Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron

Hour 2: Travis Steele & Dusty May Join the Show...

Date: March 16, 2026
Hosts: Matt Jones (ESPN Radio), Myron Medcalf
Guests: Tom Crean, Travis Steele (Miami OH Head Coach), Dusty May (Michigan Head Coach), Keith Gill (NCAA Selection Committee Chair)

Overview

This episode dives into NCAA Men’s College Basketball Selection Sunday with bracket analysis, upset picks, deep dives into prominent programs, and interviews with key figures heading into March Madness. The conversation covers detailed critiques of top teams like Duke, St. John's, Kansas, Alabama, and Kentucky. Special guests—Miami of Ohio coach Travis Steele, Michigan head coach Dusty May, and NCAA Selection Committee Chair Keith Gill—offer firsthand reactions and insight into the seeding process and team preparation. The tone is lively, sharp, and analytical, driven by rapid exchanges, coaching anecdotes, and bracket drama.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Tournament Recap and Bracket Reactions

• Opening Segment: Celebration of tournament champions across conferences, setting the Selection Sunday energy (00:23–01:31).
• Bracketology Kickoff: Odds for national championship favorites with Duke leading at +330, followed by Michigan, Arizona, Florida, and Houston (02:24).

Deep Dive: Duke’s Tournament Odds and Weaknesses (02:24–06:56)

• Duke as #1 Overall Seed

  • Matt, Myron, and Tom discuss if Duke truly deserves the favorite status despite losing point guard Caleb Foster.
  • Myron Metcalf: “Cameron Boozer is a generational college player… I'm not picking against Duke.” (02:55)
  • Tom Crean: Highlights Duke’s elite team defense but exposes weaknesses in individual defending and one-on-one situations.
  • “Where they struggle is individual defenders… You can drive, pick the ball up… and still score through them.” (03:38)

• Potential Weaknesses and Vulnerabilities

  • Foster’s absence puts pressure on defense; individual matchups could be exploited.
  • TCU matchup is eyed as a “real” test; Tom Crean explicitly says, “Absolutely I do,” when asked if TCU can beat Duke (05:36).
  • Consensus: To upset Duke, opponents “must lead with 6–8 points going into the final minutes” (06:07).

Spotlight: St. John’s, Kansas, and Potential Upsets (07:17–10:14)

• St. John’s vs. Kansas in the Second Round

  • Tom: “I love Kansas if they're healthy and clicking. St. John's takes away your individual space… they could beat anybody in this tournament.” (07:37)

• Skepticism on St. John's Consistency

  • Myron: “It's hard for me to believe in a St. John's team that seems to only get excited when they're playing UConn in the Garden.” (08:39)
  • Consensus: St. John’s has the talent but lacks consistency.

• First-Round Upset Potential

  • Watching Kansas vs. Cal Baptist and South Florida vs. Louisville as possible upset picks, but not seeing much risk for St. John’s against Northern Iowa (09:24–10:14).

Interview: Travis Steele, Miami (OH) Head Coach (12:38–20:22)

Miami of Ohio makes the tournament after a perfect 31-0 regular season.

• On Being Slotted in the First Four:
  • “It doesn't matter where we are, where we play, who we play… we're just thrilled to be in it.” (13:31, Steele)
  • Facing SMU: Recognizes POOPY Miller and Pierre’s scoring ability; keys are “keep them out of transition, make them take contested jump shots.” (14:47)
• Fan Excitement:
  • “In a lot of ways, this will be a home game for us... it’s just going to be, in a lot of ways, gonna be a home game for us... it’s pretty cool.” (16:12)
• Culture & Player Loyalty:
  • Pete Suter’s decision to stay: “When they saw Pete was staying, it was almost like, well, shoot, if he stayed, I gotta stay.” (17:49)
• Key Player: Antron Woolfolk:
  • “He’s our enforcer… opens up everything for our shooting.” (18:33, Steele)
  • Tom Crean: “That's why I brought his name up, because you don't win without him. He’s an X factor.” (19:09)
• Prediction: Picks brother John Groce’s Akron team to upset Texas Tech: “I got them going. I got them advancing in my bracket. I know that.” (19:56)

SMU Selection & Bubble Team Debate (20:43–21:59)

• Tom and Myron debate Auburn/Oklahoma over SMU for the last spot.
• Myron: “We’re not giving out blue ribbons on Selection Sunday… The goal is to beat enough to qualify.” (21:09)

Interview: Dusty May, Michigan Head Coach (24:20–29:23)

A look into the life and preparation of a #1 seed after the Big Ten tourney loss.

