PTI - Early Reactions to This Years Bracket

Episode Date: March 16, 2026

Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser discuss March Madness, UConn, and the USA vs. DR. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, sports fans, the ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place. The ESPN app is your home to thousands of live events, ESPN shows, and originals across every ESPN network and service. And now you can check if you already have ESPN Unlimited as part of your TV package for no additional calls. Visit activate.esPN.com to learn how to access your account or sign up, then start streaming in the ESPN app. It's all of ESPN all in one place. Sign up or activate now. Pardon the interruption, but I'm Michael Robon. The Academy Awards were last night, Tony. Michael B. Jordan won Best Actor.

I'm Tony Kornheiser. Weren't we technically his co-stars in Creed? Technically, we might not have to get credit, but our faces were on the screen. No, no, no. Not only do we get credit, I continue to get residuals from Creed and Creed 2. There we go. Vinnie's. So, I mean, Michael B. Jordan should thank us. Do you know him?

No, he should thank him. Love him. They should thank him. Love him. You know? He thanked me because I was sitting with him in L.A. In L.A. But he's not Michael J. Jordan.

Michael B. Jordan. Welcome to PTI, boys and girls. In today's episode, Team USA advances on a close call. Justin Fields has another new team, and Austin Reeves makes an intentional miss work for the Lakers. But we begin today with the NCAA bracket. The number one seeds are in order. Duke, Arizona, Michigan,

Florida. Miami of Ohio ended up in the play-in on Wednesday as an 11 seed against SMU and the winner will play Tennessee. The SEC has the most teams with 10. The big 10 is next with 9. Wilbon, what is right and what is wrong with this bracket? I didn't really see anything wrong with the bracket. Good. More room for me. Well, there's a lot of screaming and whining. What a shock coming out of New York with, you know, my colleagues included Stephen A. Smith, who are going going on and on and on for 20 minutes about St. John's. I'm going to do the same thing. So you go ahead.

You know I root for St. John. You know that, all right, actively for St. John's, before it got popular the second time around. They could have been seated higher than fifth. I would have seated them fourth, but I don't know that I'd have gone as high as third. But I'd have gone a number higher, and it might have gotten them in a bracket

that's a little more, you know, easy to navigate. By the way, I have St. John's beating Duke. But that's for another day. We'll get to that later in the week. So I got, that's, I don't see anything wrong with it. The Miami of Ohio piece, would I like to maybe have seen them be 12, maybe, but they're going to play in Dayton, which is essentially at home, a home game to get warmed up, maybe get their mojo back before they go and then play Tennessee.

So I'm okay with that. Let me start with what's right. The first four seeds, they're right. No argument. Now, Duke is the number one seed in the whole thing. Yeah. They are in by far the toughest draw, not even close. And they are the number one seed.

They give you the number one seed, even though two of your starters have not played for a couple of games and may not play. And then they put you in this draw. Here's who they're with. Yukon, Michigan State, Kansas, and St. John's. All of those schools are coached by people who have won the national championship, most of them more than one time. And they put Duke in that. And I think that I'm not saying it's unfair. I'm saying it's tough, but it leads me to St. John's.

I don't know how St. John's can be a five. St. John's won the Big East regular season. They won the Big East tournament. They beat Yukon by 20. They beat Yukon by 20. They also lost Yukon by 30. 34 points. They missed their last, or 32 points too.

They missed their last 24 shots in a row, then turned around and beat them by 20. And there are five. So what that tells you is the Big East has no particular currency anymore. Nor should it. They only have three teams. So that's how St. John's gets seed at fifth. I'll tell you what else I like. I like the twos, and I want to read all the twos.

Yukon, Houston, Purdue, Iowa State. I like them, but it brings me to this. And I think you will agree with this. I thought the Big 12 was the best conference all year. It was. They have three of the top eight seeds. Yet, the SEC has two more teams in the tournament, even with only one of the top eight seeds, Florida.

