Puppet Ramblings – First Four, Round of 64, NIT, and More

Posted on March 19, 2025 by David Griggs

Even though The Tournament has already started, you can still join the BEAT THE PUPPET CHALLENGE by CLICKING HERE. Don’t waste your time, though!! You won’t beat me!!!

So we had two great games last night!! One saw Alabama State pull off what may turn out to be one of the most exciting plays of the NCAA Tournament where they threw it the length of the court, came up with a loose ball, and laid it in in the final seconds to knock off Saint Francis 70-68. The other was a triple overtime thriller in the NIT where Chattanooga held on to win at Middle Tennessee.

San Diego State was blown into the sun by North Carolina 95-68 and the game wasn’t even that close.

Tonight we have Mount Saint Mary’s facing off against American. Unlike the teams in the First Four game from last night, American was a conference frontrunner for most of the year. Mount Saint Mary’s really wasn’t, but they were 11-4 in post-January basketball so they were at least one of the better teams in the MAAC throughout the second half of play.

In the other game we see another team that many feel did not belong in the field in Texas. They face a Xavier team that did not get it going until post-January, but has looked like an NCAA Tournament caliber team for the last month or so. If Xavier can play like they have been, they may be able to go beyond the Round of 64. Or, the Texas team that many feel shouldn’t even be there could end up winning in another blowout.

As far as the crowd that is now saying “SEE! IT LOOKS LIKE NORTH CAROLINA BELONGED IN AFTER ALL!!” Ummm….no they didn’t. That is stupid logic, and here is why…

Teams need to win during the regular season to make the NCAA Tournament!! It isn’t about what they can do or what they might do! It’s about what they DID! North Carolina didn’t do enough! Even if they were good enough, which it looks like they were, they still shouldn’t have been there in the first place. And…let’s test the premise of that! A team like Kentucky was clearly good enough to make the Sweet Sixteen or Elite Eight a year ago. But, they lost in the Round of 64. Should they have been allowed to play in the Round of 32 anyway?? Yeah, they didn’t win the game they were supposed to win to get there, but they were still good enough ton win in the Round of 32!! So, why not let them re-enter the tournament?? That would be ridiculous!! So is saying a team that shouldn’t be in The Tournament, but ends up winning a game or two, is proof they should have been there!

Some other exciting action tonight is…

-North Alabama going to Bradley. North Alabama is a recent transitional team who had a fantastic year in the ASun and nearly made the NCAA Tournament themselves. Bradley, of course, was hovering around the bubble for much of the season along with Drake.

-Furman at North Texas is an incredible game. Neither team made the field, but these are two teams that we thought would be in position to pull an upset in the Round of 64 if they had gotten there.

-Northern Iowa was red hot in the latter part of the season, and SMU was solid as well and on a lot of people’s boards for a long time. That should be a good game.

-Utah Valley blew through the WAC regular season but wasn’t quite as talented as Grand Canyon when push came to shove. They face a San Francisco team that is also incredibly talented and who looked like an NCAA Tournament caliber team during several stretches.

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Auburn assistant coach Ira Bowman

Posted on March 19, 2025 by Jon Teitel

Last Saturday Auburn lost to Tennessee 70-65 in the SEC tourney semifinals but still earned an at-large bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Tigers had a losing season in 2021 but are now heading to the NCAA tourney for the 4th time in a row. Yesterday HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Auburn assistant coach Ira Bowman about being part of the greatest conference in the history of the sport and making the NCAA tourney.

You began your college career at Providence: why did you decide to transfer, and what made you choose Penn? I was recruited by Fran Fraschilla and then Rick Barnes went to Clemson. I was always a good student and 1 of my mentors suggested I look for a mix of high-level athletics/academics, which is how I found Penn.

Your college coach Fran Dunphy retired last week: what made him such a great coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from him? I recall a saying: “You never care how much someone knows until you know how much they care”. He taught us life lessons every day and what sticks with me most beyond the X’s and O’s is a sense of gratitude. He is the humblest man I have ever been around.

