00:00Let's start it out with your conference.
00:01I mean, your takeaways on a review of what you guys have done during the regular season and what you
00:06guys did in the postseason.
00:08Just give us your takeaways here on the WCC.
00:11Yeah, the key takeaways, Dan, and thank you again for having me on the show.
00:16I truly appreciate it.
00:17It's always a pleasure.
00:18You know, the West Coast Conference, as many of the fans know, we're what would be characterized as a mid
00:24-major conference.
00:25And for us to get three teams in the dance, you know, our automatic qualifier in Gonzaga and then two
00:32at-large bids with Santa Clara and St. Mary's, that's a good year for us.
00:37And fortunately for us, you know, Gonzaga went on and actually won a game.
00:44Santa Clara probably should have won a game, if not for, you know, some end-of-the-game, you know,
00:51faux pas out there on the floor.
00:54But it's a good year.
00:55And, you know, it really is a signal with Gonzaga leaving our conference next year that we still are going
01:02to be a viable, nationally visible conference.
01:05And that pleases me.
01:07How about this, too?
01:08Stu, with the selection process of the tournament, are you happy with the way that the selection committee picks the
01:15teams?
01:15Or do you think there needs to be an adjustment on that?
01:20Yeah, you know, Dan, as you know, I serve on the men's basketball committee.
01:25And it's just for me personally, I will say it's a true honor to be a part of that committee,
01:31in part because of the great leadership of Dan Gavitt has had over the years.
01:38And I would just tell fans that in terms of, you know, our ability to select and seed and scrub
01:46and ultimately bracket teams, it's a process that is mainly science and some art.
01:54And I think over the years, the data probably proves that, you know, we tend to get it right most
02:01times.
02:02Now, every year, this year included, and every year in the future, on the margins, there's always going to be
02:10questions about bubble teams.
02:12And those six to eight teams, at the end of the day, you know, they have resumes that all have
02:20deficiencies.
02:21So you're in a position where you have to make some decisions, you know, with the 12 members on the
02:27committee on who gets in and, unfortunately, who's out.
02:31And that's a really tough process, and it's a process that we take extremely seriously because we understand the impact
02:38on the institutions, coaches, and the players on whether or not they get in a tournament or not.
02:44But by and large, I think that we hit the mark, which is, you know, I think somewhat validated by
02:50the fact of how exciting this tournament has been in terms of the matchups.
02:55Absolutely. We're looking forward to talking to Dan Gavitt next week as well.
02:59So, again, are you a fan of the expanding of the tournament from 68?
03:04A lot of people are talking about that.
03:06Where are they in the process?
03:08Where are you guys in that on potentially expanding it?
03:11Well, the process of potentially expanding it really is on hold until after the tournament.
03:18It's no secret that discussions are ongoing between the NCAA and, you know, our network partners.
03:25And at this point, there's been no decision that's been made.
03:28And if I couldn't begin to calibrate where it's going to fall, I mean, that really is in the hands
03:35of President Charlie Baker, you know, Dan Gavitt, and our network partners.
Comments