The panel recaps the Final Four, which gave us three really thrilling games and served as a great end for a tournament that had been lacking in excitement prior to this weekend. Auburn had a historically great regular season, but it wasn’t enough. Houston was tough all year, but the Gators are who cut down the nets! We discuss all that, briefly cover the other postseason tournaments, and share our final thoughts over the whole season.
And, for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…
The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Final 4 is taking place this weekend in San Antonio and we could not be more excited to see all those #1 seeds trying to win a title! HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with Mike Uzan about his son Milos making a game-winner in the Sweet 16 and his predictions for this weekend.
You are a Physical Education Teacher/coach at Desert Pines High School: how did you like coaching your son Milos, and when you could you 1st tell that he was good enough to play in D-1? I loved coaching all my kids. I guess we knew early on: he was a very small kid so we were just hoping that the size part would catch up because he always had the skill part. He was always around my practices and is a gym rat.
He started his college career at Oklahoma, where he was named to the 2023 Big 12 All-Freshman team: how was he able to come in and contribute right from the start? The kid has a high basketball IQ, was a winner everywhere he has been, and knows how to play. He played for a high school state title as a freshman/sophomore and has been in those positions for a long time: he knows how to compete.
He was named captain as a sophomore: what makes him such a good leader? He is a high-character kid who does all the right things, and a good person who always treats his teammates well.
Why did he decide to transfer last year, and what made him choose Houston? The opportunity to play for a championship was important to him. It is something that you always dream about doing and that was the best fit for him.
Last month in the 2025 Big 12 tourney title game he scored a career-high 25 PTS in an 8-PT win over Arizona: how was he able to play his best when it mattered the most, and what did it mean to him to win a title? He was very happy about it…but it was not the end-all goal. It was a heck of an accomplishment, but he has stepped up all year for these guys: he just lives for the moment.
In the Sweet 16 last week he scored 22 PTS including the game-winning layup with 0.8 seconds left in a 2-PT win over Purdue: where does that rank among the Uzan family career highlights? He is still the runt in the family: nothing changes! We have had a lot of basketball success, so it is just another great accomplishment for our family.
He only shot 29.6 3P% last season but is shooting 44.5 3P% this season: what is his secret to making shots from behind the arc? Consistency. He puts the time in and always has. He has always been able to shoot and the shots that he does take are efficient. He is having a lot more fun and if the situation is fun then fun things will happen. He is in a very positive space.
In the past 4 months the Cougars have lost exactly 1 game by 1 PT in OT: has it reached a point where you just expect them to win every time that they step onto the court? I do not expect anything because each game is a battle. I want him to win but I know how hard it is to win. I always expect him to do his best…but you cannot take wins for granted because they are hard to come by.
His brother Julian played basketball at USC and his brother Capri played basketball at Providence: who is the best athlete in the family? That is still up for debate: we always argue about it at the kitchen table! Milos is very athletic and can do all the fancy dunks. Julian was more of a 1-foot jumper due to his explosiveness, and while Capri was shorter in size he could still get up there.
Any predictions for this weekend? My only prediction is that we win it all!
The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Final 4 is taking place this weekend in San Antonio and we could not be more excited to see all those #1 seeds trying to win a title! HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with Carter Andersen about his son Bennett playing for Coach Todd Golden and making the Final 4.
You are an attorney in Tampa, FL: how do you balance paying the bills with getting to watch your son Bennett play basketball? We drive to Gainesville and back several times/year and will often arrive home after midnight. It is exhausting…but so much fun: we love this team, so we bite the bullet.
At Jesuit High School he did basketball/track and field: which sport was he best at, and which sport did he enjoy the most? He was best at basketball and enjoyed it the most. He was co-captain of the basketball team as a senior along with his best friend, and they were later co-valedictorians. He was not a superstar but did lead his team in PPG/RPG/APG as a senior. In track, he made it to the regionals in the high jump and the 300-meter hurdles, and also did the long jump/triple jump.
