Mid-major Madness

We have automatic bids! The group gets together to discuss the OVC, ASUN, Missouri Valley and Big South champions as well as looking ahead to Week 2 of conference tournament action.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While most reasonable people were sleeping on Saturday, Jordan Caroline snapped and punched some glass. Then the Nevada coaching staff had some harsh words for...somebody. It was a heated situation, and we break it down. Plus, you know, we talk about the game itself. After that, we preview the conference tournaments that tip off at the beginning of this week and share our Jerome picks. They will be wrong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russell and Chris highlight all of the conferences that finish up their regular seasons today. They talk about seeding implications, who should be the favorites, and teams that have the most to gain as we move to the postseason.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two of mid-major basketball's most electric conferences are also, perhaps, the two most under-reported. While schools in the MEAC and SWAC boast devoted fanbases and have plenty of star power, they're not exactly headlining SportsCenter. Our own Stephen Thompson joins the pod to talk about both conferences as well as the unique circumstances surrounding HBCUs in Division I. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russell, Greg and Chris discuss the aftermath of Liberty's win over Lipscomb. They also talk about the greatness of Chris Clemons and their other favorite bucket getters. Greg returns for the WAC Minute and also highlights a Sam Houston State program that's in the midst of its best season in a while.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you guys seen that bonkers documentary on Netflix, Abducted in Plain Sight? Well, the Mid-Major Madness Podcast, which covers sports AND pop culture, provides a spoiler-ful review before delving into everything going on in west coast mid-major basketball. That includes the New Mexico State vs. Grand Canyon showdown, Utah State, the WCC, and more ramblings about the NET. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Don't look now, but Loyola is alone in first place in the Missouri Valley and playing its best basketball of the season. Out west, Utah State is also on a roll. Are these two teams destined for the NCAA Tournament? The gang talks about both teams, previews the committee's Top 16 reveal, discusses George Mason's struggles, ogles over a healthy Harvard, and makes some weekend picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The gang gets together to discuss the big Patriots vs. Rams game from over the weekend. We also talk about Buffalo's latest hiccup, and some other teams that are trying to build a resume to make it to the Big Dance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After an inexcusably long break, the gang returns to talk about the start of conference play. First, we touch on Brown, Hofstra, and Georgia State, then we let Rick Byrd historian Cam Newton rant for a bit about the Ohio Valley Conference and his love for spiders. At some point, we even get wildly off-topic and shout out Kenny George. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Southern Conference is perhaps the most interesting league in the country this year, so it helps that we have walking SoCon encyclopedia John Hooper on staff. He joins the pod to talk about Furman, Wofford, UNC Greensboro, and more in this special all-SoCon edition of the Mid-Major Madness podcast. We also hear from Jordan Lyons and Bob Richey after Furman's win over Charleston Southern earlier in the week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it's been a while! We had some technical issues and some scheduling problems, but we're back! On this podcast, we discuss Florida Gulf Coast's struggles, the Nevada vs. Loyola game and what it means for both teams, and then the conversation goes completely off the rails. We spend an inordinate amount of time talking about the Mississippi University for Women and the hapless Greensboro College Pride, while squeezing in a WAC Minute somewhere along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

College basketball is finally here. Finally. After well over 100 games on Tuesday and a few more throughout the week, Russ and Chris sat down to make sense of it all. From the expected (Chris Clemons dropping buckets) to the shocking (looking at you, George Washington), there was a lot to digest.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are back! The college basketball season tips off on Tuesday and we're here to preview the first week and give you an idea of what to expect overall this year. We discuss: - What Gonzaga and Nevada need to do to secure No. 1 seeds in March - The Nevada-BYU game on opening night - Milestones to track this year - Who is the best team in Pittsburgh? And more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Illinois State head coach Dan Muller joins the podcast to help us preview the 2018-19 Redbirds. We talk about the returning trio of Phil Fayne, Keyshawn Evans, and Milik Yarbrough, discuss some of the key newcomers, go in-depth on the team’s daunting schedule, and talk a little bit about recruiting and the Rice Commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've been off for a while because it's the summer and we have lives (allegedly). In our glorious return, we touch on the bribbery scandal at Penn, the new balance of power in the Atlantic 10, some teams that we expect to break out, and we start what will be a year-long debate over the best team in the country that we cover.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Staff writer Kyle Cajero and The Athletic's Matt Craig join Russ and Chris to draft some mid-major fantasy teams. You'll be able to vote on midmajormadness.com for who you think has the best squad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NCAA revealed its top 16 teams last week and mid-majors were shut out. Was it fair? What can the mids do to earn a protected seed this year? Then we talk about the upcoming opening at Ole Miss and which mid-major coaches migth be a good fit. We touch on the obvious candidates, then Greg tells us about his visit to Oxford and we learn that he is actually a life-long criminal. Also, the Big Ten is bad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Northern Kentucky Norse made the NCAA Tournament last year in their first season of eligibility. Now, they're one of the favorites to win the Horizon League again and return to the Dance. Our own Chris Schutte sits down with head coach John Brannen to talk about his approach as a mid-major head coach, what he expects from his team going forward this season, and we he thinks of the mid-major landscape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Technology kept us away for a bit, but we are back! We start by discussing the state of the Atlantic 10, then play a clip from A-10 media day, where Bob McKillop talks about recruiting in the league. After that, we get to your questions, which range from theoretical conference expansion  to potential cinderallas.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our staff could not agree on the top team in all the (mid-major) land this week. With four schools receiving No. 1 votes (Saint Mary's, Gonzaga, Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure), we debated the merits of each. We also talked MIssouri Valley, high usage guys, and thought back to some of our favorite moments in 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices