KANSAS
SAN ANTONIO – Expectations at Kansas are enormously high, so much so that senior guard Devonte’ Graham considered this a Final Four-or-bust season in October. That was the hunger that fueled this team of veterans following back-to-back Elite Eight losses in the 2016 and 2017 NCAA tournaments — in which Kansas was a No. 1 seed just like it is this year.
Now, the Jayhawks are where they set out to be — in San Antonio. It certainly wasn’t an easy road for this determined group, which won a thrilling an overtime game against No. 2 seed Duke in the Elite Eight and came out of the tournament’s toughest region in the Midwest.
But just because that Final Four wall is shattered doesn’t mean coach Bill Self and his team are finished. “The goal is to do what we did in ’09,” Self said, “we win the league, the Big 12 tournament, then we win the national championship.”
Graham, the Big 12 player of the year, has been the team’s alpha dog all season with his takeover abilities. His individual matchup against Wildcats junior Jalen Brunson will be must-watch. But in this NCAA tournament, it’s been the emergence of sophomore guard Malik Newman who has spearheaded this team offensively. The Mississippi State transfer poured in 32 points against Duke, including 13 in overtime that proved to be the difference. Graham and Newman are far from alone in this potent perimeter attack. Secondleading scorer Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk has length at 6-8 and shoots 45% from three-point range, while Lagerald Vick (12.2 points) brings athleticism with alley-oop dunks and shot-contending on defense.
But the game’s real X factor might be Self ’s 7-footer, Udoka Azubuike, who was hampered by a knee injury this month and will need to be on his A game against Villanova’s bigs, Omari Spellman and Eric Paschall. Going up against a Jay Wright team that has a more traditional three-guard set, Self will look to neutralize the Wildcats’ size advantage with a tough-to-defend four-guard attack. In order for this to work, Azubuike will have to hold his own on the glass, stay out of foul trouble and do just enough for KU’s guards to hopefully outduel Villanova’s.
KANSAS STATS
Scoring offense: 81.4 (29) Scoring defense: 71.2 (147) Scoring margin: 10.2 (23) Rebounding margin: 0.4 (181) Field goal %: 49.3 (11) Three-point %: 40.3 (11) Three-pointers made: 384 (5) Free throw %: 70.5 (215) Assist-to-turnover ratio: 1.43 (18)