And their next ones are fours. And if Florida plays against the United States, Houston to go to the final foot. Do you know where that game is? Hello, it's in Houston. Like, thanks very much for being the defending champion. Now you have to beat Houston in Houston. You know what? Yeah, they are defending

champions. Houston's been good consistently for a while. Yes, for years. Hello Samson has had them up. And I would argue that Houston had a better overall season in Florida, which came on late. Houston was there from day one, and they maintained it in what you just said. Missed a couple of high-profile games. Lost a couple of high-profile

games right in a row. Terrific teams, one of whom... Lost a couple. Both of whom are seated higher. Yeah. Iowa State and Arizona. Well, Iowa State is seated in the same spot. Same, too. Yeah. Okay, well, it's not like they

embarrass themselves now. So in other words, nothing's wrong. You can give me that for the most part. Nothing really is wrong. Right. I just think St. John's is undervalued. You and Stephen A and, you know, Greenie. Greenie wasn't on this morning. You and Stephen A. Now, let's move to the women's bracket

defending champion. Yukon is unbeaten and was awarded the overall number one seed, but the committee debated giving it to UCLA. The Bruins have won 25 straight against a stronger schedule, and their only laws came on a neutral court to Texas, who took the third number one seed, rounding out the number ones in South Carolina, of course, which is won two of the last four titles. Tony, do you consider the Yukon, the clear favorite on the women's side? I'm not going to say they're the clear favorite. I'm going to say this. They are decisively the number one team. They deserve

to be the number one team. They're undefeated. They are 34 and 0. Their average margin of victory is 38.4 points. They only had one game where they didn't win by double figures and that was a three-point game with Michigan. If they win this this year, it will be their seventh undefeated season. It will

be Gino Oriama's Hullo 13th National Championship and they're coming back last year they won the title and lost the best player in college basketball. The player of the year, Paige Beckers, and they're back, and they may even be better. So yes,

they are decisively the number one seed. Does that mean I think it's going to be a waltz? No, because UCLA won 25 in a row. Because South Carolina has won three of these things with Dawn Staley, and because Texas beat UCLA and the South Carolina twice.

But my position would be this. We have seen Yukon in this position and they want. They do this. And by the way, while they're non-com. The out-of-conference schedule wasn't as impressive as UCLA's or South Carolina. They don't duck anybody. You can play them. And they beat number 20 Louisville.

It was early. They beat Michigan when they were number six. They beat Iowa when they were number 11. They beat Tennessee at number 15, Tennessee last I checked is out of conference. So I'm not going to quibble with the Yukon schedule as much as other people might be. And again, if there is any team in any sport currently, that, has a lifetime achievement hard. Benefit of the doubt. It is Yukon women's basketball. Yes, it is. It just is. Now,

Yukon, I mean, the Big East again week is just Yukon and Villanova. But, but again, I'm not going to quibble. I'm not about to go against So thank you for mentioning Tennessee. Tennessee is a 10 seed with a record of 16 and 13. Not much of a record for a 10 seed. And their coach had said of the team, they have a lot of quid in them. It said that. That's right. But do you know how many years in a row they are now in this tournament. Do you want to take a shot at this? You know, I don't know the answer to this.

44. Wow. That is a wow. That is a wow. 44 in a row. Double lifetime. Let's move to the World Baseball Classic in a thrilling game last night. I watched this. United States beat the Dominican Republic 2 to 1.

Solo home runs accounted for all three runs. Aaron Judge, another great throw from right field. Julio Rodriguez, he went over the wall to bring back a Judge home run. But the play of the game was the last play, the last pitch, which looked low, but was nonetheless called strike three with a tying run on third base in the ninth. Wilbon, how does the clinching pitch in the U.S. win sit with you? Awful. It's awful. It's awful. It's a bad call.

I don't want to hear people on any network including this one saying, seemingly might have been, it might have been Jack. It's a bad call. The pitch is said to be, and I heard Jeff Basson say this, four to five inches low. That's two baseballs, right? So what are we talking about here? It's low. It's low.

