The NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament, aka March Madness, has become one of the most anticipated sporting events in America. People who don‘t know a dunk from a door knob tune in to see this dramatic, long running soap opera on the hardcourt.
There are certain guarantees each year to the miniseries that is March Madness. There will be surprises, upsets, beat downs, statements, history, and excitement.
March Madness is not just about basketball. It is about personalities, players stepping up, NBA Draft positioning, fired up fans, coaches on the rise, and boisterous broadcasts. This yearly tournament got underway this week with team selections, bracket preparation, and First Four games. They were of course the yearly questions. How did my team not get in this year? Who was snubbed? Who will emerge as National champions?
truTV featured several March Madness preparation programs. On March 18, following North Carolina’s South Region First Four victory over San Diego State, I tuned into an NCAA Post Game edition of Inside March Madness. The 2024-25 weak sister version of the Tar Heels were criticized for even making the tournament, but after this win, they seemed as loud, proud, and unbowed as any team in the country. That is the beauty of March Madness. If you make the tournament, it does not matter what happened from November until now. Everyone starts out 0-0.
Deep Dives With Statistics That Matter
Inside March Madness began with a look back at the night’s games and a look ahead to upcoming matchups. Host Adam Lefkoe offered some historic numbers saying that this is the 86th men’s NCAA tournament and that the North Carolina-San Diego State game was the 3704th game in the history of the event. He had added funny line, saying that studio cohort and ex-Villanova coach Jay Wright has seen all of those games.
Davis has been an absolute mountain of a broadcast journalist, talking college hoops seemingly forever. Rose was part of the fabled Fab Five at the University of Michigan and had an excellent NBA career before a stellar stint at ESPN. Wright won two National Championships with Villanova and is a Naismith Hall of Famer. The group provided a wonderful opening salvo of March Madness analysis.
Lefkoe is a real talent. He has done yeoman’s work covering the NFL and as a fill-in host for Ernie Johnson on TNT ‘s Inside the NBA. The latter is not an easy task given that Johnson has achieved iconic status on that show. Lefkoe was joined on this Inside March Madness set by Seth Davis, Jalen Rose, and the aforementioned Wright. This was a truly terrific college basketball on-air lineup.
Lefkoe jumped right into highlights of an incredible matchup between 16 seeds Saint Francis and Alabama State. Davis chimed in with some analysis as Lefkoe narrated action from this pulsating game. There were some crazy shots and wild plays in this tilt, and Lefkoe brought the action to life for viewers. All three of the desk analysts chipped in with their thoughts on this excellent game that came down to the final seconds. Rose even threw in a reference to the fabled Grant Hill to Christian Laettner pass from the 1992 Elite 8 matchup between Duke and Kentucky.
Alabama State won the game 70–68 earning the opportunity to play number one seed Auburn in Lexington, Kentucky. Lefkoe threw to postgame comments from Alabama State head coach Tony Madlock, who orchestrated the first ever NCAA tournament win in school history. This is one of the best parts of March Madness. The average hoops fan may not know who Tony Madlock is, but with his distinctive voice and detailed descriptions of the game, he could emerge as a real personality.
March Madness Makes Fresh Faces Instant Superstars
The NCAA Tournament is a star maker for sure. Players and coaches move up the ranks if they can pull off upsets and make an indelible mark. Saint Francis head coach Rob Krimmel showed the tough side of March Madness. In a very dour tone, he quoted his dad as saying that the two worst days of the year are the day after Christmas and the day after vacation. He said that Saint Francis’s 6-game winning streak was like a vacation and that the loss to Alabama State ended the ride.
The ups of Madlock and the downs of Krimmel are what March Madness is all about. Each game is a season unto itself – one bad pass, one dribble off the foot, or one missed free-throw can bring finality. That is why this tournament is equal parts beautiful and brutal. The broadcast crew on Inside March Madness gets this. They know what it takes to win, and what it takes out of you to lose.
Davis brings an air of sophistication and experience to any broadcast. This is the 21st NCAA Tournament he has is covered. The New York Times best-selling author knows the game inside out and has contacts beyond belief. Davis always brings solid commentary and in-depth knowledge to the proceedings. He is as ensconced as part of this tournament as historic names like Dick Vitale, Al McGuire, and Billy Packer.
The Impact Of Jalen Rose, The Analyst
Similarly, Rose is always on point. To me, he is one of the top four or five basketball analysts in the business. What I like most about Rose is the feeling and emotion that he brings to the discourse. The University of Michigan star from 1991-1994 made two final four appearances as a player and was a 1993-94 all Big Ten First Team player.
As a member of Michigan’s Fab Five along with Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson, Rose wasn’t just part of a team, he was part of an iconic group of young players who changed the game forever. Michigan was the first team to start five freshmen in a game and set both social and sartorial trends with their outspoken comments, baggy shorts, and black socks. They were one of the most influential basketball teams at any level in the history of the game.
Rose is about more than hoops as exemplified in his Detroit-based Leadership Academy. His wide-ranging scope came to the forefront when Lefkoe asked him about the close game between Saint Francis and Alabama State. The first thing Rose said was that this is why he encourages young people to play sports. He talked about how athletics can teach life lessons, pointing to the fact that Alabama State got off to a really slow start, but persevered and achieved victory.
The erudite Wright laid down some insight saying that Alabama State practices end of game situations constantly. He and Rose both talked about Alabama State’s ability to get a huge defensive stop, and then score. Wright is a 6-time Big East Coach of the Year who has made a natural transition to television. He is clear, concise, and captivating. Wright said that Alabama State’s victory was proof of a good coach having his team prepared.
In a nice exchange, Lefkoe stated that Saint Francis shot 50% from the floor and 45% from three point range, but lost because of turnovers, rebounding, and number of shots. Wright took Lefkoe’s pass and then scored, saying that Madlock’s coaching philosophy is similar to that of legendary Temple coach John Cheney – taking care of the basketball, getting offensive rebounds, and taking a lot of shots. Rose added that Alabama State was also playing full court defense, setting up traps, and playing half court zone. “They were like piranhas when the basketball was on the ground,” said Rose.
The quartet of Lefkoe, Davis, Rose, and Wright comprise a remarkable host, journalist, player, and coach combination. Inside March Madness on truTV is unique in that we get Davis’s information, Lefkoe’s charisma, Rose’s background, and Wright’s experience. Their varied perspectives and strengths meld perfectly to give viewers a fine foursome of facts.
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John Molori is a weekly columnist for Barrett Sports Media. He has previously contributed to ESPNW, Patriots Football Weekly, Golf Content Network, Methuen Life Magazine, and wrote a syndicated Media Blitz column in the New England region, which was published by numerous outlets including The Boston Metro, Providence Journal, Lowell Sun, and the Eagle-Tribune. His career also includes fourteen years in television as a News and Sports Reporter, Host, Producer working for Continental Cablevision, MediaOne, and AT&T. He can be reached on Twitter @MoloriMedia.
