Seth Reveals First Mailbag

This time of year brings me great excitement and mixed emotions. On the one hand, I’m having an absolute blast. There are so many games to watch, so many stories to track, so much work to do and so much fun to have. (“Work,” in my case is a relative term. This job never truly feels like work.) The NCAA Tournament, in my opinion, is the most exciting event in all of sports and I am forever grateful for my opportunity to cover it as such close range.

On the other hand, as fun as it is, and as long as the hours can be, I know the season is coming to an end. Yes, that means less time on planes and more time on the golf course (and, you know, hanging with my family), but I know I’ll miss all the game action. But that’s not to say there won’t be action. Quite the opposite, in fact. While the games will end, there’s no offseason in college hoops anymore. Over the next few months we’ll be covering the transfer portal, the NBA and WNBA draft, the coaching carousel, recruiting, NIL and related legal developments. So on second thought, maybe I won’t be spending more time on the golf course after all.

So let’s lace ’em up tight and get ready for the final stretch. It has never been easier (or cheaper) to become a Hoops HQ subscriber. We are having a March Madness sale where we are offering a 68 percent discount (one percent for each team in the bracket) on your first annual subscription. Also, today we are publishing my first ever reader mailbag. I also encourage you to follow us on Instagram because a week from Monday, I am going to be hosting a live chat to go over the bracket.

Beyond that, we’ve got all the usual awesome content, from Alex Squadron’s deep dive on Duke, which has a big game today at North Carolina and could go down in history as the greatest Duke team of all time (if it wins the championship, that is), to Brad Wachtel’s Bracketology, Justin Perri’s Best Bets and other goodies. I’ve also got my final regular season installment of my picks against the spread, which have been on fire this season.

Remember, everyone, when you see the finish line, you don’t ease up. You run through the tape. I’ll be running right alongside as we get to the most wonderful time of the year.

Have an awesome Saturday, everyone, and thanks as always for your support of Hoops HQ. — Seth

Seth Davis' Mailbag: Bill Self's Portal Mistakes Offer Lessons for Everyone

By Seth Davis

We at Hoops HQ are pulling out all the stops for the month of March. Our mission is not only to provide our subscribers with the best college basketball content possible, but also to include you in our conversations and make you feel a part of our fast-growing community.

In that spirit, I am publishing my first mailbag at this here destination. A week from Monday, I’ll be hosting an Instagram Live conversation where our Hoops HQ subscribers can ask me questions about their brackets or anything else you want to talk about. The fun is just getting started.

Thanks to all who sent in questions. Here’s my first batch of answers.

Between the Lines

🏀 Should these players stay in school or declare for the NBA Draft? Our team looks at 10 prospect's prospects and answers the question

🏀 Kansas coach Bill Self, in a revealing conversation with HHQ Editor-in-Chief Seth Davis, says he regrets addressing racial slurs directed at his players. "I shouldn't have done it."

🏀 At 7-feet tall and 360 pounds, "Big Cozy" was the rare D-III player to garner a viral following

No. 7 Alabama @ No. 1 Auburn: The Iron Bowl comes to Neville Arena! Auburn has already clinched the SEC regular season title, but this rivalry game is always heated. Both of these teams are coming off rare losses—Auburn to Texas A&M on the road, Alabama to Florida at home. There is no better way to build momentum heading into the postseason than with a victory here. When these squads met in Tuscaloosa on Feb. 15, the Tigers grabbed a 94-85 victory behind 19 points, 14 rebounds and 6 assists from National Player of the Year contender Johni Broome. If the Tide are going to steal one in The Jungle, they are going to have to step up defensively. 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.