In the 1995 NCAA tourney you scored 15 PTS off the bench in a 6-PT OT loss to Alabama: how close did you come to pulling off the upset, and where does Antonio McDyess’s performance (39 PTS/19 REB) rank among the greatest that you have ever seen in the postseason? For me it is the greatest performance I have ever seen because I witnessed it firsthand. We had a historic level of success and were nationally ranked that year. To have 3 guys from an Ivy League team make the NBA (Jerome Allen/Matt Maloney/myself) is incredible, but we just came up a couple of baskets short against a team with 5 future NBA players of its own.

In 1996 you led the conference with 444 PTS/142 AST/57 STL: how were you able to balance all the different aspects of your game? Our focus was always on winning, and I had great teammates/coaches. We came up a few games short of UCLA’s record winning streak, but we went undefeated in the Ivy League for 3 years in a row. We had a very good team during my junior year so in 1996 after Jerome/Matt had left Tim Krug and I were pushed into leadership roles. Coach Dunphy put me in a position to be successful and I am forever grateful to him.

That same year you were named conference POY, and last fall you were inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? Any time you are recognized for your work on the court it is always humbling, but it was due to the sacrifice of others in addition to the countless hours of work I put in. The Big 5 is an esteemed basketball community and it has turned out some great players so I am proud of that honor.

You spent almost a decade playing pro basketball, including 17 games in the NBA: what is your favorite memory from your time with the 76ers/Hawks? My 1st welcome-to-the-NBA moment was going to Milwaukee and not playing, but our next game was in Madison Square Garden. I grew up nearby in Newark, NJ, and I remember checking into the game to guard Allan Houston. I also played with Allen Iverson, who is the best 6’ or under player in NBA history.

As an assistant to Bruce Pearl at Auburn you started this season 27-2 but have lost 3 of your last 4 games in March: what is the mood of the team like this week? We segment the year into 3 different parts. We did well in pre-conference play in Maui and beat Houston on the road. Winning the regular season SEC title was great, but after losing in the conference tourney we now have a whole new season ahead of us. We have tried to stay hungry/humble despite those 3 tough losses: we lost to Alabama in OT on a shot at the buzzer, on the road to a good Texas A&M team, and to Tennessee by 5 in the SEC semifinals. We are as confident as we have ever been and are focused on preparing for Alabama State.

On Selection Sunday the SEC received a record 14 bids: what is it like to be part of the greatest conference in the history of the sport? You do not feel that way when you are in the middle of it, but we try to make our guys feel prepared. In a league like this there are no nights off: the talent/competition is incredible. I think our league won around 88% of its non-conference games, and the league itself is a gauntlet, so you must endure the “monotony of preparation”. Hopefully our league does well this month, but we prepare for every team the same because anyone can beat you on any night.

How do you feel about being the #1 overall seed, and do you feel that your team is good enough to win it all? We wanted to see how good we were at the start of the season, and with all our games at neutral sites we are good enough to be where we are at right now. Every team in the NCAA tourney is either a champion of their own conference or a great team that did not win a title: to win 6 games in a row you need to win the 1st 1 and just keep advancing. Being the #1 overall seed is nice…but since we are in Lexington we might potentially have to play Louisville in their home state. Even if that happens, we just need to be 40 minutes better than our opponent.

You came to Auburn after spending 6 years as an assistant to Steve Donahue at your alma mater: I know you are focused on the task at hand…but considering that Steve was fired last week, what would you say if the Quakers asked you to replace him next month? My focus is solely on Auburn winning in the NCAA tourney. If Penn asked me then I would consider it, but my focus is on winning our 1st round game on Thursday.

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Bracket Tactics: HoopsHD provides some tips for surviving and advancing

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Jon Teitel

The best week of the year is finally here! This is the time when we ponder the impact of geography, the importance of having a veteran coach, and exactly how many different “Wildcats” can make the Final 4. For those of you who need some last-minute bracket advice grounded in historical facts/trends, please see below for our Sweetest 16 Suggestions. For the rest of you, enjoy the Madness!!

TIP #1: No team that lost its opening game in its conference tournament has ever gone on to win the NCAA title that same year.
STRATEGY: The extra few days of rest have not proven helpful in the past so take a long hard look at Texas A&M (lost to Texas in the SEC tourney 2nd round)/UCLA (lost to Wisconsin in the Big 10 tourney quarterfinals) before penciling them in as your champ.

