Coach Kyle Smith comes back onto “Marching to Madness” as the new head coach of the Stanford Cardinal. He built Washington State back into an NCAA Tournament contender as the Cougars were a 7-seed last season and defeated Drake to get into the Round of 32. Stanford hasn’t been in the NCAAT since 2014, but the Cardinal had a run of 13 tournaments in 14 seasons under legendary Mike Montgomery. Coach Smith and the Cardinal open their first season in the ACC after the Cardinal was a long-standing Pac-12 member.

Topics of Discussion include:

• The return of Maxim Reynaud and how his many basketball talents will drive Stanford
• Developing his stellar defensive philosophy with use of the game’s metrics
• Eight quality new players who will fit with Reynaud, Ryan Agrawal, and Jaylen Thompson
• Changing from the PAc-12 to ACC play

Coach Pitino is bringing back the tradition of New Mexico in The Pit in Albuquerque as he has a 61-41 record after three seasons. Last year, UNM won 26 games and went to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014. The Lobos won the Mountain West Tournament with four wins and four days as they took a 68-61 decision over San Diego State in the MWC Finals in Las Vegas.

Topics of Discussion include:

• How last season’s championship experience and NCAA Tournament berth can play a key role in this upcoming season
• The abilities of returnees Donovan Dent and Nelly Junior-Joseph
• How Nelly and last season’s co-MWC Freshman of the year Mustapha Amzil can maintain the paint
• The depth and challenge of the Mountain West after six teams were selected to the NCAAT last season
• Much more!

Coach Smith took his Utes to the NIT Championship game where they lost to Indiana State, but the plethora of positivity in being one of eight teams still playing in August could have major impact this season. Coach Smith discusses bringing 11 new players into the program and how you start from the beginning in putting together a new team. Coach also discusses the Utes’ move to the Big 12.

Topics of Discussion include:

• Return of Gabe Madsen, who made 105 triples last season
• Philosophies on moving a program forward
• Ezra Ausar from East Carolina and Miro Little as two key incoming transfers
• Situational philosophies inside the game

… And Much More!

Coach Stoudamire, who was the 1996 NBA Rookie of the Year with the Toronto Raptors, checks in as the head coach at Georgia Tech in the ACC. Coach inherits the program as he comes over after a five-year stint as the head coach at Pacific and then a two-year stint as an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics. GT looks to get back near the top in the ACC as it won the ACC Tournament in 2021. Coach Stoudamire has an extensive background inside the game with a 12-year NBA career that took him from Toronto through Portland and then ended in Memphis and San Antonio.

Topics of discussion include:

• The learning curve between coaching in the NBA and college basketball
• NBA Rookie of the Year season in 1996
• GT guard Miles Kelly inside his program
• Newcomer Kowacie Reeves and how he translates into Georgia Tech

… And much more!!

Coach Johnson took over the Minnesota Golden Gophers and is working on a monumental rebuild of the basketball team, which he took over three seasons ago. Coach Johnson played for Minnesota from 2002-2005 and has held assistant positions at five different schools as well as Minnesota (2013-18). This is a really solid and analytical conversation where we learn about Coach Johnson’s thoughts and ideas on a wide range of basketball concepts.

Topics of discussion include:

• Interesting aspects of the depth of his coaching philosophy
• Key ways of rejuvenating Gophers basketball
• Dawson Garcia as the leading returning scorer
• Coach Johnson’s ascension inside the game as an assistant coach

… And much more!

Coach McCasland comes to the Red Raiders after taking the North Texas Mean Green to the NIT Championship while the 31 wins last season were the most in a season in NT history. Coach McCasland’s defensive acumen makes him one of the top coaches in college basketball and he now takes his philosophy to Lubbock. The Red Raiders also look forward to the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas in November when they open with Villanova.

Topics of discussion include:

• Leading North Texas to the NIT title as well as the 31 wins
• The ability of Pop Isaacs, who looks forward to continuing as a Red Raider
• Incoming transfers in Darrion Williams, Warren Washington and Joe Toussaint
• Competing in the Battle 4 Atlantis

… And Much More!