You and your wife Dana both went to Florida for college: how easy a decision was it for Bennett to follow in your footsteps? He was an industrial engineering major and went to UF for academic reasons. He is a lifelong Gators fan but is wise beyond his years. He had some opportunities to go to other big-time schools, but received a large academic scholarship from the state to go to Florida. This was the 1st year that he was paying his own tuition…but at practice yesterday he was surprised with a $10,000 scholarship from Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux (https://x.com/GatorsMBK/status/1907187578773643323). That will cover most of his grad school tuition, and I am so happy for him!
He spent 3 years as a manager for the Gators basketball team before becoming a walk-on in 2023: how was he able to finally make the leap? Coach Todd Golden finished his 1st year and was doing some recruiting out of the portal. As a manger Bennett would help pick up recruits at the airport/drive them around campus in a golf cart/get them a meal/etc. Golden was talking to 1 recruit and mentioned that he might make Bennett a walk-on…and about a month later he did!
What makes Golden such a great coach? He is the most positive leader you can imagine. I have heard stories about the concept of “gratefulness” and how infectious it is with him and his staff/managers/players. You kind of saw it during the postgame interview after beating Texas Tech: Walter Clayton Jr. said that in times of adversity they stick together, and Thomas Haugh said he was honored to be on the team. That is how Bennett feels: grateful and honored.
Last season he scored the 1st 2 PTS of his career on a layup vs. Grambling, then he made a couple more baskets this month vs. Alabama in the SEC tourney and vs. Maryland in the NCAA tourney: how exciting has it been to see him succeed in real games? It has been awesome. My wife and I were at the Grambling game in December of 2023. He got into the game in the final minute, cut to the basket, and made a reverse layup. We were so happy to be there to see it. I realized that he has played and practiced so much in his life that he knew exactly what to do with the ball when he caught the pass.
He wears #22 because your favorite former Gator wore the same #: what is your favorite memory of Emmitt Smith? Dana and I were freshmen in 1987 when Emmitt was also a freshman. He did not start the 1st game at Miami but still gained close to 100 yards in the 2nd half. Emmitt has been such a great ambassador for the school, and he is my favorite Gator ever.
He went viral last weekend after a wide-eyed locker room interview with a female student reporter for ESPN Gainesville (https://x.com/talia_baia/status/1905465594608320870): have you seen the clip, and what was your reaction? I saw the clip before it went viral and thought, “What a nice interview!”. Talia Baia asked him 3 questions and he gave 3 thoughtful answers: he is a nice kid and there was nothing going on. She has been the student reporter this season and we have seen her do great work all year. It was 2 innocent kids doing their jobs, so we thought the fact that it went viral was funny! Bennett later said that if you told him that he would make a basket in the Sweet 16 and reach the Final 4, then he would be happy to endure a little embarrassment along the way.
Your son Wilson played on USA Baseball’s 15-U team: who is the best athlete in the family? Can I plead the 5th?! My other sons Bennett/Carter would probably say that Wilson is the best, but I am a fan of all 3.
He won 3 school intramural titles: any predictions for the Final 4, and if he wins an NCAA title then will he retire as a 4-time undefeated champ?! I believe in the Gators. They have the right/people approach to get it done. It will be a dogfight against Auburn and against whoever is in the title game, but I like that we have Walter Clayton Jr. on our team.
Here is a quick recap of the best photos I took during the Auburn postgame celebration last Sunday:
After the buzzer sounded Coaches Tom Izzo/Bruce Pearl led their respective teams through the handshake line:
Then Bruce and his son/associate head coach Steven got to share the memorable moment together:
The players started posing for some photos:
…then the entire team formed a circle and bowed their heads for a quick moment of prayer:
Grant Hill exited stage left so he could start packing for his own trip to San Antonio:
Then it was time to hoist the trophy to the heavens while the orange and blue confetti began to fly:
There was almost as much orange and blue in the crowd as the Tiger faithful showed up to support their team:
All the players had a chance to cut down a piece of the net:
As did Penn alum/Auburn assistant coach Ira Bowman:
…while the superstar just soaked it all in:
I decided that Dylan Cardwell deserves his own photo gallery because he is the winningest player in school history…and has done so while having more fun than anyone in school history:
Former Auburn dancer Abbie Stockard was crowned Miss America last January…so I wondered if there were any other future pageant winners standing on the sideline:
The Tigers are 2 wins away from winning the banner of a lifetime…but this 1 will do for now:
The South was the final region to have its bracket filled in:
Miles Kelly took a minute to do a quick interview while Chaney Johnson tried out his new hat:
Broome and his freshman teammate Tahaad Pettiford had to win THIS many games in the NCAA tourney before getting that shiny new trophy:
Then it was time for the big man to climb the ladder:
…followed by the money shot!