TIP #2: The last coach to win a title in his very 1st year as coach at a school was Tubby Smith at Kentucky in 1998.
STRATEGY: History is not on the side of Kentucky coach Mark Pope/Michigan coach Dusty May.

TIP #3: Since UNLV from the Big West won it all in 1990, 32 of the past 33 champs have come from a power-conference (except for UConn from the AAC in 2014): ACC (11), Big East (9), SEC (6), Big 12 (3), Pac-12 (2), Big 10 (1).
STRATEGY: You might want to think twice before picking anyone from the MWC/WCC to win it all.

TIP #4: Only 3 coaches with 4 or fewer prior tournament appearances have won the title since 1985 (Steve Fisher/Tom Izzo/Kevin Ollie).
STRATEGY: Teams like Arizona (Tommy Lloyd has 3 prior tourney appearances)/Missouri (Dennis Gates has 2 prior tourney appearances) might need a little more seasoning before they can win it all.

TIP #5: Each champ since 2002 had a strength of schedule that was among the top-75 in the nation.
STRATEGY: You must play the best to learn how to beat the best so you might want to stay away from Utah State (SOS: 83)/VCU (SOS: 92).

TIP #6: There are 9 active coaches who have won at least 2/3 of their NCAA tournament games (minimum 5 wins).
STRATEGY: Do not expect Rick Pitino of St. John’s (72%)/Bill Self of Kansas (71.3%) to be catching an early flight home.

TIP #7: There are 5 schools who have won at least 85% of their games in the round of 64 (minimum 5 games).
STRATEGY: Duke (33-4)/Maryland (22-3) are near-automatic in their opening games.

TIP #8: There are 9 schools who have won at least 75% of their games in the round of 32 (minimum 5 games).
STRATEGY: Arizona (20-4) is looking good vs. the Oregon-Liberty winner if they can win their 1st round game, and if not then Clemson (5-1) is not a bad alternative.

TIP #9: There are 6 schools who have won at least 75% of their Sweet 16 games (minimum 5 games).
STRATEGY: Florida (9-2) has played great in their Sweet 16 games so Maryland & Memphis should beware.

TIP #10: There are 10 schools who have won at least 70% of their Elite 8 games (minimum 5 games).
STRATEGY: Keep an eye on some of the best seeds in case either Houston (6-1)/Michigan State (10-4) can make it to the 2nd weekend.

TIP #11: There are 9 schools who have won at least 60% of their Final 4 games (minimum 5 games).
STRATEGY: Michigan is 7-1 in the Final 4 so if you pick them to survive the South Region then you might want to pick them to get all the way to the title game.

TIP #12: Only 3 teams have won an NCAA title after not being in the tournament the previous year it was held (1986 Louisville/2003 Syracuse/2014 UConn).
STRATEGY: Maryland (no postseason appearance in 2024)/Memphis (no postseason appearance in 2024) are certainly ready for primetime…but might not be ready to go all the way.

TIP #13: There are 12 schools who are undefeated in their NCAA tournament games in a specific state (minimum 5 games).
STRATEGY: Duke must be thrilled with their possible trip to Newark because they are 10-0 all-time in the state of New Jersey.

TIP #14: There are 8 schools who have won at least 75% of their NCAA tournament games as an automatic-bid team (minimum 5 games).
STRATEGY: Do not sleep on Florida because when they win the SEC tourney and get an automatic-bid they are near-unstoppable (17-2).

TIP #15: BYU has played in the most NCAA tournaments (31) without ever making the Final 4.
STRATEGY: If the Cougars could not reach the Final 4 with Danny Ainge/Jimmer Fredette then they will probably not make it with this year’s squad.

TIP #16: Since 1988 only 3 champs have not been a top-3 seed (#4 Arizona in 1997, #7 UConn in 2014, #4 UConn in 2023)
STRATEGY: Arizona/Purdue might be nice sleeper picks but the odds are against them winning it all.

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Arkansas State SR SG/SF Anna Griffin

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Jon Teitel

Last week Arkansas State beat JMU 86-79 in OT in the Sun Belt women’s tourney to earned an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Red Wolves had a losing season for 6 straight but are now heading to the NCAA tourney for the 1st time in school history. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Arkansas State SR SG/SF Anna Griffin about being a good rebounder and making the NCAA tourney.