Coach Chris Gerlufsen talks about his initial year as the head coach at USF. He piloted the Dons to 20 wins which was the sixth time in seven seasons that USF won at least 20 games. Coach Gerlufsen also discusses his offensive coordinator assignments when he was an assistant to Eran Ganot at Hawaii. Khalil Shabazz and Tyrell Roberts graduated as this was the second time in as many seasons that the Dons had two first-team WCC basketball players.

Topics of discussion include:

• How Shabazz and Roberts were able to push the Dons’ image higher
• Studying, game-planning, and scouting opponents
• The return of Marcus Williams, Saba Gigiberia, and Josh Kunen
• Adding USC transfer Malik Thomas

… And Much More!

Coach Micah Shrewsberry takes over the Fighting Irish after leading Penn State for two seasons as he was able to place the Nittany Lions into the NCAA Tournament where the win over Texas A&M in Round 1 was the Lions’ first ‘W’ in NCAA play since 2001. Shrewsberry will work on developing an uptempo and three-point offensive attack with the Irish. He has brought in a transfer class that features former Seton Hall Pirate Tae Davis, Penn State transfer Kebba Njie, and Julian Roper, a guard from Northwestern and also four freshmen.

Topics of discussion include:

• How six seasons as a Celtics assistant helped him prepare for the move from Penn State to Notre Dame
• The influence of Purdue head coach Matt Painter
• How the inside-outside attack is a staple of his offensive philosophy
•  Potential influence of Tae Davis and Kebba Njie

… And Much More!

Coach Odom moves to VCU and the A-10 after leading the Utah State Aggies for two seasons. Utah State finished 26-9 in Odom’s second year as the Aggies lost the Mountain West Tournament championship to Final Four participant San Diego State, 62-57, but USU made it to the NCAA Tournament. Coming into VCU, he saw a group of Rams leave, but added a solid group of transfers into the program. Guard Zeb Jackson is the lone returnee who played major minutes last season.

Topics of discussion include:

• The winning element at VCU
• Implementation of the transitional pace and three-point game
• Max Shulga and Sean Bairstow transferring from Utah State
• Other transfers into the program

… And Much More!

Coach Paris makes his debut on “Marching to Madness” as he took over the South Carolina basketball program last season. Paris will look at building the offense into a more sustainable part of the program as he brings in a solid transfer class for the upcoming season. Coach Paris built Chattanooga back into the NCAA Tournament as they played Illinois in 2022 NCAAT and lost a tough 54-53 decision to Illinois. He had 20 years as an assistant coach at Akron and Wisconsin as well as D-2 IUP, and DePauw, and D-3 Wooster.

Topics of discussion include:

• Early August trip to Bahamas
• The ability and approach of guard Meechie Johnson
• The transfer class which will help upgrade the level of the squad
• Changes in recruiting that he has seen since he became an assistant in the late 1990s

… And Much More!

Coach Monson was able to push The Beach back into a winning record after losing two of his top three scorers and then leading scorer Joel Murray was lost for the season with a wrist injury. LBSU led D-1 basketball by taking 48.2 two-point field goal attempts per game. Coach Monson also discusses key returnees plus his two seasons as head coach at Gonzaga in the late 1990s.

Topics of discussion include:

• Leading the nation with 48.2 two-point field goal attempts per game
• The return of Marcus Tsohonis
• Lassina and Aboubacar Traore and their impacts on LBSU roundball
• Coach Monson’s first head coaching job at Gonzaga in the late 1990s

… And Much More!

UMass head coach Frank Martin visits “Marching to Madness” as he will begin his second season with the Minutemen in the ’23-24 season. Coach Martin led UMass to an 8-1 start last season before injuries derailed the team with six players out for nearly 40 games and that made the Minutemen struggle in the Atlantic 10. Although the injuries left them in peril, UMass returns with leading scorer Matt Cross as well as eight freshmen and two transfers on the season’s roster.

Topics of discussion include:

• Working on the rebuild to make UMass an A-10 contender and consistency in making the NCAA Tournament
• Returns of Matt Cross, Keon Thompson, and Rahsool Diggins to the Minutemen
• The effects of the injury-riddle opening season
• The knowledge and support of his wife Anya

… And Much More!

Florida Atlantic head coach Dusty May is back as his Owls flew into the Final Four in March. The Owls keep their players together for this upcoming season as Michael Forest was the only senior on the team. FAU won 35 games, the high for any D-1 team this season, and they return Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin, who are the team’s top two scorers.

