KC_Connection |
03-25-2022 12:33 AM |
We saw two #1 seeds taken out tonight by good teams in Arkansas and Houston. And unfortunately for us, there's little stopping Providence from being the next one in line tomorrow given the depth, quality and experience of their team. Two things stand out about Providence: they are the 7th oldest team in the country (with a lineup of six senior regulars and one junior) and the #1 "luckiest" team in the country this season (which is the KenPom way of saying they have been incredibly clutch). In my view, this is not a coincidence. These guys have seen everything there is to see in college basketball, are used to battling in close games and are not bothered by it. They execute in high pressure situations, which is why they are 3-0 in OT games and 10-2 in games decided by less than five points. From an intangibles perspective, there is no question they have the edge over KU and there is no question who you should favor if this is a tight one down the stretch.
From a basketball perspective, Providence also poses its own set of issues. They play incredibly slow (283rd in the country in adjusted tempo), which will not allow KU to get out and run (which is KU's biggest strength as an offensive team) and will limit possessions making it more difficult for KU's offensive superiority to win out. And while Providence does generally play a traditional big at all times which should make McCormack breathe a sigh of relief, they have three players who hit threes at a 38%+ clip (including two guys standing at 6'6 and 6'8) making them a matchup nightmare and a difficult cover. This is the kind of team that can take advantage of Remy Martin and David McCormack's weak PnR defense with their outside shooting. Another major strength of theirs is their ability to get to the FT line (ranking 28th in the country in their FT rate per field goal attempt). KU will have to avoid fouls and play quite disciplined in order to properly defend this team, which has occasionally been an issue this year.
Ultimately KU has a shot tomorrow to reach the E8 but they better be ready.
|