It's bad. I don't want to see a game that great. End on that. Is there anything you can do? No, it's baseball. You can't blame the umpire. You can't say he brought this dude in from outer Mars. No.

No, he's been a major league baseball. Elfair was for 12 years. Yep. No, it's just, it's awful. By the way, it wasn't the only. It wasn't the only bad call. There were a couple. Both are the win against the Dominican, by the way.

So it's a bad call. It's a low pitch. There's no question about that. Juan Soto had the same call against him earlier in the game. It bolsters the argument for automatic umpiring. But, and here's the big butt, and I know you will agree with this. This is the baseball you and I grew up with. This is how it works.

The umpires get 99% of the calls right. And when they miss one badly, that is the one that you remember. I was gratified that Albert Pujos in the postgame did not dwell on it. It was great. He was philosophical about baseball. Like you and I, this is baseball. This is the last time it's going to happen. The next time they play this thing.

The next time they play this thing. That's right. They're going to have robotic umpires, and Major League Baseball is going to have them. And what would happen is the DR would say, no, we challenge. They would win. They'd have first and third with Tatis coming up,

which is changes the game. But they already left too many on base. They left two men on base. two men on base of nobody out in the previous inning and they couldn't push anybody in. They're runners in scoring position. They left. It's a great tournament, isn't it?

Oh, it's a great tournament. Yeah, it is. And by the way, Japan going out, I watched that game live and to see Shoah not come through. Even though he hit a previous home run. How many is supposed to hit? But you know what? You know what it's almost like?

I can't believe I'm going to say this. It's almost like watching 23 in Red missed the last shot, which I know he famously said. Honestly, I missed more of them than I made, even though we don't believe that because he hits so many. You think Shoah is going to go deep. Now, I know there's a multiple-run lead. He's not going to tie it.

It's not going to change the game necessarily. But to see Shoah weekly pop out to the second basement or shortstop, that was a stunt. They pay the pitchers, too. I know. All right. Let me just say, I want to give DeRosa credit for one thing because he got slammed all week for not knowing that we're not technically in the quarterfinals.

He made a lineup change last night that really worked. He saw in the afternoon. analytics that Gunner Henderson has a great night against most of the time against Louis Severino. Yeah. He put him in at third base and in the top of the third or the top of fourth, one of those innings. Boom. Henderson took him out. It was 1-1. So give him credit for that. Let's take a break. Coming up, did Cam Young win the players or did someone else lose it? We got us to do that story.

We got him. Austin Reeves misses a free throw intentionally. Got the Lakers to OT. Got to do that story. I watched that whole golf, didn't you? You know I did. He's your boy. Yes, he is. One year? One year in Northwest. Not like Lou The Goodalough.

One in Dole. Lundlew. He won a NCAA champion. So there you go. And a couple of rider cups. And still, so the rider cup win streak right now. Yeah.

It is time to check in with the checkered masses. I put on my glasses to see what's first. Here we go. Did Cam Young win the players or did Matt Fitzpatrick lose it? Cam won the players. Now, you know, this story upsets me. The result. upset me. Maddie Fitz is a Northwestern alum. I root hard for him as a person and a player.

And he had a three putt and he couldn't hit the fairway on 18. And Cam, Cam jumped right in there. I mean, first of all, when he hits the T shot on 17, and it rolls right down there to 10 feet, and it's a makeable birdie putt, and he drains it. I'm thinking, this is not a good result. I had to listen to this on PGA radio because I was in the car. Really? And I was... Shout out PGA radio. Golf on the radio. It's quite good.

Good for you. I can't... I'm in a bad mood because of it now. Right. Because I wanted to see Maddie win. But I can't be in a bad mood because the guy took the thing by the horns on 16, 17, 17, 18. The toughest finishing stretch may be in all a professional golf.

And he won it. Yeah. I'm not going to disagree with who won it. Let me tell you who lost it. Ludwig Oberg lost it. Yeah. Okay. He went into water twice quicker than you.

you can say Shane Lowry. So he lost it. Maddie Fitzpatrick had an unfortunate ending of his T-shot on 18. He ends up in the straw. He climbs back to where he has an eight-foot putt to keep the thing going. And he just missed it. So he had a real chance there. But Cam Young won it.