Topics of discussion include:

• Care and loyalty keeping the squad together
• How to take the 35 wins and find the next step to go even further
• Emphasis in summer practices
• The impact of the returning players with Davis, Martin and Boyd comprise a stellar backcourt.

… And Much More!

Coach Golden checks in after leading the Florida Gators to 24 wins and a berth in the SEC Tournament championship. Florida had one of the most potent offensive systems in the nation as the Gators averaged 85.6 points, 6th in the nation and they found 65.3 field goal attempts per contest. Returning Walton Clayton, Jr. and Will Richard to the backcourt gives the Gators a solid offensive advantage going into the 2024-25 season.

Topics of Discussion Include:

• Florida’s exciting offensive attack through its running game
• Coach Golden’s college career at Saint Mary’s under coach Randy Bennett
• The versatility of returnees Walter Clayton, Jr., and Will Richard
• New transfers in FAU’s Alijah Martin, UT Chattanooga big man Sam Alexis, and Rueben Chinelyu of Washington State
• Much more!

Coach Johnson is building the Lions into a major competitor in the WCC. This past season’s wins over Wake Forest, Nevada, Gonzaga, BYU and Saint Mary’s defined how far the team has come in his three years. We also chatted about his perceptions of summer workouts as well as coaches’ meetings.

Topics of discussion include:

• The 68-67 win at Gonzaga
• Cam Shelton’s next move in his basketball career
• Kelli Leaupepe as the leading returning scorer
• What needs to happen for the Lions to take the step into NCAA Tournament play

Cal State Fullerton Titans head coach Dedrique Taylor is back as a guest on “Marching to Madness”. Coach Taylor once again led CSF to the Big West championship game after winning 10 out of it’s last 11 games to finish the season. He discusses the Titans’ emergence as well into 44-22 record in the past two seasons as they won the tournament last year and made it to the NCAA Tournament, but lost to UCSB in this season’s championship outing.

Topics of discussion include:

• Leading scorer Latrell Wrightsell, Jr., and his transfer to Alabama
• The emergence of Max Jones as a scorer
• The idea of defending and forcing turnovers and its influence on possession length
• New Titans for the upcoming 23-24 season

… And Much More!

The Santa Clara Broncos finished third in the WCC this season as Coach Herb Sendek once again had a player bound for the NBA. Golden State made Brandin Podziemski the 19th pick in the first round as he led the Broncos with 19.9 points per game while making 48.3 percent of his field goals. Coach Sendek and his staff also turned Jalen Williams into a solid guard who averaged 30 minutes per game at OKC last season. The Broncos are 44-22 in the last two years as guard Keshawn Justice was also a key player for the Utah Jazz in the NBA Summer League.

Topics of discussion include:

• Williams, Podziemski and Keshawn Justice in the NBA
• Chris Tilley and Cameron Tongue as the top two returning scorers
• Adama Bal and Tyeree Bryan as 6-7 and 6-6 guards
• Making positive corrections to help players’ struggles

… And Much More!

Coach Chris Beard is back on “Marching to Madness” as he takes over the program at Ole Miss. Coach Beard sports a 70.1 percent winning percentage at UALR, Texas Tech and Texas. In four of his seasons as a head coach, he has taken teams to NCAA Tournaments and in 2019, he had the Red Raiders in the national championship game where they dropped an 85-77 overtime matchup to Virginia.

Topics of discussion include:

• Coach Beard’s relationship with legendary head coach Tom Penders
• The excitement and focus of being head coach at Ole Miss
• Reuniting with his former assistant coach Wes Flanigan
• The presence of returnees Matthew Murrell and Jaemyn Brakefield

…And much more!

Coach Smith had the Cougars pick their games up this past season as they finished tied for 5th in the Pac-12 and moved back into an NIT berth once again. His Cougars had a 7-game winning streak late in the season, but they lost Justin Powell to the Miami Heat’s Summer League squad as well as TJ Bamba’s transfer to Villanova. This coming season, Coach Smith is going to have more depth in the post as well as more speed in the backcourt.

Topics of discussion include:

• The addition of Idaho guard Isaac Jones and Kansas transfer Joseph Yesufu
• This summers’ skill developing, conditioning, and fundamentals
• The creativity or head coaches and their staffs with the continual changes in college athletics
• The idea to “get old and stay old”

…And much more!

