Can Terps snap Jayhawks’ streak?
Kansas has won 16 straight heading into Sweet 16 clash with battle-tested Maryland
LOUISVILLE, KY.— Kansas played like the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament with two decisive wins to reach the Sweet16 for the first time in three years.
The Jayhawks extended their winning streak to 16 games, and look to continue that momentum as the competition is expected to get much tougher.
Next up is No. 5 seed Maryland in Thursday night’s South Region semifinal, and don’t expect the Terps to throw anything at them they haven’t seen.
“I’m not too worried about that situation because we’re pretty battletested and have been through a lot,” junior guard Wayne Selden Jr. said Wednesday. “We’ve been in just about every position we could be in and been in tough positions where we’ve dug ourselves out of it. That’s been our mode lately.”
Maryland often has played up — and on occasion — down to the level of its opponent, a pattern that suggests they’ll be at their best against Kansas (32-4). The Terrapins (27-8) fought through a tough opening weekend, outlasting South Dakota State before rallying past Hawaii in the second round to reach their first Sweet 16 since 2003.
“I expect Kansas to play well and expect us to play well,” Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said.
“Our guys will be fired up because they have a lot of respect for Kansas, and they’re the best team in the tournament. That gets our attention.”
Both teams see similarities in each other.
Kansas features a strong backcourt in Selden (13.6 points per game), junior Frank Mason III (12.8) and sophomore Devonte’ Graham (11.4). Maryland counters with sophomore Melo Trimble (14.8) and senior Rasheed Sulaimon (11.1).
The schools also feature impressive frontcourts with six-foot-11 freshman Diamond Stone leading Maryland while senior Perry Ellis anchoring things for Kansas.
The Jayhawks were impressive in their victories over Austin Peay and Connecticut, but Kansas coach Bill Self knows this will be a different challenge.
“We’re catching a team that even though they’re seeded fifth, our guys understand they can play to a (No.) 1 seed,” he said. “This is a really hard matchup because we really think a lot of their team.”
The schools are meeting for the first time since the 2002 Final Four, when Maryland beat Kansas in the semifinal en route to the national title. Kansas leads the series 3-2 but Maryland has won the past two meetings.
DECLARING: John Calipari says every Kentucky player eligible to declare will submit their names for this year’s NBA draft.
Calipari posted tweets Wednesday saying Kentucky players of age will declare for the draft, though all may not attend the league’s invitationonly combine.
Under new NCAA rules, players declaring for the draft can return to school if they don’t sign with an agent, have up to 10 days after the pre-draft combine to withdraw from consideration and can try out with an NBA team.
Guards Tyler Ulis and Jamal Murray, of Kitchener, Ont., and six-foot-11 Skal Labissiere are considered likely draft choices.