Two coaches, two choices

How was your Monday? Probably the first one you've had in a while that wasn't just a slog through work now that you had a bracket to keep you company?

It also was jam-packed with news. So here's what we're gonna do: Today's Daily is focused on all the non-NCAAT news items that probably got a little overlooked while people searched out advice for their brackets. We've got plenty of that analysis — our six-hour Selection Sunday show is a terrific resource — with two new Monday pods, plus the Field of 68 Premium.

So for now, let's hit some news.

1. Georgia Tech gets professional, Ole Miss goes another route

The coaching carousel was in full swing over the weekend with hires, fires and rumors. Monday provided some concrete moves, like this approach from Georgia Tech.

Stoudamire, 49, was an All-American at Arizona, NBA Rookie of the Year in 1996, played another 12 years in the league and has spent the past 15 years as an assistant, with one stint as a head coach at Pacific from 2016-2021, where he was 71-77.

It's that kind of well-rounded, extensive background that makes him an appealing hire.

“Coach Stoudamire’s success and credibility as a player and coach at both the collegiate and professional levels make him a great fit to lead our program," Georgia Tech director of athletics J Batt said in a release. "He will serve as an outstanding mentor on and off the court and will attract talented student-athletes to The Flats. We could not be happier to welcome Coach Stoudamire to the Georgia Tech family.”

Stoudamire was the Celtics' top assistant (plenty of cachet there), and his Xs and Os approach will be a strength. But replacing Josh Pastner (fired on Friday after going 109-113 in seven seasons) won't be a simple move. Georgia Tech's seen as challenging due to its high admission standards and an NIL program that is well behind the rest of the ACC. But there's plenty of local talent and tradition.

The other notable hire of the day? Ole Miss made it official with Chris Beard.

"We are excited to welcome Coach Beard and his daughters, Avery, Ella and Margo, to the Ole Miss family," Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said in a statement. "We thoroughly evaluated a number of outstanding candidates, and there is no doubt Coach Beard is one of the top coaches in the nation. After conducting due diligence and speaking to a number of individuals on and off the court, it was evident he is the right person to guide our team to greatness."

However, there's baggage. Beard was undeniably successful during tenures at Little Rock, Texas Tech and Texas, where he compiled a 237-98 career record and reached the 2019 National Championship game with the Red Raiders. But his dismissal this season from Texas came after an arrest for a third-degree felony charge of assault. His fiancée later dropped those charges. Is it too soon for a school to hire a coach with that history? Many of our Field of 68 analysts say yes. And they're not the only ones.

Also, here's your requisite Georgetown update.

2. The portal is WIDE open

About 200 players entered the college basketball transfer portal on Monday, the first official day they could do so. Guess they didn't wait for any bracket advice.

There are good players in there, too.

Former 5-star prospects JJ Starling, who had an up-and-down year at Notre Dame, and Skyy Clark, who left Illinois midseason, are the most notable guards — though Cobe Williams might be the most productive. The 5-11 senior averaged 18.8 points a game for Louisiana Tech this season.

But maybe the biggest prize? A guy who left TCU for personal reasons just last week.

There are already plenty of ways to track the portal (I prefer Verbal Commits), and Evan Miyakawa's site has metric rankings of the available players.

But I think we can all agree the timing is tough. And, as Chris Mack noted on AFTER DARK, the perception of how the entire process works needs revising.

3. There are *other* tournaments, too

Those of you Jonesing for basketball games today are in luck. Not only does the NCAA Tournament's First Four kick off in Dayton (more on that below), but the NIT also starts tonight with eight games.

Casual fans won't care, but there's intrigue in these games.

Liberty (26-8) vs. Villanova (17-16) should be terrific. When you have an elite guard like Darius McGhee matched against the Wildcats' sturdy defenders, I'm in. The Flames might have fallen just short of the NCAA Tournament, but hosting a Big East team in your home gym (9 pm, ESPN2) is a decent way to showcase your program.

It's also a test for mid-majors. Rutgers (19-14) is one of the top seeds and welcomes Hofstra (24-9) to Jersey Mike's Arena. How does the Pride handle that (usually) raucous crowd? And what about Toledo (27-7) heading to Ann Arbor to face Michigan (17-15)? That's a game where both teams might hit triple digits.

(Only the top half of the bracket is seeded. The bottom 16 seeds get placed to areas close to their schools, if possible.)

The full NIT bracket is below.

And if you're seeking counter-programming to the NCAA Tournament this weekend, there's always the CBI. (Attn: Sickos)

That bracket isn't quite as compelling, but it is cool to see a Mo Valley program as the top seed.