Western Carolina Catamounts head coach Justin Gray was a phenomenal shooting guard at Wake Forest for the late Skip Prosser. He averaged 2.7 made three-pointers per game in his 120-game career. Coach Gray led Western Carolina to an 18-16 record and a CBI appearance this past season. He returns a strong backcourt of Tre Jackson and Vonterius Woolbright.

Topics of discussion include:

• The correlation of finding the three-pointer and an inside attack
• Jackson and Woolbright as a one-two punch in the backcourt
• Kamar Robertson and the Catamounts’ transfer portal
• How you can teach players to upgrade competitiveness

…. And much more !

Coach Gillen once again is a guest on “Marching to Madness” where he discusses San Diego State and their run to the national title game where they eventually lost to UConn. Coach Gillen is an analyst for CBS Sports Network where he also focuses on the Mountain West as one of his conferences. He also discusses the Big East and Providence where the Friars went to the Elite Eight in 1997 before losing an overtime game to eventual national champion Arizona. Coach Gillen won 392 games which were 65 percent of the matchups in his career as the head coach at Xavier, Providence, and Virginia.

Topics of discussion include:

• The emergence of the San Diego State Aztecs in this season’s NCAA Tournament
• Sean Miller’s influence on Xavier in his return to the Cincinnati-based university
• Coach Gillen’s Elite Eight appearance with Providence in 1997
• The Denver Nuggets’ first World Championship in NBA History

… And Much More

Coach Skinn checks in as he begins his first season as the head coach at George Mason. He played on coach Jim Larranaga’s Final Four team at George Mason in 2006 as he played on the point and drove the Patriots by Michigan State, North Carolina, and UConn in that run. He takes over after assistant coaching stints at Maryland, Ohio State, Seton Hall and Louisiana Tech.

Topics of discussion include:

• Coach Skinn’s Final Four appearance as the point guard of the Patriots in 2006
• The pursuit of becoming a head coach
• The influence of the assistant coaching positions with the Terps, Buckeyes, Pirates and Bulldogs
• Leading returning scorer Ronald Polite’s leadership and talent skills

… And much more!

Coach Rodney Terry returns to “Marching to Madness” as he took the Texas Longhorns to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight after they won their second Big 12 basketball title in the last three seasons. He took over the Longhorns in Game 9 as they finished 29-9, overall, and 22-8, in Coach Terry’s tutelage. Texas keeps a solid experience level in Dillon Mitchell, Tyrese Hunter, Dylan Disu, and Brock Cunningham.

Topics of discussion include:

• Coach Terry’s impact on Longhorns roundball
• The influence of former Longhorn coaches Tom Penders and Rick Barnes
• The impact of the depth and experience level of the upcoming Texas Longhorns
• Adding former Miami,  Missouri, and Tulsa head coach Frank Haith to his quality coaching staff

… And Much More!!!

Coach Bruce Pearl is back on “Marching to Madness” as he continues his 72 percent winning percentage, overall, which includes a D-2 national championship in 1995 with the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles. He has one of the top winning percentages in the game when combined with his D-1 experience at Auburn, Tennessee, and Milwaukee. The Tigers return Johni Broome, Jaylin Williams, and Dylan Cardwell with Lior Berman as the four accentuate experience on the 2023-24 Tigers Roundball team!

Topics of discussion include:

• Coach Pearl’s 1995 national championship with Southern Indiana
• How returnees such as Broome, Williams, Cardwell, and Berman solidify team culture
• The addition of Aden Holloway as a 5-star point guard
• Opening the season with Baylor on Nov. 7 at the Sanford Pentagon

… And Much More!

Coach Ryan Odom returns to “Marching to Madness” with his VCU Rams, who won 24 games last season and made it to the NIT’s Elite Eight. Returning three key scorers in Max Shula, Zeb Jackson, and Joe Bamisile return as three prolific shooters and scorers who will help VCU focus on an Atlantic 10 title. Coach Odom also discusses some philosophical and analytical details as well.

Topics of Discussion Include:

• Max Shulga’s return to the program
• Ideas on break players out of slumps
• Putting uncertainty or doubt in an opposing ballhandler’s mind
• The basketball relationship with his father, legendary head coach Dave Odom
• Much more!