He won it with a birdie on 17. That's the shot. He won it, yes. That ties Matt Fitzpatrick. 18 is the toughest toll. So many people both. So many people bogeed 18. So Cam Young on a 460-yard hole has a sand wedge in.

Because he piped a drive, 375. Yes. So he's got a very easy, no-sweat par. He won the tournament on 17 and 18. 17. Matt Fitzpatrick contributed to his loss, but Cam Young won the tournament. He did, Tony. 375.

Look. When you hit the greatest drive ever on that hole. That hole. Ever. You've played there, right? Yes. Is it the hardest, scariest hole you've ever played? It's a very tough home.

I'm still in a bad room. I'd be happy with an age. My guy. Maddie Fitz. I understand. How impressed were you with Austin Reeves intentionally missing that free throw? Okay. That was great on Austin Reeves' part.

He threw this ball at the rim at about 80 miles an hour. Front rim. Back rim, front room, gathered the ball up and made the tying basket. Yeah. All right. Now, Denver needs to be blamed for this. They did not see this coming in the correct way. They did not orchestrate this correctly.

They could have put another guy on the line to block out Rees and they didn't do that. Now I'm going to go further afield here. Okay. You sit on the show and you constantly say, I don't want to talk about the Lakers, the Lakers stink. And you constantly say, Luca Dantzic stinks. No. He doesn't play any defense. I don't want it.

He plays one side. of the basketball. I don't want to talk about the Lakers now? Let me just say this. Okay. You say you want to talk Thunder, you want to talk T-Wools, you want to talk Rockets, you want to talk Spurs every day. Not today.

Spurs every day. Lakers. Okay. The Lakers right now are third in the conference. They have won five in a row, eight out of ten. You like apples? How about them apples? Listen, listen, they have done a hell of a job.

Lately, they've done a hell of a job. Whether it's sustainable or not, is it even important today. Now, you've drawn yourself. You know how when the defense opens up the door? Now you're going to talk Lakers every day. No, I'm not. No, you open the door. You're going to talk every day.

No. What I say is, Luca Donchich will not appear in the top three on my MVP list until he actually plays some defense. Admit. Now. Now. Now I do. You open the door. Counselor.

So, okay. And now you did Hamilton Burger. I'm going to say, am I Hamilton Burger and you're Raymond Burke? We're here the deal. On the free throw. we've been doing we all been doing this as the playground

and it was great that Austin Reeves admitted it we usually tried to hit the back rim Austin Reef's smarter than that Front rim was a really smart kid the left hand side so we can go back up

so you got a chance and by the way how about the fact they let Joker run himself under the basket the ball bounces correct a real mistake strategically by Denver

by the way Luca does what Luca does he hits the shot don't ask him to prevent anybody else's shot but he'll hit the shot. That's enough email. People will watch this show now, you feel.

Let's take one last break. Still to come, Justin Fields, your former boy, joins his fourth team in four years. Still love him. More bad news for Austin Matthews and the Leafs. What could be worse than that? Austin Reeves, I mean, Austin, Austin Matthews, rising on the ground.

Did his teammates come to help? Did they beat up the guy who knocked him out? I think it was it late in the game, and they couldn't do it? 1970-style Bob Probert hockey. Happy time, people. Happy 70th birthday, Ozzie News. A man.

The Hall of Fame tied end was the 23rd overall picked by the Cleveland Browns in 1978 out of Alabama. He was first or second team all pro, five different seasons. But has accomplished a player, as Newsom was. His work as an executive may outrank his reputation on the field. As general manager of the Baltimore Ravens, Newsom drafted two Hall of Fame players, Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis, in the same first round in 1996. Amazing.

