Kansas Jayhawks
Seed: 1
Record: 34-2
Conference: Big Twelve
vs.
Richmond Spiders
Seed: 12
Record: 29-7
Conference: Atlantic 10
Date: Friday, March 25
Time: 7:27 pm Eastern
Location: San Antonio, TX
Region: Southwest
Richmond beat a 5-seed then had a break against a 13-seed. Now they tackle a 1-seed.
Team Comparisons with SportsRatings Statistics
Kansas Richmond
Power Ratings
Strength: #3 (#3 of 16) Strength: #44 (#14 of 16)
Neutral court: #3 Neutral court: #41
Injuries Adj: #3 Injuries Adj: #42
Tempo-free: #3 Tempo-free: #40
Offense: #6 Offense: #40
Defense: #6 Defense: #53Special Analyses
2nd half of season: #2 2nd half of season: #48
Last 6 games: #14 Last 6 games: #18 Consistency: #284 Consistency: #176
- Wins vs. tournament teams (12): =Arizona+8, UCLA+1, =Memphis+13, Southern California+2, @Michigan+OT, Kansas St.+24, Missouri+17, Texas A&M+13, @Missouri+4, Texas+12, =Boston University+19, =Illinois+14
- Wins vs. Sweet Sixteen teams (1): =Arizona+8
- Losses to tournament teams (2): Texas-11, @Kansas St.-16
- Other losses (0): none
Key Info: The Jayhawks looked unstoppable early on, wiping the floor with teams both good and bad. They came back down to earth against the Pac-10, however, beating UCLA and USC at home by just 3 points total. That home vulnerability foreshadowed their first defeat in Allen Fieldhouse in 69 games against Texas. They later lost to K-State on the road, but that was it for losses, and they later avenged the Texas defeat.
The Morris twins—Morris and Markieff—lead the Jayhawks in scoring and rebounding at 17.3/7.2 and 13.6/8.2 apiece. Guards Tyrel Reed and Tyshawn Taylor contribute outside play, but freshman Josh Selby seems to do more harm than good sometimes as he shoots just 38.2%. Selby is the anti-Kyrie Irvin; Kansas' first several games without him rate higher than those after he joined the team, which is probably why he has limited playing time lately. The Morris twins combined for 31 against Boston U. and 41 against Illinois—with 12 rebounds each.
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- Wins vs. tournament teams (5): =Purdue+11, Virginia Commonwealth+12, =Temple+4, =Vanderbilt+3, =Morehead St.+17
- Wins vs. Sweet Sixteen teams (1): Virginia Commonwealth+12
- Losses to tournament teams (4): @Old Dominion-7, Bucknell-1, Xavier-23, @Temple-20
- Other losses (3): @Iona-OT, =Georgia Tech-13, Rhode Island-4
Key Info: Richmond was floating along this season, racking up wins while still marred by the occasional poor loss (Xavier by 23, Temple by 20) when suddenly everything clicked in the last seven games (now, nine) and the Spiders played like a top 25 program. Having previously defeated both Purdue and VCU, they were guaranteed a Sweet Sixteen scalp when those two schools met in the Round of 32.
Justin Harper and Kevin Anderson are the team's dynamic duo, and Anderson especially has been on a tear lately, topping 20 points six times in the last nine wins, including 25 against Vanderbilt. Harper led with 19 against Morehead. The Spiders boast four senior starters.
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Game Analysis: 12-seeds in the Sweet Sixteen aren't too uncommon; there's almost one each year. 12-seeds beating 1-seeds is very uncommon, however—it's never happened. 12-seeds are 0-17 against 1-seeds.
Vegas Line:
Kansas by 10 1/2
Power rating spread
Kansas by 11.2
% Chance to win
Kansas: 79%
Richmond: 21%
The game-comparison system gives Richmond a 1 in 5, rather than a zero in 17, chance. And over the last several games the Spiders are playing almost as well as Kansas. Richmond's last 9 games are very indicative of their current level of play, and that suggests a closer game than double digits.
Bottom line: It's probably going to be 0 and 18 for 12-seeds.
Final prediction: Kansas 74, Richmond 68
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