Coach Russell Turner returns to “Marching to Madness” as he discusses building the UC Irvine program when he came 14 seasons ago. He has 11 consecutive winning seasons and eight of those have encompassed 20 wins or more. Two that did not were in the COVID years. Coach Turner discusses losing DJ Davis and Dawson Baker in the transfer portal, but he has recruited at a high level again with solid depth a usual foundation for his team.

Topics of discussion include:

• Coach Turner’s building blocks for the Anteaters’ pedigree
• The advantage with Bert Leuchten as an inside threat
• The Anteaters’ defensive initiative
• Depth in Big West basketball

… And much more!

Coach Pettway moved from Alabama where he was an assistant coach to Mark Gottfried, Avery Johnson, Anthony Grant, and Nate Oats over the past 15 seasons. He played guard for the Crimson Tide from 2001-2004 and he played with a high level of energy and was a player who made key plays in the clutch of close basketball games. He spent two years as an assistant at Jacksonville State before his run as a top Crimson Tide assistant.

Topics of discussion include:

• Coach Pettway’s mentors in Mark Gottfried, Anthony Grant, Avery Johnson, and Nate Oats
• Following Amir Abdur-Rahim’s four seasons where he turned the Owls into winners
• Terrell Burden and Demond Robinson as leading returning scorers
• Thoughts on game-planning and recruiting

… And much more!

Baylor Bears head coach Scott Drew checks in as he has put together a 19-10 postseason record in Waco with a national championship in 2021 as well as the Final Four and two Elite Eight appearances. He discusses his returning players as well as additions via the transfer portal and recruiting the high school hardwood. Coach Drew also checks in on the NBA opportunities for guard Keyonte George, who was the 16th pick on the first round. Coach Drew was enshrined into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in April.

Topics of discussion include:

• Coach Drew discusses four of his former assistant coaches and have moved to head coaching positions
• How his Texas Hall of Fame induction illustrates the work of his assistant coaches and players
• His philosophy of how to grasp change and move forward
• Discussion of Bears players who return to the hardwood as well as incoming Baylor players

… And much more!

Coach Mills take over the legendary Shockers program after he led ORU to two NCAA Tournaments in their last three seasons. Shockers big man Kenny Photo is the leading returning scorer after he started all 30 games and shot 49 percent from the floor. Coach Mills discusses his philosophy of prioritizing people and how that makes for the opportunity to help in the many ways he leads his program.

Topics of discussion include:

• Coach Mills’ thoughts on building Wichita State back to it’s highest levels
• His relationship with Rockets’ legendary former head coach Rudy Tomjanovich
• Spending 14 seasons at Baylor in Coach Scott Drew’s program
• Kenny Pohto as the leading returning scorer

… And much more!

Coach Jans led the Bulldogs to their second NCAA appearance in the last 13 seasons as they lost a tough 60-59 decision to Pitt in the opener. Mississippi State will return its starting five which should give the ‘Dogs an impactful group as Tolu Smith is a key inside performer beside of the athleticism of 6-7 DJ Jeffries. Cameron Matthews can also score in the paint and guards Shakeel Moore and Dashawn Davis provide MSU with a solid backcourt.

Topics of discussion include:

• The NCAA Tournament appearance in Year 1 of Jans’ regime
• The return of the five starters
• Tolu Smith’s versatility
• The shooting ability and offensive acumen of Marshall transfer Andrew Taylor

… And much more!

Coach Todd Golden took over at Florida last season after three years at San Francisco where he brought the Dons to a 57-36 record and placed them into the NCAA Tournament in 2022 for the first time since 1998. Will Richard and Riley Kugel return from last season’s team as they were the second and third leading scorers. The Gators’ staff has added six transfers as five players left Gainesville via the transfer route.

Topics of discussion include:

• The transition from the Univ. of San Francisco to the Univ. of Florida
• The return of Richard and Kugel
• Using analytics in today’s basketball culture
• Competitive challenges in college basketball

… And much more!

First-year USF Bulls head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim discusses last season’s 26-9 finish for his Kennesaw State Owls as he led them to their first D-1 NCAA Tournament and the A-SUN regular season and tournament championships. He also discusses his system and how he looks to build USF within his philosophies and ideology. The Bulls return Selton Miguel, Sam Hines, and Corey Walker, Jr. from last season as well as a talented recruiting class.