Newsom's last draft as general manager. He traded up to draft Lamar Jackson. How'd that work out? It's reasonable to wonder if the Ravens would have pulled the plug on the Max Crosby trade in such a clumsy manner had Newsom orchestrated. I'm not blaming the Ravens, but Ozzie Newsom, such a historic figure.

He's aces in everything, as you indicate. Ozzie Newsom started when his career really started the public part of it. You know what started with Bear Bryant? When he went to Alabama to play for Bear at a time, where no black players, a hand, had gone before him and Ozzie Newsom had an incredible career there in a relationship with Alabama. Favorite son of. Happy anniversary, Herb Washington on this day 52 years ago. Charlie Finley signed the former

Michigan State Sprint Star to a one-year contract as the Oakland A's designated runner. Washington went on to appear in 105 games for Oakland over two seasons, stealing 31 bases, getting caught stealing 17 times. Washington, who had not played baseball since high school, never truly played baseball in Oakland. He never made a plate appearance, 105 games without picking up a bat or a glove. His baseball card listed Washington's position as pinch runner. In game two of the 1974 World Series,

Washington went into the game as the tying run in the ninth inning for Joe Rudy and promptly got picked off. It was the only game of the series the A's lost. How did your boy, Reggie Jackson, feel about her Washington? He was a bright, engaging guy. It was fun to talk to. How did Reggie? I think most of them sort of felt like, what are we doing here?

He's a swell guy, but can he help the ball club if we need a guy in the game? He doesn't go in the game. Happy Trails, Justin Fields. The Jets are reportedly trading the former first rounder to the Chiefs for a sixth round pick in next year's draft. Fields is expected to get the bulk of snaps for Kansas City until Patrick Mahomes recovers from the ACL injury he suffered in December. Fields went two and seven as a jet starter last season and was benched about a month after Jets owner Woody Johnson publicly blamed him for New York's 0 and 7 start.

Newly acquired Gino Smith takes over in New York as Fields tries his fourth team in four years. Wilburne, you feel good about this? I couldn't feel better. I couldn't feel better because he's going to be coached. And that's what is we've seen Sam Donald. Yes, I'm drawing the analogy. He needs coaching because Nagy and Iber Fluse among others.

He didn't get that. So I'm thrilled for Justin Feast. I will say this. The reason it seems like a good fit to me is his skill set approximates Patrick Baham's skill set. So you don't have to change the offense around. You can sort of call more quarterback draws. You can call more than that. He's going to run. Now, I don't love him like you love him. I think he's failed. I think he's failed. Oh, the Jets stink. They kill quarterbacks. His tutoring is stunk. It's just awful. All right. Let's go to the big finish if we could.

All right. Austin Matthews and the Maple Leafs will miss the rest of the season after getting his MCL torn on an ugly hit from Radco Gudis of the Ducks, your thoughts. Lutus got suspended five games. He needs to be suspended for the rest of the regular season. Need a knee unless you decide it's just, it wasn't intentional. Then maybe not. The Oilers have named Connor Ingraham.

They're starting goaltender for the stretch run. Are you surprised? No, they didn't like Tristan Chatter. He lost a lot of games. They probably said anybody spending him. And this guy's 10 and 6. So they're more comfortable with that. Butler's Stad Motta retiring from coaching after 502 wins. Your thoughts.

I'm going to remember him. Not in, but I don't remember the two final fours with Ohio State. The Ohio State University. Your Wizards have lost 11 in a row. Pacers 13. Who wins the race to the bottom? Nobody wins. This is the point.

They're both trying to lose. No, they should get no ping pong balls. But they're going to. Like, no soup for you. No ping pong balls for you. Last one, the NBA could vote on adding Las Vegas in Seattle as soon as next week. Good timing? They're going to add Vegas and Seattle.

It's fine timing. there never should have been a day with a team out of Seattle. You can't have teams in Memphis and New Orleans and not have a team in Seattle. Come on, NBA. We're out of time. We'll try and do better the next time. Milton Girls Hockey, state champs.

Shout out. I'm Mike Wilbon. Same time tomorrow, knucklehead.