Q&A: What did this longtime NCAA broadcaster think of Wichita?

Steve Lavin has been involved with college basketball in some capacity for the last 30 years.

As a Turner Sports NCAA analyst, he provides play-by-play coverage of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. This week, Lavin and longtime broadcaster Brad Nessler (calling his first tournament since 1992) called the Wichita games for a national television audience.

Before he became a broadcaster, he was head coach at both UCLA and St. John’s.

But even for the veteran Lavin, Wichita provided a few surprises this week.

The Eagle caught up with Lavin at Mort’s Martini & Cigar Bar on Friday afternoon, watching games on TV on his day off.

“I like to go to the local establishments,” he said. “It informs me, gives me a better feel on elements around that I can bring into the broadcast the following day.”

Responses have been edited for length:

Q. So how are you enjoying Wichita on your day off?

A. I’m enjoying the weekend, watching games here at Mort’s. They have a lot of TVs – it’s a nice little catch-all. They have a little live music going, too, which is nice.

I’m staying at the Ambassador Hotel and our crew is put up there too. It’s been a nice spot. I met the owners, and they’ve been great to us. They have a very unique, almost speakeasy-feeling place downstairs.

Q. What’s been the most memorable thing you’ve seen here?

A. In my three decades associated with college basketball, I've never witnessed an NCAA first round practice session quite like the one the Jayhawks had Thursday. It was not only a large crowd but the energy was palpable. The local schools allowing students to attend the sessions definitely created a most memorable experience.

Q. People around here are pretty passionate about basketball. When you’re in a broadcast, is that something you can sense?

A. It was like a home game for Kansas. You could tell the Jayhawk fans ratcheted up the energy over the course of the game. In the dramatic finish of Houston knocking off San Diego State, the fans from this part of the country showed they appreciate good basketball. They may not have had a rooting interest in San Diego State or Houston, yet they appreciated the high drama that was playing out.

Q. This is the first time Intrust Bank Arena has hosted the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Anything distinctive about it?

A. The arena itself is a first-rate facility, but it's the teams, action on court and fans that made (Thursday) special.

Q. On Thursday night, there was a bit of a glitch with the shot clock system. What were you thinking then and how did you stall while it was being fixed?

A. I try to bring a tenor of joy to our coverage as this time of year is a celebration of the sport that we all love — coaches, players, fans and media. So while it’s less than ideal to have a shot clock electrical issue or light bulbs burning out, it's on us to keep the lighthearted childlike spirit alive, because at the end of the day it's still a game.

Q. In addition to calling NCAA games, you have a gig at the Pac-12 Network and call games for the Big Ten. How does the atmosphere in this part of the country compare to those places?

A. The interest in college basketball is at a fever pitch when considering this region of the country. Examine the metrics when it comes to attendance. College towns in this region of the country draw the largest numbers of fans. It's clear that when it comes to loyal college basketball fans, no region of the country has a greater appreciation for the game.

This story was originally published March 17, 2018 at 4:26 PM with the headline "Q&A: What did this longtime NCAA broadcaster think of Wichita?."