Topics of discussion include:

• Building Kennesaw State into a winner in his four seasons
• Coach Abdul-Rahim’s system and how to apply it to USF Basketball
• The return of Selton Miguel, Sam Hines, and Corey Walker, Jr., from last season’s USF roster
• Coach Billy Kennedy’s influence

… And much more!

Coach Adam Fisher enters his first season as a head coach at Temple after he was an assistant at Villanova and Boston University before spending eight years at Miami and two at Penn State, his alma mater. Coach Fisher gives Miami coach Jim Larrañaga credit for helping him to solidify himself inside the game and learn many of the phases of coaching. He also credits Micah Shrewsberry, who was the head coach at Penn State as another key figure in his career ascension on the hardwood.

Topics of discussion include:

• The legendary status of Temple basketball
• Key elements in recruiting
• Hysier Miller as the Owls’ leading returning scorer
• The importance of transfers Jordan Miller and Quante Berry

… And much more!

Coach Barnes discusses his role of being the chair of the NCAA Rules Committee and a couple of rules changes going into this upcoming season. He also talks about His Tennessee Volunteers, who made it to the Sweet 16 this past season, despite the loss of point guard Zakai Ziegler. He has posted 779 career wins at George Mason, Providence, Clemson, Texas, and Tennessee throughout his 36 seasons as a head coach.

Topics of discussion include:

• Working on the rules as the chair of the NCAA Rules Committee
• A change to the block/charge call
• The loss of guard Zakai Ziegler for the post season
• Key in continuing to win at a high percentage

… And much more!

Coach Bobby Lutz was the head coach at Charlotte from 1999-2010 and he raised the 49ers to a high level of play where they went to six NCAA Tournaments as well as two NITs in that time period. During his 11-year run in Charlotte, Coach Lutz became the winningest coach in program history with 218 ‘Ws’. He then became an assistant at Iowa State, Nebraska, and Ole Miss and the associate head coach at NC State.

Topics of discussion include:

• Coaching assignments in the SEC, ACC, Big 12,  and Big Ten after the 11 years at Charlotte
• The pinnacle of success with the 49ers
• Thoughts on college basketball as of now
• NCAA Tournament and NBA Playoffs

… And much more!

Coach Dustin Kerns looks forward to another season of Mountaineers basketball as he led ASU to its most wins in a season at 27 and the 16-2 record to win the Sun Belt regular season was Appalchian’s best league record in school history. Coach Kerns had eight losses in the transfer portal, but he has a recruiting class of strong players who can make the transition into the new season and the upper echelon of Sun Belt Conference play. Coach and I discuss his ideas and philosophies on several college basketball/sports topics.

Topics of Discussion Include:

• The transition involved with losing eight but bringing in six players
• Leadership in the return of CJ Huntley and Miles Tate
• Physical and emotional energy among players
• Allowing players to break slumps and bring positivety back into their games

Coach A.W. Hamilton makes his debut on MTM as the Colonels have set 49 program records in his five seasons at EKU. The coach talks about his friendship with NC State head coach Kevin Keatts, who has been a solid person throughout his career. Hamilton is a stellar offensive coach whose Colonels averaged 78.6 points per game this past season and they shot 34.3 percent from three.

Topics of discussion include:

• Developing a winning mentality at Eastern Kentucky
• How NC State head coach Kevin Keats has been an influence in his career and life
• How Devontae Blanton became a solid leader and contributor for the Colonels
• Developing an offensive approach that has allowed his teams to be successful

… And much more!

Coach Tinkle discusses this third rebuild in his eight-year tenure as head coach of the Beavers. Oregon State picked up 11 wins this past season which is eight more than two years ago. OSU welcomed freshman point guard Jordan Pope after Georgia transfer Christian Wright was injured last season. Coach Tinkle also discusses ideas and philosophies throughout running the program.

Topics of discussion include:

• How Coach Tinkle and his staff have brought back the Beavers’ culture
• Three rebuilds in nine seasons
• The play of freshman point guard Jordan Pope
• Depth on the point with Tyler Bilodeau and Michael Rataj in the post

… And much more!

