March Madness 365 with Andy Katz

New Xavier head coach Travis Steele says there's always room for improvement when it comes to culture and recruiting! He also explains how his coaching philosophy is different from Chris Mack, what he's learned from Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer, how he plans to beat Villanova in the coming season, and why he believes his returning team has the chance to be one of the best defensive teams in college basketball. And former Xavier head coach Chris Mack is Louisville's new head coach and talks about the opportunity that was just "too good to pass up," how he plans to bring the competitiveness and intensity to his new program, the great Louisville-Kentucky rivalry, and his current relationship with former Louisville head coach Rick Pitino.

It's Michigan vs Villanova in the NCAA Championship game, and Andy Katz is speaking with both coaches on the eve of this momentous event! Michigan's John Beilein explains how growing up with 8 siblings on a farm near Lake Ontario taught him a lot about teamwork, and how he uses music to stay attuned to his players. Villanova's Jay Wright comments on Jalen Brunson's basketball IQ and development, Omari Spellman's growth in the second half of this season, and why he was never concerned about the team's lack of "one and done" players.

And then there were four... and all four are represented right here on March Madness 365 with Andy Katz! Clayton Custer from Loyola of Chicago talks about leaving Iowa State for Loyola, what it means to the team to be in the Final Four, and what he hopes others learn from Loyola's tournament success. Moritz "Mo" Wagner says Michigan owes their tournament success to the way Coach Beilein prepares them, and weighs in on his moment with Corey Davis. Omari Spellman from Villanova has thoughts on appreciating every game, maturing, and what it really means to leave it all out on the floor. And Malik Newman from the Kansas Jayhawks has plenty to say about knocking out Duke in overtime, and what it's going to take against Villanova.

The Sweet Sixteen is here, and if you're surprised by some of the teams who've advanced in the bracket, imagine how Nevada, Loyola of Chicago, and Texas A&M are feeling! Nevada head coach Eric Musselman talks about the strategy Nevada followed throughout the season to get to this point, what it took to mount that 32-8 run over Cincinnati to advance, and how they plan to handle Loyola of Chicago's defense. Texas A&M's Billy Kennedy credits his team's commitment for overcoming the injury and suspension challenges of the season to make it to the tournament, and how he feels about President Bush picking the Aggies to go all the way! And Kansas State's Bruce Weber and his team are studying tape to formulate a game plan for beating Kentucky, who are playing their best basketball right now when it matters most). And Andy ranks the Sweet Sixteen.

Andy fills out his bracket and chooses the NCAA Tournament Champ! Plus, he talks to Alabama head coach Avery Johnson about their first match-up against Virginia Tech, Donta Hall's status, and Collin Sexton's incredible freshman year. And Syracuse Hall of Fame head coach Jim Boeheim shares thoughts on being the last team selected for the tournament, what beating Louisville and Miami on the road during regular season play did for his team, and how he plans to handle ASU's tremendous offense.

Villanova head coach Jay Wright shares thoughts on Jalen Brunson, Xavier, playing at the Garden, and why, next to the NCAA Tournament, there's no better basketball event in the country than The Big East Tournament. Loyola of Chicago head coach Porter Moser's team is going to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 33 years, and he explains what it's taken to get there, their "pace and space" philosophy, and how he plans to make his program more consistent. And Andy's March Madness cohost, Tony Delk, joins to break down the upcoming SEC Tournament and analyze which teams may find themselves with a seed on selection Sunday.

Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson says it's all about practice and player development, and why he knew this might be Houston's year to make it to the NCAA tournament. Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey talks the return of Bonzie Coulson and Matt Farrell to the Irish lineup, why he's excited to be at Barclays this coming weekend, and his seniors and team showed him about leadership under crisis. Plus, Xavier's Chris Mack on the Big East title, Trevon Bluiett, and the importance of being the number seed in the NCAA tournament.

