It's too early for my Preakness picks, so let's pivot to a topic that is always in the starting gate — college basketball.

On Thursday, athletic department sources at Louisville and Indiana declined to comment on the chatter that the programs are discussing playing for a third straight season.

Two days after West Virginia and Indiana were the final two teams left out of the 2025 NCAA men's basketball tournament, Indiana University will hire Mountaineers' coach Darian DeVries as Mike Woodson's replacement.

But around the IU program, the Hoosiers did not seem like a team with an 81% likelihood of making the field.

The Cards have already hit the 5-seed line on some bracket projections, but the consensus still has Pat Kelsey’s surging team as a 6-seed.

When you’re running out time to bring your season back from the brink, you should play like the next game is The Game that will decide if you make the NCAA Tournament.

At Indiana, looking for a new basketball coach is nothing new.