Coach Steve Forbes is back on “Marching to Madness” as he was one of my first guests on the show back in 2016 when we started. Coach Forbes has a 180-83 (.694) record in five years at East Tennessee State and three at Wake Forest. Currently, he has a top-rated transfer class headed to Wake Forest with key returnees in Cameron Hildreth, Damari Monsanto, and Andrew Carr.

Topics of discussion include:

• The Demon Deacons transfer class and the new freshmen that come into the team
• Coaching changes on the squad
• Characteristics that facilitate building a winner
• How Cameron Hildreth, Damari Monsanto, and Andrew Carr can take their games to another level

… And much more!

Coach Ritchie McKay took his Liberty Flames to the NIT where they took a win over Villanova before a 65-61 loss to Wisconsin. Liberty shared the ASUN regular season title with Kennesaw State before a 67-66 loss to the Owls in the ASUN championship. The Flames lose a stellar point guard in Darius McGhee, who was a three-time ASUN Player of the Year. Liberty moves into the CUSA next season as once again conferences will be stocked with new teams throughout the game.

Topics of discussion include:

• The Flames’ overall 2022-23 campaign
• Darius McGhee once again wins ASUN POY
• Working a new rotation throughout the summer
• Liberty’s movement into Conference USA

… And much more!

Coach Dustin Kerns has just finished his fourth season as the head coach of the Mountaineers as ASU once again possessed one of the country’s top defenses, Coach Kerns returns his starting five which includes Appalachian State’s top two scorers in Donovan Gregory and Terence Harcum. Coach Kerns discussed his thoughts on the four new teams in the Sun Belt which gave the conference 14 members.

Topics of discussion include:

• The consistent defensive stature of the Mountaineers
• The Sun Belt Conference adding the four new teams
• How for the offensive attack to improve
• Coach Kerns’ thoughts on the NCAA Tournament and NBA Playoffs

… And much more!

SMC’s Randy Bennett picked up his 500th win this season and the Gaels and Gonzaga tied for the top spot in the WCC. Coach Bennett’s team is consistently one of the top defenses in the nation and SMC finished 27-8 as it allowed only 60.1 points per game and allowed opponents only 51.6 field goal attempts, 10th in college basketball.

Topics of discussion include:

• The Gaels’ defensive mantra
• The dictation of Coach Bennett’s philosophy and his talent
• The return of Alex Ducas
• The impact of Aidan Mahaney as a freshman in ’22-’23

… And much more!

The Thundering Herd’s 24-8 record was one win off of Coach D’Antoni’s record of 25 ‘Ws’ in 2018. Marshall finished one game back of Southern Miss in the Sun Belt regular season standings. Tavion Kinsey moves to the next level as he will likely be picked in the NBA Draft as Andrew Taylor and Micah Handlogten decided to work the transfer portal.

Topics of discussion include:

• Analysis of the 24-win season
• Losses of Kinsey, Taylor, and Handlogten
• Ability for rising role players to make an impact for Marshall
• Thoughts on Louisville’s legendary Denny Crum, who passed on Monday

… And much more!

North Florida Ospreys head coach Matt Driscoll always implores one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation as Gonzaga, Washington, Houston, Pitt, Duquesne, and Kentucky. The Ospreys finished in the middle of the ASUN Conference as they lost at the buzzer to Bellarmine in the first round of the ASUN tournament. Coach Driscoll also chats about analytics as he uses certain analytics that coincide with his philosophy of the game.

Topics of discussion include:

• The Ospreys’ usual tough non-conference schedule
• The course of coming through the UNF Basketball program
• Building a solid program
• Key analytics that coincide with Coach Driscoll’s roundball philosophy

… And much more!

ODU Monarchs head coach Jeff Jones is back on “Marching to Madness” as he led the squad to a 19-12 overall record and 11-7 inside the Sun Belt Conference. The Monarchs finished 8-2 over the last 10 games and they finished tied for fifth in the conference. From the point, Chaunce Jenkins was the Monarchs’ leading scorer with 13.5 ppg as he shot 36.6 percent from three.

Topics of discussion include:

• Abilities that allowed the Monarchs to go 8-2 late in the season
• Effects of the transfer portal
• The play of point guard Chaunce Jenkins
• Categorizing ODU’s first season in the Sun Belt

… And much more!