The Big 10 Tournament starts next week, so Andy's talking to Nebraska coach Tim Miles about his team's tournament strategy, their hopes for the NCAA tournament, and the development of Isaac Copeland. And Kansas head coach Bill Self joins to talk about the importance of consistency, playing tough schedules, and why the best teams are really the ones where the youngest players are the best players. Finally, Danny Hurley of Rhode Island checks in to talk St. Bonaventure, Arizona, and why this is a good year to be a good team as far as the NCAA tournament goes!

Coach Kevin Keatts is first-up with Andy Katz to relive NC State's victory at Syracuse earlier this week, what it means for the team, and how that whole ice cream for wins program got started. Then Coach Chris Mullin from St. John's discusses the challenge of consecutive losses, his philosophy for turning things around, and his team's two most satisfying wins (against Duke and Villanova). Plus, Coach Brad Brownell from Clemson on overcoming adversity, his unique 8 years at Clemson, and what it takes to build a true basketball culture.

Andy Katz welcomes Tennessee Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes to talk about his success in Knoxville, making the move from Texas to Tennessee, and what it's taken to rebuild the Vols basketball program. And Washington Coach Mike Hopkins breaks down the keys to playing good zone, what he learned from Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, his personal coaching philosophy, and the "three Ps" that brought him to Washington. Plus, South Florida's Tom Herrion is raising autism awareness with an incredible program he started with Towsen head coach Pat Skerry! Discover what "Coaches Powering Forward for Autism" has planned for this weekend's slate of games, and what you can do to help.

Former Purdue All-American Robbie Hummel talks with Andy about "one and done," the college basketball environment, and why experience wins championships. Arizona head coach Sean Miller also joins to talk about his team's development, the toughest part about losing in the Elite 8, and what Deandre Ayton and Allonzo Trier bring to the Wildcats. Plus, Gonzaga head coach Mark Few weighs in on winning and losing championship games, the Gonzaga culture, and the importance of balancing basketball and family life.

Cincinnati Bearcats coach Mick Cronin joins to talk losing sleep over Houston, playing in Northern Kentucky, and his team's devastating defense! Tony Bennett of the Virginia Cavaliers shares thoughts on their win over Clemson and what he learned from his father about defense. Then Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy breaks down what his team has to do to improve and their game plan for taking on Kansas on Saturday. Plus, North Carolina's Joel Berry on their potential third run at the championship and what brought him back to coaching after last year's big NCAA win. Kyle Keller of Stephen F. Austin remembers the anniversary of the tragic Oklahoma State plane crash of 2001 that claimed the life of his cousin, and how he honors the legacy of the 10 lives lost. And finally, Craig Thompson, Commissioner of the Mountain West Conference and member of this year's selection committee talks about quadrants and how the process has changed since he was the Chair.

South Carolina head coach Frank Martin talks about his team's recent victory over Kentucky, Chris Silva's offensive explosion, and his mentor Bob Huggins' possible Hall of Fame induction. Then Executive Vice President of NCAA, Dan Gavitt, joins to talk quadrants, the magic of the Final Four, and why March Madness is the most democratic event in the world. Plus, UT head coach Shaka Smart shares how he found out about Andrew Jones' leukemia diagnosis, when and where he broke the news to the team, and how the public can help support Andrew and his family.

Mike DeCourcy of The Sporting News joins Andy to talk about the Player Of The Year and whether it's Trae Young's to lose and who else might be contenders, and they breakdown the major conference leaders. Villanova head coach Jay Wright weighs in on going for this third Championship in a row, his recruiting strategy, the Big East's success as a conference, and why he believes Villanova is a team that's "better when they're older." Plus, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl updates the status of Austin Wiley and Danjel Purifoy, what his team worked on in the off-season, and what he thinks about Auburn's current 15-1 record.

Purdue Head Coach Matt Painter joins Andy to praise MSU, and explain why college basketball needs more international opportunities like the one they had with World University Games. Seton Hall's Kevin Willard also checks in to share how Jay Wright saved the Big East, the importance of getting old & staying old in college basketball, and why he thinks Seton Hall's playing style is more old school than new. Plus, Chris Beard from Texas Tech talks about his ABA experience, how Texas Tech's foundation is directly contributing to his own success there, and why his coaching staff is the best in college basketball.