You were born/raised in Illinois and started your college career at Virginia: why did you decide to transfer, and what made you choose Arkansas State? Virginia was not the place for me and I felt like I could find a better fit somewhere else. Arkansas State was always a school I had in mind, and I believe that Virginia not working out was a sign for me to go to A-State. The family atmosphere/coaches were great.

What is the biggest difference between the ACC and the Sun Belt? The biggest difference for me is that the ACC felt more like a business both on and off the court. In the Sun Belt I feel like part of a family all the time and can just play my game.

You play for Coach Destinee Rogers: what makes her such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from her so far? Coach Dezz never gives up: she is always willing to do the work to make her players successful. The most important thing I have learned is that when life knocks you down you must get back up no matter what and always work hard.

In 2023 you scored a career-high 24 PTS in a loss at JMU: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? I always played well against JMU and just had an “underdog” mentality. Nobody believed in us whenever we played them, and my mentality was always to work even harder.

You led A-State with 7.7 RPG as a sophomore: what is the secret to being a good rebounder? I believe that good rebounding is all about technique: reading where the ball lands while also making sure you hold off your opponent is key.

Your former teammate Izzy Higginbottom was named Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year in 2023, 1st-Team All-Sun Belt in 2014, and led the SEC in scoring with 24.4 PPG for Arkansas this year: was it weird to face her last November in Fayetteville? It was not weird for me: just another game against somebody I know. I have played against a lot of former teammates before and there is no bad blood…but once you cross those lines and step onto that court, I no longer know you.

You lost back-to-back road games in late-February: how was you team able to turn things around at the right time? Coach Dezz has always told us that we were made to battle. We have crossed paths with adversity before and beat it. It was nothing to hang our heads about and obviously we did not because the result was even greater.

Last Monday you scored 13 PTS in a 7-PT OT win over JMU to clinch a spot in the NCAA tourney for the 1st time in school history: how on earth were you able to overcome a 17-PT 1st half deficit, and what did it mean to you to win a title? We are battle-tested: we have been down before and came back. It is all about how you get up rather than how hard you get knocked down. My teammates and I were not fazed and kept pushing to get the results we have worked all year for. We were made for this moment: it was all within God’s plan.

Your team’s 10.6 3PM this year is #1 in the nation: how crucial is the 3-PT shot to your team’s offensive philosophy? It is very crucial. When you are leading the nation in an offensive category, most people would say it is their “#1 thing” or “only offense”, but to be honest we have many weapons. So yes, it is our best weapon…but it is not the only 1 we have.

How do you feel about being a #15 seed facing UConn? For me the seeding does not matter. We have been doubted all year, from being ranked 13th in the preseason poll to playing our Sun Belt opponents, but none of that matters. In the end, the ones who are doubted hold the prize.

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Arkansas State women’s coach Destinee Rogers

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Jon Teitel

Last week Arkansas State beat JMU 86-79 in OT in the Sun Belt women’s tourney to earned an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Red Wolves had a losing season for 6 straight but are now heading to the NCAA tourney for the 1st time in school history. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Arkansas State coach Destinee Rogers about the importance of 3-PT shooting and making the NCAA tourney.

You were a 3-year starter at Central Arkansas: how good a player were you back in the day? I was a coach on the floor and prided myself on being an elite point guard who got the ball where it needed to go. I also tried to be a good leader for our team.

How did you get into coaching? I watched my dad coach my whole life. I have been around the game of basketball for a long time, and it became life for me at an early age.

As an assistant at your alma mater your team set a school record with 28 wins in 2016 and made the 1st NCAA tourney in school history: what are your memories of that magical season? How hard it was. It is not easy to win, but when you have a team that truly believes then you can achieve anything. The biggest thing I learned that year is that you win with a “we over me” mentality.

In 2021 you became the 1st African-American female head coach to win a game in school history: how big a deal was it? It was a huge deal because I truly felt the moment was far greater than me. I was thankful to God first and foremost, but I also felt like it was an opportunity for me to open the door for someone else who looks like me.

You had a losing record in each of your 1st 2 years: what has clicked in year #3? The first two years were tough because we could not play the way that we really wanted to. This year is the first year that every kid on our team was a kid who we recruited.

