Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron
Episode: Men's Selection Show Special
Hosts: Matt Jones, Myron Medcalf, with Tom Crean
Date: March 15, 2026
Episode Overview
Hour 1 of this Selection Sunday special dives into the unveiling of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament field. Matt Jones, Myron Medcalf, and guest analyst/former coach Tom Crean react live to the tournament bracket, break down each region, highlight teams’ paths and potential upsets, and discuss seeding surprises and selection committee decisions. The episode is energetic, fast-paced, and brimming with insight for college basketball fans awaiting March Madness.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Bracket Reveal & Immediate Reactions (02:11–05:53)
- Matt announces the early reveals in the East:
- Duke as the #1 overall seed, facing #16 Siena.
- Analysis of sub-region matchups: Ohio State (8) vs TCU (9), St. John's (5) vs Northern Iowa (12), Kansas (4) vs Cal Baptist (13).
- Myron: Notes St. John’s drawing Duke as a tough break for Rick Pitino’s team.
- Tom Crean: Cautions Kansas about Cal Baptist’s star guard, Dominic Daniels, who could spark an early upset. Praises Kansas’ growth, especially if star Darren Peterson is healthy and focused.
“If Kansas isn't on its P's and Q's, they could get bounced early.” — Tom Crean [03:26]
- Bottom half of the East revealed: Louisville (6) vs South Florida (11), Michigan State (3) vs North Dakota State (14), UCLA (7) vs UCF (10), UConn (2) vs Furman (15).
- Hosts immediately declare the East the tournament’s toughest region, noting UConn as the top #2 seed and Michigan State as the top #3.
“That East Region...that is stacked.” — Matt Jones [05:04]
2. In-Depth East Region Breakdown (05:53–08:57)
- Discussion of Duke’s path, the Big East’s seeding disrespect, and tough probable second-round matchups like St. John’s vs Kansas.
- Myron identifies Darren Peterson as “the most effortless scorer I’ve seen at this level since Kevin Durant” [07:05]—but cautions Kansas’ chemistry can falter.
- Louisville–Michigan State likely second-round match emphasized, with doubts over Louisville’s physicality to withstand Michigan State’s defense.
“There are outside factors in determining if [Mikel Brown Jr.'s] going to play or not. Michigan State is hard to deal with when you're not used to that physicality.” — Tom Crean [07:46]
- Matt and Myron flag Kansas–Cal Baptist and possibly TCU–Duke as upset alerts.
3. West Region Revealed and Discussed (08:57–13:34)
- Arizona as the #1 seed, facing Long Island (16).
- Notable first-round games:
- Villanova (8) vs Utah State (9)
- Wisconsin (5) vs High Point (12)
- Arkansas (4) vs Hawaii (13)—John Calipari leads Arkansas to first SEC title with two different teams.
- Tom Crean calls Arizona “the most complete” team in the field, comparing their depth and freshman star power favorably to last year’s Florida team.
“Arizona is the most complete. They're the closest to what Florida was a year ago...” — Tom Crean [09:13]
- On the bubble: Texas and NC State will play in Dayton. Tom is surprised NC State was bumped so low.
- BYU (6) draws the play-in winner; Gonzaga (3) gets relative home advantage in Portland.
- Purdue (2) and Miami–Missouri (7/10) round out a balanced region.
4. Rosters, Matchups, and South Florida Danger (15:10–17:12)
- Tom details South Florida’s speed, depth, and ability to drive and kick for corner threes, making them a real threat to Louisville.
“South Florida ... can play different ways... they do an incredible job of driving inside the elbows, where it is so hard to create help.” — Tom Crean [15:10]
- Praise for superstar freshmen like AJ DeBonta (BYU) and comments about how unique elite talents change the matchup calculus.
5. Midwest Region Revealed (17:12–21:41)
- Michigan is top seed, playing the UMBC/Howard winner; 8/9 is Georgia vs St. Louis.
- Texas Tech (5) vs Akron (12); Alabama (4) vs Hofstra (13).
- St. Louis’ (9) recent struggles and potential are discussed at length, with fatigue and roster depth an open question.
- Miami of Ohio earns a spot after upset drama; will play SMU in the First Four (confirmed via breaking news).
- Bottom half: Virginia (3) vs Wright State (14); Kentucky (7) vs Santa Clara (10); Iowa State (2) vs Tennessee State (15).
- Both Myron and Matt see Kentucky and Tennessee as high-variance teams that top seeds won’t be thrilled to see in their half.
6. South Region Revealed—Seeding Controversies (24:35–26:35)
- Florida (1) will play winner of Prairie View A&M/Lehigh (16).