• Handling Loss, Preparing for Unknown Opponent:

  • “I've got to shift my focus into preparing... We're still in better shape than who we're playing because we've got a playing game.” (24:20, May)
  • Details logistical scramble: “Our staff is diving into Howard and UMBC right now… start preparing for anything that could be out of the ordinary…” (25:14)

• On Replacing LJ Cason’s Production:

  • “Our bench...was as good as any in the country... Now, all of those guys are in a new role and we've changed our rotations a little bit.” (25:56)

• Scouting Second Round Opponents (St. Louis, Georgia):

  • “I probably watched 20 combined games of St. Louis and Georgia this year. So… we won't have to do extensive film study because we already know them pretty well.” (26:56)

• Key to Success:

  • Needs guards (Burnett/Gill) to step up and mentions importance of committee contributions. (27:54)

• On Utilizing Multiple Bigs:

  • “They figured out ways to let each other operate… because Yakshel's ability to expand his range and think more like a perimeter guy...” (28:31)

Midwest Bracket Analysis: Kentucky, Alabama & Upset Watch (29:25–34:42)

• Kentucky vs. Santa Clara:

  • Tom: Santa Clara can “set the pace,” beat St. Mary’s, and “adjust their style based on how they need to win.” (29:44)
  • Matt: “Kentucky’s variance is so wide... they can win this region… but I could also see them losing their first game.” (30:42)

• Alabama’s Wild Card Status:

  • Tom: “There’s a run left if they can outscore you… but their interior defense is a major problem.” (31:44)
  • Myron: “A lot of highlights, a lot of flash, zero defense. That’s what I think of Alabama.” (32:35)

• Hofstra’s Talent: Guards Edmead and Davis pegged as “dangerous” in the portal and capable off the dribble (32:56).

• The Virginia Factor: Matt calls for a major upset; “There’s no team in college basketball I consistently believe in less than Virginia in the postseason.” Picks Wright State over Virginia. (33:46–34:04)

Interview: Keith Gill, NCAA Selection Committee Chair (35:51–44:52)

Behind the Bracket—Explanations on Seeding Logic and Bubble Decisions

• On Miami (OH):

  • “Miami of Ohio wasn’t the last team selected… but scrubbed down to be the last at-large on the seed list.” (36:29)

• Championship Game Impact:

  • “Championship games do matter… Michigan was #2 overall before losing; Arizona scrubbed ahead to #2 after results.” (37:31)

• Bubble Cuts:

  • Auburn: “Great strength of schedule... but 515 winning percentage, 16 losses... just didn’t quite make it.” (38:43)
  • Oklahoma: “Fewest wins against the SEC’s top seven... resume metrics a little below the typical cut line.” (38:43)

• Regional Balance and Bracketing:

  • Duke’s region “adds up to 31” but “fits within the parameters”; geography and conference management often dictate seed spread (40:01).

• Potential 1 vs. 2 Seed "Home City" Problem:

  • Matt questions Houston as a #2 possibly playing Florida #1 in Houston:
    • Gill: “Only 30% chance those teams meet… We follow our principles and try not to pick winners/losers.” (43:26–44:52)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Cameron Boozer is the greatest winner maybe we've seen in 20 years in this sport.” —Myron Metcalf (06:07)
• “Where they struggle is individual defenders… You can get them up in the air. You can score over them.” —Tom Crean on Duke (03:38)
• “In a lot of ways, this will be a home game for us... it’s a special moment just to be a part of the NCAA tournament...” —Travis Steele on tournament excitement (16:12)
• “A lot of highlights, a lot of flash, zero defense. That’s what I think of with Alabama.” —Myron Metcalf (32:35)
• “The goal is to beat enough to qualify. I just don’t think Auburn fit that profile.” —Myron Metcalf (21:09)
• “They figured out ways to let each other operate, to play off each other and stay out of each other's way.” —Dusty May on Michigan’s bigs (28:31)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:23 | Tournament champion roll call, Selection Sunday hype | | 02:24 | Bracket odds & Duke as #1 overall seed discussion | | 03:38 | Tom Crean technical breakdown of Duke’s defense | | 05:34 | TCU’s chance against Duke | | 07:17 | Kansas vs. St. John’s preview | | 09:24 | First round upsets: Kansas/Cal Baptist, St. John's/UNI | | 12:38 | Travis Steele (Miami OH) interview begins | | 14:47 | SMU matchup, keys to the game | | 16:12 | On playing in Dayton, fan excitement | | 18:33 | Antron Woolfolk’s importance | | 24:20 | Dusty May (Michigan) interview begins | | 25:14 | First-round prep: Howard/UMBC, logistical realities | | 26:56 | On knowing second-round foes from personal history | | 28:31 | Michigan's unique big-man rotation | | 29:44 | Kentucky/Santa Clara breakdown | | 31:44 | Alabama’s “all offense, no defense” identity | | 35:51 | Keith Gill (Selection Committee Chair) interview begins | | 36:29 | Rationale behind Miami, OH selection | | 37:31 | Impact of championship games on seeding | | 38:43 | Detailed cut for bubble teams Auburn, Oklahoma | | 40:01 | Why Duke’s region is so “top heavy” explained | | 43:26 | Houston location conundrum as a 2-seed at home | | 44:52 | Keith Gill wraps up |

Episode Summary

This packed episode is a fast-paced Selection Sunday special that covers the big landscape moves of March Madness—revealing vulnerabilities of top teams, warning of dangerous matchups, and providing the inside scoop from coaches and bracketing authorities. Lively debates about bubble teams and regional strengths, combined with on-the-ground reactions from Miami and Michigan’s coaches, bring the drama of the NCAA tournament to life. Listeners come away understanding not just who’s in, but how and why, and what surprises may lurk in the early rounds.