{"podcast":{"title":"NORTH CAROLINA SPORTS NETWORK","slug":"north-carolina-sports-network-6476785","podcast_index_feed_id":6476785,"rss_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/e4f34eec/podcast/rss","website_url":"http://www.ncsportsnetwork.com/","image_url":"https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_nologo/38311507/38311507-1687962832045-4d1aa585d824f.jpg","author":"@TheNCSportsNet","episode_count":559,"summary":"Telling the Story of North Carolina People, Places and Events","last_synced_at":"2026-07-21T04:22:41.014888+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/north-carolina-sports-network-6476785"},"episode":{"title":"Kerry Keating's March Madness Bracket Predictions | First Four Deep Dive","slug":"kerry-keating-s-march-madness-bracket-predictions-first-four-deep-dive","published_at":"2026-03-17T13:49:08+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/north-carolina-sports-network-6476785/kerry-keating-s-march-madness-bracket-predictions-first-four-deep-dive","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/north-carolina-sports-network-6476785","url":"https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ncsportsnetwork/episodes/Kerry-Keatings-March-Madness-Bracket-Predictions--First-Four-Deep-Dive-e3giumq","audio_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/e4f34eec/podcast/play/117061786/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-2-17%2F420201958-44100-2-c87391c8d82bf.mp3","summary":"March Madness Preview: Coach Kerry Keating on the First Four, Bracket Upsets, and ACC Coaching SearchesOn a special postseason edition of Timeout on the North Carolina Sports Network, host Mike Waddell welcomes former D1 head coach and analytics CEO Kerry Keating to break down Selection Sunday, rapid-fire tournament prep, and how technology has changed scouting. They discuss NC State vs. Texas in the First Four, using the game as a “get right” reset, and lessons from their Maui matchup where Texas hit 16 threes in a 102–97 win. Keating explains tournament strategy, the pressure and distractions of NIL and the transfer portal, and why roster-building and resources now define "good jobs,” including open ACC vacancies at Boston College, Syracuse, and Georgia Tech. They also preview North Carolina's danger as a 6 seed vs. VCU, Duke's outlook with Caleb Foster injured, and Keating's bracket picks: Akron, High Point (over Wisconsin), South Florida, and UCLA as a 7 seed to reach the Sweet 16.00:00 Pre Show Banter00:45 Coaching Carousel Talk01:48 Behind The Scenes Setup02:29 Postseason Show Intro04:05 What March Madness Feels Like05:14 Selection Sunday Memories07:10 Old School Film Prep10:58 First Four Prep Crunch15:03 NC State vs Texas Breakdown17:40 Tournament Pressure And NIL18:48 Reset Button Mindset21:56 Proving You Belong22:29 First Four Run Blueprint23:26 Portal Noise And Focus25:46 VCU Threat To Tar Heels27:17 Duke Injury And Boozers29:18 ACC Jobs On The Market30:46 NIL Resources And ROI35:47 Coaching While Job Hunting39:28 Syracuse Search And Fit42:06 Bracket Sleepers And Upsets44:37 Wrap Up And Sign OffWelcome to the North Carolina Sports Network!Your home for all things sports in the Bold North State — from the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, PGA TOUR, and NASCAR to the he…","meta_description":"March Madness Preview: Coach Kerry Keating on the First Four, Bracket Upsets, and ACC Coaching SearchesOn a special postseason edition of Timeout on the N…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2704,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/north-carolina-sports-network-6476785/episodes/kerry-keating-s-march-madness-bracket-predictions-first-four-deep-dive/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/north-carolina-sports-network-6476785/kerry-keating-s-march-madness-bracket-predictions-first-four-deep-dive.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}