GO Hour and John Pugliese recap Day One of the NCAA Tournament

Key notes from John Pugliese interview

• College basketball, like the SEC, is top heavy, but once you get past the elite teams anyone can beat anyone. New Mexico State was a brain lapse away from beating Auburn.
   
• The low-major and mid-major school have their tournament championships a week before the high major ones, which gives them extra rest and preparation. It puts them in a better position to play higher caliber teams. Typically in December these 15 seeds would lose to 2 seeds by 30, but with the extra rest and preparation they can keep these games close. For example, Seaton Hall were gassed after that Marquette and Villanova games, and they clearly ran out of steam down the stretch against Wofford. 
   
• The teams with the most talent and depth should be doing what Kentucky and Gonzaga did. In the Michigan State game, Bradley shouldn’t have been a 15-seed game. They are way too talented to be a 15 seed. In fact, no team from the Missouri Valley conference should be a 15-seed. The Missouri Valley is a very underrated basketball conference. 
   
• We were all paying attention to major conference guys, we overlooked Ja Morant. It looks likely that he’ll go out against Florida State though, but what he managed to do yesterday was spectacular. He’s one of nine guys in the history of college basketball to have a triple-double in the tournament. Marquette was incredibly disappointing though. They looked like one of the best teams in the country just a few weeks ago. They didn’t look prepared at all. Also, it should be noted that Marquette’s coach hasn’t won a tournament game in 5 years.
   
• Point guard play has evolved with point guard’s probing in the lane. They’re given far more freedom to create for themselves and their teammates, and you saw that evolution with Morant yesterday. 
   
• We all overlooked Kansas because they haven’t been as good as they typically are, but some of us forgot to look at a few of the teams they beat. They’ve beaten some elite teams.
   
• Florida was very impressive. They held Nevada to 35% from the field, 20% from three, and only four assist as a team. Nevada is a very experienced and talented group, so what Flordia managed to accomplish on the defensive side is amazing. It seems like the NCAA always seem to match up Florida and Michigan. First it was Peach Bowl, now March Madness.
   
•  Belmont’s last possession was a huge wasted opportunity. Why wouldn’t you get the ball to Dylan Windler who had hit seven three-pointers and 33 points. 
   
• It was a mid-major takeover in a lot of ways. Flethcer Magee from Wofford, Morant with Murray State, and Windler with Belmont all had huge days. What’s so special about March madness is that fans get introduced to these new guys that they typical would never see on TV. McGee has the potential to be a late first round draft pick. He is very comparable to JJ Redick.  Most people get caught up in athleticism and flash, and a lot of these guys from mid-majors don’t have that, but they know how to put the ball through the basket.
   
• Ja Morant far and away had the greatest performance of the day. McGee and Windler deserve a mention too. Makai Mason also deserves a mention too with 22 points and four three-pointers while battling through an injured foot.
   
• Avery Johnson and Alabama are working on a buyout. Bryce Drew is also out at Vanderbilt. There are now three open jobs in the SEC. It’s not too surprising to see Drew gone; they went 0-18 in conference so it should be expected. It’s tough when a lottery pick like Darius Garland goes down, but to not win a conference game is unacceptable.
   
• A&M is probably the best job available, even better than UCLA. UCLA has a tough academic standard, and the program isn’t in the shape it was just a few years ago. The Pac-12 is no longer elite either, and the SEC is one of the best conferences in the country. 
   
• The best game was Auburn and New Mexico State, with Maryland-Belmont as a close second. Auburn did everything they could to lose the game with their terrible clock management down the stretch. The Syracuse-Baylor game also deserves a mention, with both teams lighting it up behind the three-point arch. The Vermont game was also great too. They nearly pulled off an unbelievable upset against Florida State.
   
• Kentucky, Wofford, and Murray State were all impressive in their own way, and the three most impressive of the day. Kansas, while impressive, are expected to blowout Northeastern. Flordia was also impressive with their defensive play and poise. LSU was really, really good without Will Wade.
   
• The matchups today that are the most intriguing are Buffalo-Arizona State, Orgeon- Kansas State, and Mississppi State-Liberty . In addition to it being a great matchup, there’s a great storyline with the coach leaving Buffalo for Arizona State. If were looking at the round of 32, the Murray State- Florida State game is the one I’m looking forward to in the next round. A crafty playmaker like Morant going up against Florida State’s elite defense will be great to watch.