Also notable? No Detroit Mercy, which had been a rumored candidate despite its sub-.500 record. That means Antoine Davis officially ends his college career three points shy of Pete Maravich's record. Some records just don't fall.

4. Healthy vibes only, please

If there's anything I root for during the NCAA Tournament (besides Kansas), it's for full, active, healthy rosters. This might be the only chance most of these players get on college basketball's biggest stage. And to miss that opportunity because of an injury?

That's a different kind of pain.

And there are more than a few players whose status is up in the air.

Start with Pitt center Federiko Federiko. The 6-11 sophomore last played just 12 minutes against Duke in the ACC Tournament after injuring his knee the previous outing against George Tech. The panthers need him against the Bulldogs' physical frontcourt.

But Federiko sounds like he expects to play.

“It’s unreal,” Federiko told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I’m still thinking, ‘Oh my God, I’m in March Madness!’ I’ve always watched this on TV for years.”

UCLA is already without wing Jaylen Clark, but the most recent news on center Adem Bona is promising. How much he plays on Thursday against 15-seed UNC Asheville probably depends on how coach Mick Cronin feels about containing Drew Pember without Bona.

Miami center Norchad Omier remains day-to-day with an ankle injury he suffered on March 10. Even if it means Omier being less than 100 percent, expect him to play vs. 12-seed Drake. The Bulldogs have too much size and will need Omier's rebounding.

Marcus Sasser didn't play in Houston's AAC title game, and remains questionable to play on Thursday.

Kansas' Kevin McCullar and Texas' Timmy Allen, who both missed Saturday's Big 12 title game, are expected to play this week, likely in limited minutes on Thursday.

5. The never-ending scheduling debate

You might not believe this, but there are other college basketball podcasts out there! (I know. I was surprised as well.) And sometimes (OK, all of the time) I listen to them. Don't tell Dauster.

ANYWAY, that's my ragged transition to mention the Eye on College Basketball pod with Matt Norlander and Gary Parrish. Those two fill their pod with banter and analysis, but sometimes the analysis is worth highlighting. Such as this debate about how schools schedule their non-conference slate. (Jeff Goodman also has a take on this, but it's succinct: "Play better games!")

There's no debate that "soft" non-conference schedules cost some schools (like Rutgers) an NCAA Tournament bid. It cost Texas A&M last season.

But there's something to Parrish's point that schools shouldn't have to schedule according to what they think will help them earn an at-large bid. Not everyone can compose a challenging non-conference schedule because it takes two to agree. If a power conference school gets a ring from a potentially good mid-major or low major, it might not be worth it to the power conference school to schedule that game. After all, their league schedule will allow their overall SOS to usually meet a certain level.

Gonzaga should schedule aggressively during its non-conference slate. But after this season, the only reason a school like, say, Kansas, with its 17 Quad 1 wins, should schedule a challenging non-conference game is if they think it'll make them better overall.

Yes, it's all part of the challenge of trying to set standards for 363 teams in 32 conferences with varying resources and player abilities. But would a little more clarity hurt?

First up, the First Four

Did the NCAA Tournament have better symmetry when all the Round of 64 games use to start on the Thursday after Selection Sunday? Sure. But we've had more than 10 years of First Four games in Dayton to kick things off. I think it's a terrific way to whet your appetite for the main dish coming up. Plus, it gives teams like Southeast Missouri State (19-16) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (23-10) a chance to win a game and claim some units ($$$). That's not a small thing for schools from one-bid leagues. Is it as cool for teams like Pitt (22-11) and Miss State (21-12)? Nah. But history shows a win here sometimes provides momentum for Thursday and Friday. Here's to Dayton. (First tip is 6:40 pm ET on TruTV)

Go big or go home

You'll be able to find roughly 7,387 predictions from various college basketball analysts about how the NCAA Tournament will play out. Many will submit multiple brackets. Some will change their minds the more they stare at it this week.

So let's consider these Fina Four and champion picks from Rob Dauster, John Fanta and Terrence Oglesby to be their only submissions. You want their best advice? This is it.

Subscribe to The Field of 68 on YouTube here and subscribe here to the DTF podcast.

Links as you hunker down during a Nor'easter. (It's not just me, right?)

• Aaron McKie stepped down as Temple's coach. He will now be a special advisor to the athletics department.

• Clemson's Brad Brownell will remain as Clemson's coach, Jeff Goodman says.

• The NCAA's rules on travel can be tough on some schools.

• Alabama ended the season as the AP's No. 1 team.

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