What we're reading while the whole "Serial" thing keeps on being crazy. Submit links via Twitter.

The best thing about getting ever deeper into conference season? Why, John Gasaway's Tuesday Truths, of course! This week's edition includes great stuff on North Carolina's emerging two-way excellence, how Texas' defense might be the best unit in the Big 12, the fascinating case of a 10-7 Florida team that might be the second-best team in the SEC and much more. But most interesting is John's section on Indiana, which is 4-1 in the Big Ten despite being slightly outscored by its Big Ten opponents overall: "Tom Crean’s men rejoined the top 25 this week after winning by three at home against Penn State and by six on the road at Illinois. At 4-1, IU has the same record in conference play as Wisconsin or Iowa, but, as seen here, the Hoosiers have also scored fewer points than their Big Ten opponents to this early point in the season. The pollsters may well turn out to be correct, and we may indeed be seeing Indiana at low-Tuesday-Truths-tide right here. This is a group that’s shot just 32 percent on its threes against conference opponents, and that feels awfully low for the likes of James Blackmon (who’s shooting 42 percent from out there for the season), Yogi Ferrell (38 percent), Robert Johnson (40), and the increasingly Jordan Hulls-like Nick Zeisloft (also 40). Stick the blossoming Troy Williams in the middle of all those shooters and you can make a case that the skilled and well-spaced Indiana offense is now more Michigan than Michigan."

Speaking of Indiana, WDRB's Rick Bozich comes out swinging in favor of Crean, whom Bozich believes has been unfairly targeted by the media -- from rumors about his job status to ESPN.com's top 50 coaches list over the summer -- despite a largely successful tenure (and 2014-15 season): "Here is the story the speculators are missing: Crean, his coaching staff and players have delivered a poised and persistent effort this season, winning 14 of 18 games. They have done good work. It's not that hard to see -- or write. They've won three Big Ten games they were not favored or projected to win. They've won three games against Top 25 opponents -- and lost two. The other 13 Big Ten teams have combined to go 4-26 against Top 25 opponents, according to ESPN.com. I am awaiting confirmation that coaching had anything to do with this."

On Monday, the Associated Press Top 25 poll included three teams -- Iowa State, Northern Iowa, and Iowa -- from the state of Iowa for the first time in the history of the poll. Yahoo!'s Jeff Eisenberg examined the hoops culture in my home state Tuesday, a few hours before the newly ranked Hawkeyes travel to Madison, Wisconsin, for an uphill climb against No. 6-ranked Wisconsin.

"When you look at the best days of your life, you probably include your birth, marriage, and birth of your children along with a few other days. For me, this was one of those days." Needless to say, Georgetown fans are pretty stoked about Monday night's 78-58 rout of Villanova.