in just a few hours here as we record. I'm so grateful to both of you for joining me, gang. Thanks for being with us here on the Locktown College Basketball Squad Show. please make sure you go check out Locked on Yukon where Matt does a phenomenal job. Matt, excited for you to have a full off season and get into your first whole season of on Yukon. DJ does a phenomenal job over at Locked on Jayhawks. Make sure you're locked in with that because he's going to be covering anything with

the wrap up of this season, Darren Peterson eventually committing to the NBA draft. And any Bill South news that will obviously be in on as well, please follow me on Locked on Tar Heels where we're dealing with Caleb Wilson out, looking for a brand new coach and all of that. And so that's going to be interesting. And stay with Locked on College basketball. We're going to have you covered all the rest of the tournament and all off season long.

Of course, our brother, Andy Patton, wasn't able to be with us today. Shouts and thoughts to you, AP, we miss you, buddy. And Andy and I will be live tonight after these games finish up. All right, go subscribe to all these shows. Great to be together. Make sure you check out the everydayer clubs for all these great shows as well. For now, though, this is the Locked on College Basketball Squad show. It's your team.

Every day, enjoy all the action. Peace.