Your former player Izzy Higginbottom was named Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year in 2023, 1st-Team All-Sun Belt in 2014, and led the SEC in scoring with 24.4 PPG for Arkansas this year: was it weird to face her last November in Fayetteville? Not weird at all. I love Izzy and was truly happy to witness her success here as well as in Arkansas. She deserves it and I am super-proud of her.

You lost back-to-back road games in late-February: how was you team able to turn things around at the right time? It happened for a reason. It was an opportunity for us to regroup and learn some lessons that would later help us win the tournament.

Last Monday you had a 7-PT OT win over JMU to clinch a spot in the NCAA tourney for the 1st time in school history: how on earth were you able to overcome a 17-PT 1st half deficit, and what did it mean to you to win a title? God is the greatest: we trust his plan even when others do not. We overcame the deficit because we believed that we could. It came down to getting stops so that we could get out in transition and create advantages for our offense. We had to wake up and stop playing scared.

Your team’s 10.6 3PM this year is #1 in the nation: how crucial is the 3-PT shot to your offensive philosophy? We value taking good shots, period, whether that is a three or a layup. We want to shoot the best available shot each possession and a lot of times that is a three because we drive and kick the ball a ton.

How do you feel about being a #15 seed facing UConn? People have bet against us all year so this will be no different. We will take whatever seed we are given and are grateful to be dancing.

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews San Diego State dancer Kailey Lagestee

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Jon Teitel

Last Thursday San Diego State lost to Boise State in the MWC tourney but still earned an at-large bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Aztecs have now had a winning season for 20 straight years and are heading back to the NCAA tourney for the 5th year in a row. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with San Diego State dancer SR Kailey Lagestee about being a captain and making the NCAA tourney.
*NOTE: special thanks to Kailey for taking time out of her busy day to answer these questions literally hours before her team takes the court tonight in the 1st 4!

You grew up in Orange County, CA: what made you choose San Diego State? I chose San Diego State because of the beautiful location, strong child development program, and collegiate-level dance team. The dance team was a significant factor in why I chose SDSU: I fell in love with the family-oriented environment, as well as the dedication/passion the team radiates.

You are majoring in Early Childhood Development: how did you choose that subject? My love for working with kids began at a young age due to my large family. My major in Early Childhood Development has given me the opportunity to work in several different childcare settings.

You are a senior: what is the post-graduation plan? Having the opportunity to be exposed to working in childcare, I have developed a love for teaching elementary education. I will be working to receive my teaching credential after graduation.

You have been captain of the dance team for the past 3 years: what is the key to being a good leader? After being a captain of the San Diego State dance team for three years, I have learned several factors that contribute to being a strong leader. Gaining the respect of my teammates by leading by example and putting the team first, while also creating strong connections and relationships with my teammates, helps make them feel supported.

You were a 2-time silver medalist at UDA College Nationals: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? Receiving the opportunity to compete at such a high-caliber competition is a privilege in itself. Being able to represent our university proudly in the D1A hip-hop category is extremely rewarding. Being one of the few all-girl teams in this category and receiving two silver medals in this division is a huge honor, thanks to our consistent hard work.

The Aztecs have made some great postseason runs in recent years: do you have a favorite memory? In 2024 the Aztecs made it to the Sweet 16, and a core memory from those games includes cheering at the game against Yale. The energy in the arena was unmatched and the players’ confidence radiated throughout the venue.

1 of your hobbies is exploring new restaurants: do you have a favorite cuisine? Choosing a favorite cuisine is difficult, but while in San Diego I have loved exploring several Mexican restaurants.

How does your school decide who gets to go to the NCAA tourney, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? Our team typically decides who goes to the NCAA by seniority and several other factors throughout the year. Watching our team on national television is such a privilege due to the love and dedication we have for cheering on the Aztecs.

Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for this week? We plan to cheer on the Aztecs’ men’s team at their First Four NCAA tournament game, and are also cheering on the women’s team at their First Round NCAA tournament game in Louisiana.

Any predictions for your game tonight vs. North Carolina in Dayton? I believe we will have an Aztec win! We will always support and cheer on the Aztecs.

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