Less than two years after leaving as University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's basketball coach for the same position at Virgina Commonwealth, Will Wade has the Rams in the NCAA tournament as the 10th seed in the West Region for a second consecutive March.
VCU downed Oregon State in the first round last season before losing an 85-81 thriller against an Oklahoma team on its way to the Final Four. The Rams have been Atlantic 10 Conference tournament runners-up each of Wade's first two seasons, with this year's team sporting a 26-8 record entering Thursday night's game against Saint Mary's in Salt Lake City.
Wade was a guest Monday on "Press Row" on Chattanooga's ESPN 105.1 FM.
Q: So how is this year's team different from a year ago entering the NCAA tournament?
A: "We're in a similar spot in terms of where we were this time last year, but we're a totally different team. We shot the ball a lot better last year, whereas this year we're more of an inside, physical, grind-you type of team. We play a different style of basketball, but the situations are certainly very similar."
Q: When you're at a place like VCU that has tasted NCAA tournament success, how much pressure is there to advance further than the year before?
A: "There is always pressure, and I always say that pressure is a privilege. It beats the alternative of being somewhere where they don't care. Our goal every year is to get a bye in the Atlantic 10 tournament, then win the regular season, then win the tournament and then have done enough to get to the NCAA tournament.
"Once you get to the NCAA tournament, anything can happen, because it's based on matchups and pairings. If you keep putting yourself in position of getting to the NCAA tournament, you're going to break through and win multiple games. This is our seventh straight NCAA appearance. I was an assistant for three and a head coach for two, and the other two years I was down there with you guys. We've won at least one game in five of the seven and had the year we won a lot more (reaching the Final Four in 2011). We just need to keep knocking on the door and win that first game."
Q: What concerns you most about Saint Mary's, which is 28-4 with three losses to Gonzaga?
A: "They are as good of an offensive team as there is in college basketball. They are like the college version of the Golden State Warriors. They have shooting everywhere and a big-time center who will play in the NBA."
Q: How much Clemson national title swag have you bought?
A: "I've got a little bit. I've got a T-shirt that I wear around the house sometimes."
Q: UTC had a lot of lofty expectations this season and started well before struggling down the stretch. Were you able to keep up?
A: "I get alerts on my phone for all the Chattanooga games, and I will continue to follow them for a long time. I know it didn't end how they wanted it to, but Coach (Matt) McCall will get back after it, and I know he will keep the train rolling along.
"Rico White came to our game at Richmond this year, and it was good to spend some time with him. I've also been able to connect with Coach (Russ) Huesman a couple of times since he's been up here, and it's been fun. Jacob Huesman stopped by our office a couple of weeks ago. It's been fun."
Q: Since you have the larger paycheck, you're buying the Coca-Colas when you catch up with Russ, right?
A: "Yep. Yep. We said we would go to dinner after his first spring practice, and I told him I would pick up the tab."
Q: How much more comfortable are you as a head coach now compared to your first season at UTC?
A: "You get better every year. I look back and wish I could have done things differently. My second year there still eats at me, because we had the best team in the league at the end of the year, and that's no disrespect to Wofford.
"We got upset by Furman in the tournament, and that still eats at me. I wanted to win that tournament so bad."
Q: If you believe everything you read online, you're going to be the head coach at about four ACC schools next season. How will that work?
A: "That would be tough. I love it here at VCU and am in a great spot. These guys take great care of us, and we've got a great program with great support. It's a good, good place."
Q: Vanderbilt and Northwestern play the game before you in Salt Lake City. How much of that will you watch?
A: "We will have games on during the day in our meeting room, and by the time we'll get to the arena, that game will be in the second half. We'll sit in the stands and watch some of it before our routine starts an hour and 15 minutes before the game. It's the best time of the year, and we're excited to be a part of it."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.