March Madness is upon us. And we had basketball yesterday. We had basketball the day before that. We had basketball all day today. We got basketball tomorrow. We got basketball. I can't keep up with all of the basketball. So now it's time to talk to someone who somehow some way is.
Covers all things college basketball. For the athletic joining us right now is Scott Doctorman. Scott, how are you, man? I'm doing great on this Friday. How about yourself? Listen, I'm living and breathing.
I don't have a complaint in the world, Scott. I appreciate it. Yeah, you bet. And thank you for the time.
I know this is a very busy time of the year, especially right now. We're looking at Ole Miss trying to hold on versus North Carolina. It looks like they're not going to be able to, well, looks like North Carolina isn't going to be able to bounce back. What are your thoughts on how up and down they've been and proving people right and proving people wrong and and even getting up to this point where it looks like they're going to take it out? Yeah, North Carolina's had a tough year.
I mean, I think you look at what they have or haven't done. I mean, this was a team that was expected to compete at a very high level, if not for the national title. It should have been at least a sweet 16 caliber team and and what it was put together yet didn't really have any impressive wins.
I think it had one, fought one win all year. A lot of people believe that it shouldn't have gotten into the tournament or and I think that that's a fair discussion point. I mean, they won a game against San Diego State, which matters, but I don't know that this, you know, what happens in a one game scenario or what even what happens in the first weekend of the NCAA tournament validates or invalidates a season.
Sometimes you just have a bad game and sometimes things just don't work out or other times you you're really hot or it's a great matchup. So in North Carolina's case, it's kind of like with Kansas, even though Kansas was a little bit better during the season. These are two Blue Blood programs that have a lot of equity and in this new world where it's basically free agency starting Monday, they're going to go out and be able to get their guys and it's not like you have to build it from within like you used to. And it is it is officially all final as the Rebels beat the Tar Heels 71 to 64. A team that didn't have to worry about this a little more than an hour ago is Duke as they they put the beat down on Mount St. Mary's, a final score there, 93 to 49.
We have a CBS says that 27 percent of people who filled out brackets via their platform had Duke winning it all. Cooper Flagg certainly looked like he was perfectly a-okay and fine. What are your thoughts on how far Duke is going to take things?
You know, I think with a healthy Cooper Flagg, I think we got an opportunity to go all the way to the Monday night. I mean, this is a this is a very talented team. He is the most talented player in the country. I might have a few other people that are in that discussion, but but certainly he is in it. And, you know, he got hurt last week at the ACC tournament. They've held him out. But the fact that he was able to come in and play, even though it was against an overmatched opponent, Mount St. Mary's, I mean, they could have beat him, beat them probably as badly even if he didn't play. But but you want to get him out there moving around. And he was six and 12th in the field, 22 minutes, scored 14 points.
That that tells me that he's feeling pretty good about himself. And, you know, and he got the next round against Baylor, which could be a challenge. Baylor is not on an even day. I mean, if they played 10 times, Duke could win eight or nine for sure.
But, you never know when that one might pop up. And when you got Scott Drew as the head coach team, you know, a guy that's won a national title, things can happen in a heartbeat. So I think, but I do I do like Duke's chances of going pretty deep in the tournament. Scott, Dr. Mann is joining us courtesy of the athletic is the JR sport ratio on the Infinity Sports Network. That'll definitely be a fun one. We have two. Well, we got more than two. But if we look at a Cooper flag on Duke, he's one of the well, he is going to be the number one the number one overall pick. And then we saw Baylor today.
Vijay Edgecombe didn't necessarily have the greatest of games. Is Baylor going to get ran out of the building too? Are they going to put up a fight? They didn't look all that good today and holding on.
You know, it's it's just when you get to these kind of games, sometimes there's a crapshoot. I think Baylor can compete. Now, can they compete possession by possession for 40 minutes? That could be a real challenge for this team that hasn't really put it all together yet this year. They've been they're kind of a modest team and the in the Big 12 had some, you know, we got into the tournament.
