Florida's first-round victory over Nevada in primetime on TNT was a highlight of Thursday's NCAA Tourney actionGETTY IMAGES
The NCAA Tournament got off to a strong start, drawing a 6.0 overnight rating across CBS/TBS/TNT/truTV, which is tied for the second-best figure for an opening Thursday since ’91, when the current tourney format started. The 6.0 rating is up 5% from a 5.7 last year and the best since a 6.6 in ’15. It is even with the 6.0 that the four networks averaged in ’14. There also was a 72% increase in engagements for official NCAA March Madness social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (Austin Karp, THE DAILY).
FINISHING STRONG: In St. Louis, Dan Caesar notes the commentating team of Spero Dedes, Len Elmore and Steve Smith, along with sideline reporter Rosalyn Gold-Onwude, will "broadcast four games Friday afternoon in San Jose." St. Louis-Virginia Tech, the final matchup of the day, will mark the end of a "grueling marathon" for the broadcasting team that also "called two 'First Four' games Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio -- about 2,400 miles from San Jose." Their first two Friday matchups will be on TBS, before calling the final two on truTV (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 3/22).
REPORT CARD: In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes CBS on Thursday during Minnesota-Louisville "minimized" the presence of analyst Dan Bonner by seating him between Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller, which resulted in an "audio mess." Bonner has been a "reliably strong college basketball analyst," and "didn’t need any help." However, on Thursday there was "endless talk, much of it nonsense," plus a "steady ambush of ridiculous, distracting stats." Meanwhile, analyst Steve Lappas, who is "annually under-utilized," during Auburn-New Mexico State on TNT was "right-on-top-of-it superb." He gave plenty of "useful explanations" (N.Y. POST, 3/22).
THIS IS SPARTA: Thursday's on-court exchange between Michigan State coach Tom Izzo and freshman F Aaron Henry was a popular topic of conversation after Izzo berated and grabbed the player coming off the court during a timeout. While some on social media criticized Izzo, ESPN’s Dan Dakich said: "What are we talking about? Who cares? This is nothing. ... If you’ve got a problem with this, let me tell you Division VIII is for you" (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 3/21). ESPN Radio’s Mike Golic said, "I really don’t have an issue with Izzo coaching hard and doing his thing" (“Golic & Wingo,” ESPN Radio, 3/22). ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt: "Tom Izzo was yelling. Anybody that has a problem with that doesn’t understand coaches" (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 3/22). However, TBS' Brendan Haywood said, "I never liked all the finger wagging in the player's face, that's just me. I never really responded to that" (“Tournament Central,” TBS, 3/21).
FREEZE GOPHER! In K.C., Pete Grathoff notes Bill Murray was at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines for the Minnesota-Louisville matchup "because his son, Luke, is an assistant coach for the Cardinals." CBS' Harlan, Miller and Bonner "couldn’t help but make 'Caddyshack' jokes" during the game because Murray’s character in the film, Carl Spackler, "spent a good portion of the movie trying to kill a gopher" (K.C. STAR, 3/22). Meanwhile, in Chicago, Phil Rosenthal writes there was a "missed opportunity" on CBS' part Thursday. The net could have had a "camera, a Skype setup or some other arrangement in Greece to show" viewers former Louisville coach Rick Pitino "watching son Richard coach Minnesota to victory" over his father's former school (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/22).
BEST OF THE BEST: In Chicago, Jim O'Donnell writes among the "annual swell of broadcasters who will man the microphones for CBS/TBS/TNT/truTV, one who has evolved into an American master is Bill Raftery." Raftery has "enough insight, wit and rhythm to make bad games engaging." Those traits are "big reasons that for the fifth straight year, he, Jim Nantz and Grant Hill will serve as the AAA team" throughout the tournament (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 3/22).
