Nuanez Now · ESPN Missoula

Nuanez Now March 31, 2026 - Hour 1 - Kyle Whitaker, Prep Extra

March 31, 2026·57 min·5 clips

Montana State's rodeo team now has indoor bucking chutes for winter training, a first for the program.

Tournament time gets the hour moving. The show opens in local radio rhythm, with sponsor reads first and then a full board of national hoops and Montana spring sports. Arizona gets a history check, with the host lingering on how long it has been since the program reached the Final Four, especially given the players who have passed through. Michigan brings a different wrinkle. Nine Final Four trips sit next to a title drought dating back to 1989, which gives the setup some bite. UConn lands differently. Of the teams named, the host treats UConn as the clearest current power. The next hour gets a strong tease: what gives each of the four teams a path to the national championship, and what could trip them up. After that, the show comes home. Treasure State Stars get lined up for strong early spring performances around Montana. Softball is already underway, and outdoor college track and field marks the seasonal move out of winter. Recruiting gets a few minutes too, with recent notes that fit the show's usual blend of roster watch and local scoreboard. Baseball has its lane now that the season has started. Contracts also come up, with Bobby Kennedy's deal compared against Brent Vigen's and the fairness of that gap left open. High school sports stay close to the center, with state champions and the winter to spring handoff giving the hour its Montana feel.

As heard by us

A steady local reset that links Final Four history with Montana's early spring sports.

Nuanez Now starts with Final Four history and then settles into a Montana spring-sports roundup, which is where it feels most natural. It moves through Arizona, Michigan, Duke, and UConn with a mix of memory and live argument, then weighs what gives each team a path to a title…

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Why you'd press play

March 31's tournament-time reset, from Final Four history to Montana spring notes.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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