This is probably where their final destination lies is as it gets like that's why you're an eight and they're a one and and you think that that would be the case. But but we have seen teams put things together, you know, in short order again with a coach like Scott Drew, who's taking teams won championships. You know, anything is possible. I'm just not sure that this is the year and this is the team that is capable of doing that for Baylor. Well, so who do you think poses the best and biggest challenge to Duke? I know we got we got Florida getting ready to beat up on Norfolk State in a few minutes.
So who do you think has the best odds of knocking them off? Yeah, you know, I guess looking you know, big picture at the at the bracket there. I mean, I would say, you know, even in the sweet 16 getting to Oregon or Arizona, I've seen enough of both of them where I think that they're again, one day one game they're shooting. Duke isn't maybe something can happen.
But it's not something I would predict. I do think out of the bracket, though, the BYU may have the best of the opportunities. There are six are playing Wisconsin that should be an even matchup. And you know, and you know, and then of course, Alabama, who has one of the weirdest games coming up of the season when you got high flying Alabama, the leading scoring team in the country against one of the slowest, if not the slowest tempo team in St. Mary's, that's going to be a real fascinating style.
Like styles make fights will still help make matchups here. But for some reason, I just I like the way BYU plays but I don't unless they get into a game with Alabama and Alabama can really run up and down the floor and unchecked. I think Duke's a Final Four team for sure. And then once you get into the Final Four, that's, you know, it depends on your night and fouls have a big impact on that too.
Most definitely. Well, Scott, one of the teams that we'll see in action tomorrow as well, sitting number one in the south region, that happens to be the Auburn Tigers, a lot of ups, a lot of downs, especially heading into the tournament. I feel like they've they've garnered a lot of criticism for their play as of late and even some criticism due to how old a lot of their guys are. What do you think the Tigers are in store for as they get ready to take on Creighton and possibly beyond? This this is one of those I think out of the the second round matchups for the for the number one feeds this one to me is is one that they've got to be careful with because Creighton is a very good team. It's well coached.
I mean, Ryan Kalkbrenner is tremendous. Yesterday, they shot 57% against Louisville. And so they're feeling it from the rim there. You know, there were almost 47% from three and Jamia Neal, 29 points.
I think this this could be a challenge. Auburn is going to have to come out and play with kind of a renewed energy and focus that it's kind of I think it got right before the SEC tournament. I think you saw a team that was, you know, playing as well as anybody. And then it just kind of slumped down.
Maybe it felt like it was too good. Well, yeah, one by 20 points yesterday against Alabama State. But Alabama State had a 13 and they had a 13 point lead on Alabama State.
It got cut to one and it was only kind of a 9-0 run at the end of the first half that really kind of put them back in control. So if you're going to do that with a 16 seed, you can't play around with a nine with with the kind of players that Creighton has. And, you know, with Greg McDermott coaching them with the players they have, you know, Steven Ashworth at 22 points. This is a dangerous team. I mean, they went into Kentucky and blew out Louisville. And I don't think that they would have any problems lining up and competing possession by possession with Auburn. And Scott Doctorman is here with us courtesy of The Athletic.
You talk about coaching. I was I was eagerly awaiting this last night. I know St. John's didn't have the hottest start against Omaha and they blew them out of the water. And then we have this inevitable matchup or not inevitable because who expected Arkansas to just go out there and beat Kansas? But we got Rick Pitino on one hand and then we have Calipari on the other. I'm looking forward to this one. What are your thoughts on that matchup outside of the colorful suits we might see?
I love it. This is what this is what March Madness is all about. And this is what makes these this time of year so great is when you have, you know, a rivalry between two coaches that have clearly they're they're one of they're among the best of their generation. I mean, they both have more than 875 wins. They've faced off, you know, what this will be their 24th time that they faced off against one another. Most of the time there was, you know, Kentucky and Louisville, you know, which is an incredible rivalry. You know, they both have what 58 and 54 tournament wins, you know, 13 combined final fours among them. And then there are two different institutions, St. John's and Arkansas that they, you know, combined for three total years there.
So I like I think this could be a really great matchup. And St. John's, as you said, you know, had a really slow start but then came on strong. You know, I was able to knock down 14 three pointers. That's not really their strengths, but they're getting better at that.
