Play-by-play broadcaster Andrew Catalon (right) alongside analyst Steve Lappas in Indianapolis for the Elite Eight. (Photo by Michael Grant) Play-by-play broadcaster Andrew Catalon (right) alongside analyst Steve Lappas in Indianapolis for the Elite Eight. (Photo by Michael Grant)
ArticlesCBSBy Michael Grant on

Nobody is better at capturing the excitement of March Madness than Andrew Catalon. The CBS play-by-play broadcaster is associated with some of the biggest moments of the NCAA tournament in recent years, including No.16-seed Fairleigh Dickinson’s monumental upset over No.1 Purdue in Columbus, Ohio in 2023.

This year’s tournament run for Catalon ended with him and analyst Steve Lappas calling Houston’s Elite Eight victory over Tennessee in Indianapolis. He’ll quickly transition from basketball to golf for CBS’ coverage of the Masters, which begins next week. We recently caught up with Andrew Catalon to ask him about the tournament and Augusta.

Note: This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

Awful Announcing: How has this year’s experience been different for you?

Andrew Catalon: “I would just say that the chemistry that our crew has, we do so many games together, me and Steve, but also with Evan Washburn and our producer and director, Jonathan Segal and Andy Goldberg. We are so cohesive. We do so much together all year that when we get to this stage, we already have hit the ground running months ago, so I can really feel that this year among our group.”

What’s it like working with Steve?

“It’s the best. He’s become one of my best friends. We spend more time with each other than we do with our wives over the last few months. We’ve probably called close to 300 games together now. We started together back in 2013 doing games on CBS and CBS Sports Network, and it’s just amazing how I know what he’s going to say and he knows what I’m going to say. We have so much fun together.”

What’s an example of something extra your team brings to the broadcast?

“That meeting with the players and coaches the day before each game is huge, and it was big for us in the Sweet 16, Houston-Purdue. We were at practice on Thursday. Houston ran through the play that they ended up using to win the game. We saw that, and we asked Kelvin Sampson about it after Thursday’s practice, and we said this on the air, and he said, ‘We run through these end-of-game situations almost at every practice. We are prepared for the moment.’ And they sure were in the end against Purdue.”

Did you ever think that play be used in the game?

“I asked Sampson about it after we saw it because I thought maybe it would come up. It reminded me of watching an NFL practice and the teams running through end-of-game situations, throwing the ball out of bounds or taking a safety. They were running through very specific situations in their practice, and that’s why we asked Sampson about it because it really piqued my interest. So then when the game was close and they had that timeout, we had that information ready to go. If the game wasn’t close, it probably never would have made air. But the fact that we were ready for it was something that, as a group, we were proud of.”

Do you ever have a say in where you get to go for the tournament?

“Completely up to the whim of our bosses. I think you get used to it. The thing that I root for when the brackets come out is that I go to a site where I’ve maybe seen at least a team or two. That makes a big difference with me and my prep. It’s such a quick turnaround from finding out an hour after the brackets come out to then maybe being on the air on Thursday. In this case, I had seen two of the eight teams in Providence: St. John’s and Purdue. So, that was a big help for me.”

Do you have a favorite NCAA tournament moment?

“It’s hard to say that a 16 beating a 1 (Fairleigh Dickinson over Purdue) isn’t No. 1, but I have fond memories of 2015 when Ron Hunter was coaching his son R.J. Hunter falls off the chair and beats Baylor. That was kind of my first March moment and is still something I smile about.”

What was a memorable game for you from this year’s tournament?

“I think the (John) Calipari-(Rick) Pitino matchup was a lot of fun. Two of the all-time greats going head-to-head in Providence, where there’s so much history for both of them, especially Pitino going to the Final Four with the Friars. That was one when I saw the possibility of it before the first round that excited me, and the atmosphere in Providence was great. That was pretty special for us.”

What was it like doing the games during the COVID-19 tournament of 2021?

“I did a game in this building (Lucas Oil Stadium), but this time I was sitting by the court. That time I was up in the stands because we weren’t allowed to be close to the floor in case somebody was sick. I think that whole season was a season of adjustment. But I thought everyone at CBS and Turner handled it great, and I’m thankful that’s in our rearview mirror now.”

When do you start preparing for the Masters?

“I started preparing in January because I knew March would be mostly basketball. So, I try to get ahead of my notes and stuff starting after the calendar turns. We can’t wait to be down there. It’ll be fantastic.”

Any early predictions?

“Rory McIlroy is playing some pretty good golf right now. So, I think he’s going to certainly be a huge story as he chases the career Grand Slam.”

About Michael Grant

Born in Jamaica. Grew up in New York City. Lives in Louisville, Ky. Sports writer. Not related to Ulysses S. Grant.

View all posts by Michael Grant