Seth Davis is the editor-in-chief of Hoops HQ…which is my 2nd favorite “Hoops H_”-branded product!
The only possible rain on this parade was the sight of Broome walking around with the net around his neck…while clutching his right elbow after injuring it during the win over Michigan State:
After a great weekend of basketball I called it a night and walked down to catch the subway with about 1000 Auburn fans:
Posted inNews and Notes|TaggedAuburn|Comments Off on South Regional Champs: Auburn postgame celebration!
Chad is joined by a full panel as the recap all of the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight games, including Texas Tech’s big come from behind win against Arkansas in the Sweet Sixteen, and then how Florida came from behind to beat Texas Tech in the Elite Eight. Duke blew through their two games, Houston had one of the more exciting finishes of the whole tournament against Purdue and then ran over Tennessee, and Auburn got by their two opponents. We discuss all that, look at some of the other events, and more.
And, for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…
The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Atlanta with a recap of the Michigan State-Auburn game.
The spirit squads for both schools were ready:
…as were their bands:
There was plenty of pageantry on display during the national anthem:
I saw Westwood One Radio color commentator Tom Crean (who yesterday celebrated the 23rd anniversary of his win over Kentucky as Marquette coach in the 2003 Elite 8):
…and Phoenix Suns’ billionaire owner Mat Ishbia (who won the 2000 NCAA title as a walk-on PG guard for the Spartans):
The 2 coaches had a quick handshake before going into battle:
Let’s tip it off with the final spot in the Final 4 at stake:
MICHIGAN STATE-AUBURN Auburn All-American Johni Broome showed why he is the national POY favorite in the 1st 10 minutes, helping his team build a 23-8 lead with a spin/bank shot, a fadeaway jumper in the lane, a reverse layup, and a 3:
It felt like an Auburn home game because there was a LOT more orange than green in the crowd:
Michigan State made a nice little comeback thanks to a pair of threes by Jaxon Kohler and several baskets in the lane by Jase Richardson:
However, Miles Kelly/Tahaad Pettiford each responded with a 3 of their own:
Broome was simply unstoppable, putting up a double-double with 17 PTS/7-9 FG/11 REB in 18 minutes of action…but everyone else on both teams was quite stoppable as the Tigers went to the locker room with a 33-24 lead at halftime that had the Tiger fans going wild despite a rather ugly shooting display:
As you would expect from a Tom Izzo-coached team, the Spartans kept it close throughout the 2nd half. Kohler almost did so single-handedly with a double-double of his own: 17 PTS/11 REB, and after not even attempting a single 3 during in his 1st 3 NCAA tourney games this month he somehow made 3-4…while the rest of his team combined to make 4-19. Auburn SR Chad Baker-Mazara was able to convert a pair of long-range shots to help his team maintain the lead down the stretch:
Michigan State G Jaden Akins had a horrible 1st half (1-7 FG), but got it rolling after halftime with a lefty hook in the lane, a scoop, and knocked down 2 shots from behind the arc en route to a 13-PT performance in the 2nd stanza:
Broome went to the locker room midway though the 2nd half with an elbow injury, then returned to the bench a few minutes later while receiving an enormous ovation:
…then made a 3 on his 1st attempt after going back into the game and received an even louder cheer from the pro-Tiger crowd:
Auburn had some major problems at the FT line (11-20) and got outrebounded 41-39, but thanks to a cold shooting night by their opponent (34.4 FG%) Broome was able to sweep(!) the Spartans out of Atlanta with a 70-64 victory and give the Tigers a trip to San Antonio in the days ahead:
After the buzzer I went down to the court and took a bunch of photos during the postgame celebration, check back tomorrow for the best of the bunch and enjoy the sneak preview below. Sometimes you wait an entire weekend for that 1 perfect photo…and then you look up and see the best player in the sport holding the South Regional Champion trophy right in front of you #moneyshot!