- Clemson (8) vs Iowa (9), Vanderbilt (5) vs McNeese State (12)—hosts are baffled by Vandy’s seeding and their brutal draw.
- Nebraska (4) vs Troy (13), North Carolina (6) vs VCU (11), Illinois (3) vs Penn (14), St. Mary’s (7) vs Texas A&M (10), Houston (2) vs Idaho (15).
- The overall impression is that SEC and Big East teams were under-seeded, while some mid-majors (like McNeese) pose genuine threats.
“If I was Vandy…that’s a very dangerous game for a Vandy team that made the finals of the SEC tournament but seemingly not rewarded.” — Matt Jones [24:49]
7. Selection Snubs & Committee Critique (28:04–32:41)
- Notable snubs: Auburn and Oklahoma (both SEC) left out.
- Miami of Ohio is the lowest KenPom/NET team to get an at-large ever.
- Debate ensues on whether Miami or Auburn deserved Dayton, issues with scheduling for mid-majors, and inherent biases in the process.
“We’ve got to break up the monopoly that these Power 4 teams have in how they schedule.” — Myron Metcalf [31:06]
- The crew argues for more equitable bracket criteria and questions the sunk conventions on seeding.
8. Bracket Imbalances and March Madness Parity (33:41–35:46)
- East region loaded: Duke (1), UConn (2), Michigan State (3), Kansas (4)—3 of top 9 overall in one region according to the committee’s ordering.
- Calls out selection committee logic; Matt proposes a more balanced approach to regional distribution.
- Myron notes John Shire (Duke) has the hardest road for a #1 seed: “You got to be thinking you’re the top overall seed…and they gave you the hardest road to get to a championship.” [34:01]
9. Final Four Contenders; Sneaky Picks (35:46–36:50)
- Discussion of easier path for Michigan and sneaky picks to make deep runs (Iowa State, Virginia, Texas Tech).
- Hosts banter about Tennessee and Virginia as a second-round toss-up.
10. Outstanding Parity and Talent This Season (38:32–40:31)
- Matt: “This is the most talented college basketball season…15 years, 10 years.”
- Myron and Tom agree, crediting a loaded freshman class (including true superstars like Darius Acuff) and the impact of older transfer-portal players.
“There’s such high-quality older guys now…that’s why there’s so much parity.” — Tom Crean [40:16]
11. South Region Analysis and Upset Watch (40:31–45:10)
- Florida is favored for a deep run but could falter due to streaky guard play and issues defending stretch bigs.
- Nebraska highlighted as capable of winning their first NCAA game ever.
- Houston–Florida possible Elite 8 matchup in Houston’s hometown (Rice is official tourney host)—a “brilliant” host move giving Houston home-court feel.
- Myron picks McNeese over Vandy as most likely upset; Tom and Matt agree.
12. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
Myron Metcalf:
- “Darren Peterson is [the] most effortless scorer I’ve seen at this level since Kevin Durant.” [07:05]
- “John Shire is throwing stuff around the room right now, trying to figure out how he got this set up.” [05:17]
Tom Crean:
- “When you have a pick-and-pop five…that’s the game.” [41:24]
- “South Florida…they get inside those elbows, they get to the basket, they make kickouts. C.J. Brown is as good an elbow driver as there is in the game.” [15:10]
- “There's three constants in life. There’s a new one right now: there's death, there's taxes, and Michigan State and Duke are going to end up in the same bracket.” [34:24]
Matt Jones:
- “That could be your second round: Duke–Ohio State, St. John’s–Kansas, Louisville–Michigan State, UCLA–UConn. That could be your second round.” [34:40]
Key Timestamps for Important Segments
- East region reveal & analysis: [02:11–08:57]
- West region reveal & analysis: [08:57–13:34]
- Midwest region reveal & analysis: [17:12–21:41]
- South region reveal & seeding controversy: [24:35–26:35]
- Selection committee snubs/critique: [28:04–32:41]
- Bracket balance debate: [33:41–35:46]
- Outstanding talent & parity this season: [38:32–40:31]
- South region analysis & upsets: [40:31–45:10]
Tone and Takeaways
The episode’s tone is lively, occasionally incredulous—especially around seeding decisions and selection committee logic. The trio combine deep basketball knowledge, analytics, and an infectious love for college hoops. Even seasoned fans will find new statistical insights, and plenty of bracket-filling guidance, especially on potential upsets and dark horses.
For new listeners and bracket-filling fans, this episode is a goldmine: live reactions, bracket breakdowns, and all the storylines that will frame March Madness 2026.