Coach Bob Cantu is back on “Marching to Madness” as we wind up the college basketball season after UConn took its fifth national championship in the last 24 years on Monday night. The Huskies pulled away from San Diego State, 76-59, after the Aztecs had cut their deficit to 60-55 with just over five minutes remaining in the game.

Coach Cantu had his own close relationships with members of the Final Four as he and FAU head coach Dusty May were at USC in 2001 and 2002. Coach Cantu has also known San Diego State head coach Brian Dutcher since the mid-1990s while Cameron Whiteman is the manager at Miami as his father Kirk played for Hurricanes head coach Jim Larranaga at Bowling Green.

Topics of discussion include:

• UConn’s fifth national title
• Adama Sanogo, Tristen Newton, and Jordan Hawkins as a prime triplicate for the Huskies
• San Diego State’s five-win run to the title game
• FAU and Miami as teams who could return a huge majority of players

… And much more!

Coach Justin Gainey checks into “Marching to Madness” as he is in his 19th season in college coaching which has featured a position in each of the Power 6 conferences. Coach Gainey discusses his role as the Volunteers’ defensive coordinator and brings in philosophical ideas and the approach to basketball under Coach Rick Barnes at Tennessee. Coach Gainey played on the point at NC State for Coach Herb Sendek from 1996-2000. He started in the Wolfpacks’ 67 games in his last two seasons where his defense and playmaking were essential means for NC State.

Topics of Discussion Include:

• Coach Gainey’s approach in all phases of the Tennessee program
• How the staff moves from game to game in SEC play
• Point guard Zakai Ziegler’s growth inside of the program
• Scorer Chaz Lanier’s transfer into Vols’ basketball

Coach Dusty May has had the Owls reaching its highest ground as a basketball program this season as they take on San Diego State in the Final Four in Houston on Saturday. They have registered 35 wins, most in school history, and they have knocked off Kansas State (Elite 8), Tennessee (Sweet 16), and Memphis (opening round). In the Round of 32, the Owls knocked off a tough Farleigh Dickinson team that defeated 1-seed Purdue in the opening round. This is a deep team that plays well together on both ends of the floor. Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin join Nick Boyd, Bryan Greenlee, and Michael Forrest to formulate one of the top three-point attacks in college basketball.

Topics of discussion include:

• The Owls’ East Regional championship over Kansas State
• The play of guard Johnell Davis
• The versatility of the FAU attack
• Three-point field goals as a vital part of the attack

… And much more!

Charlotte head coach Ron Sanchez led his 49ers to the CBI title with the win over Eastern Kentucky last week. Sanchez used a balanced attack as the 49ers were able to win four games against quality opponents in five nights to capture the CBI in Daytona Beach, Fla., at Ocean Center. Leading scorer Brice Williams posted 20 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Western Carolina while he had 25 as Charlotte knocked off the University of Milwaukee. Jackson Threadgill and Lu’cye Patterson helped to spur a 12-0 second-half run that helped to give Charlotte a 63-56 win over Radford. In the tournament’s championship game, Williams and Patterson led with 14 and 13 points respectively.

Topics of discussion include:

• Winning the CBI Championship
• How the 49ers posted the CBI wins over four solid opponents in five nights
• The overall tournament success of CUSA this season
• Charlotte’s movement to the American Athletic Conference beginning in 2023-24

The Utah Valley Wolverines won the WAC regular season title and have a 28-8 mark as they match up with UAB in T-Mobile Arena in the NIT semifinals on Tuesday evening. Coach Mark Madsen has a multi-faceted team that plays well on both ends of the floor which includes a mobile fastbreak that averages 14.7 of the Wolverines’ 77.2 points per game. Madsen has raised the Wolverines into one of the top teams in a deep WAC as they are 48-20 over these past two seasons. Kenpom.com had the WAC rated as the 23rd Conference out of the 32 only two seasons ago and this year, the league was rated 11th.

Topics of discussion include:

• The solidity in both the offensive and defensive approach
• Justin Harmon as a leader from the backcourt with Trey Woodbury and Le’Tre Darthard
• Aziz Bandaogo’s overall skills as he was the WAC Defensive Player of the Year
• Tim Fuller’s as an underrated player as he shoots 67 percent with .49 boards per night

… And much more!