And, you know, one by 30. You know, again, the slow start was something, you know, laser town seven and nothing. We didn't think that that was going to be the case. But I think with Arkansas, the way they were able to outlast a kind of a disappointing Kansas team, but also one that is full of really bonafide players, you know, shows that Calipari has got his team rolling too. So I think this is going to be one of those games that comes down the last couple of minutes and just who executes, who's in foul trouble, that type of thing. Yeah, it's going to be a lot of sweat in the coach's box and hair grease flying all over the place, Scott.
That's what I expect as well. Speaking of legacy coaches, we got to wait a few more hours, but we still will see Tom Izzo out there for like the 27th straight time. He's last championship. I mean, it's crazy.
It was 25 years ago. Like Michigan State at this point, they're going to take on Bryant. They should win.
They're just checking a box right now. Right. Then, you know, legitimate contenders.
Yeah, I think with Michigan State and I cover primarily the Big Ten all year long, you watch this team and going, how are they doing it? They don't have a superstar. Jase Richardson, you know, son of Jason Richardson was on the one of the last teams.
I think he was on the 20 to 2000 team. But Jase Richardson is probably their best player. And yet he was a third team all Big Ten selection. And but this team knows how to compete, knows how to win. Tom Izzo, coach is tough and his best Michigan State teams are very tough mentally and physically.
Tonight will be, you know, should be a layup. But you know, and then who knows what will happen with Ince Marquette or New Mexico. But I think Michigan State's got a chance to go into the, you know, maybe the Elite Eight. I don't see them as necessarily a national championship threat.
But he's as good as it gets. And he talked about a year where he had, you know, broke the Big Ten record for the most, for the most wins, beating Bobby Dykes record, tied the record all time for most Big Ten titles with 11. That that would be kind of the icing on the cake to at least get to the Final Four again. And, you know, with this team, again, no superstars. But there has been only tough and it's physically tough as it gets in the NCAA tournament.
So I'd love to see them against the Iowa State Ole Miss winner in the Sweet Sixteen. Hey, Scott, final question for you since we're talking about all these these legacy coaches and they're in, well, at least the other two are in new places, new faces and new places. What are your thoughts on on how the game has just changed with the transfer portal over the the past few years? Are we in for smaller tenures with some of these coaches with the older guys all gone at this point? Are we really in like pay for play?
Yeah, it is. It's 100 percent pay for play. And you're going to start seeing it on Monday when the portal opens that it's going to be pretty transient.
You're going to see players hitting the portal and players wanting to get paid. And and I think a lot of old school coaches really struggle in that system because you want to build your team up with your players, the ones you've recruited and watch them grow. And instead, well, you know, if you don't have enough money, you can't keep them. And that goes for even the great programs at times.
So it's that is a challenge, no question. But so but what it means for the younger group of coaches is that you've got to figure out your system and it's got to be versatile enough to accept new players. And you also have to kind of keep short memories and no hard feelings. And that was one case in the past.
They had no problems with hard feelings. Well, now when you've got these players moving in and out, you've got to make sure that even if he's one of your former guys, you never know what happened down the road. So I think that's that's something we'll see well into the future. Yeah, the new era and new time and it came upon us rather quickly.
And it's moved and this thing is going to keep moving fast. Hey, Scott, thank you so much for the time and for the insight. Where can people keep up with you and your work with the athletic? Yeah, I'm at the athletic.
You can check me out on my on Twitter or X, I guess it is at Scott Doctorman or you could go to the athletic dot com and they'll have a lot of college football and college basketball. So it's kind of a mixed time of year with spring football and the NCAA term. Yeah.
See, Deion Sanders is out here trying to change spring football. So changes everywhere, Scott. Absolutely.
And it probably should change. But that's that's a discussion for another day, my friend. There's no doubt about that. Appreciate the time, Scott. We'll catch you on down the line. OK. OK. Thanks so much. Absolutely. That's Scott. Doctorman covers all things college basketball. And as you heard, football joining us via the athletic.
