Kansas
Midwest Regional Preview: Final Four berth in play in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It was a tricky weekend for Kansas and Missouri followers as each groups had been unable to advance to the second weekend of March Insanity, however Kansas State survived and can head to New York Metropolis for an opportunity to earn a Remaining 4 berth within the East Area beginning Thursday.
Nevertheless, this weekend in Kansas Metropolis, 4 groups could have the chance to clinch a Remaining 4 berth as the town hosts the NCAA Regional for the Midwest Area.
Right here’s a have a look at every of the 4 groups which might be vying for an opportunity to characterize the Midwest Area within the Remaining 4 in Houston subsequent Saturday.
Houston Cougars:
Final Candy 16 look: 2022
Head Coach: Kelvin Sampson
Most well-known alum: Lil Wayne
Rogelio V. Solis/AP
For the third straight yr in a row, the Cougars are again within the Candy 16 and want to attain the Remaining 4, which can be performed of their dwelling metropolis. Houston might develop into the sixth faculty to play a Remaining 4 of their dwelling metropolis. Butler was the final faculty to have an at-home benefit in Indianapolis in 2010.
It hasn’t been easy crusing for head coach Kelvin Sampson and the Cougars as two key starters, Marcus Sasser and Jamal Shead, are at present injured.
Whereas Houston is the No. 1 seed within the Midwest area, the workforce has had some troubling first halves to date this match. Though, the Cougars recovered within the second halves of each video games, together with a 50-point second half in opposition to Auburn regardless of the very fact each Sasser and Shead had been in foul bother.
Whereas the Cougars should not extraordinarily tall, with middle Jarace Walker as their tallest starter at 6 foot 8 inches, the workforce is without doubt one of the greatest rebounding and defensive groups within the nation, rating eleventh in rebounds and second in factors allowed.
Houston is the one workforce within the high 10 in each offense and protection, in line with KenPom.
The Cougars will play the Miami Hurricanes, who’ve the most effective subject objective percentages within the nation. The Hurricanes 48.1% subject objective share ranks tied for seventeenth out of 363 colleges.
Texas Longhorns:
Final Candy 16 look: 2008
Interim Head Coach: Rodney Terry
Most well-known alum: Matthew McConaughey
Charlie Neibergall/AP
Two months after this system terminated former head coach Chris Beard’s contract after he was charged for home violence, Rodney Terry is preserving this system afloat.
The workforce is 21-7 since Terry took over because the interim head coach, with Terry main the Longhorns to their second Large 12 Event Championship ever.
Nearly two weeks after blowing out the Kansas Jayhawks to win the Large 12 Event on the T-Cellular Heart, the Longhorns return to Kansas Metropolis with an opportunity to go to a Remaining 4 for the primary time since 2003.
The Longhorns have one of the vital skilled rosters within the nation, rating sixth in expertise in line with KenPom. They’ve a strong beginning lineup, with 4 gamers averaging 10 or extra factors per sport and taking pictures over 32% behind the 3-point line.
The Longhorns even have a strong bench, led by Lee’s Summit West Excessive College alumnus Christian Bishop.
The Longhorns breezed previous their opening spherical matchup in opposition to Colgate. Nevertheless, they earned a visit again to Kansas Metropolis by narrowly defeating Penn State, who blew out Longhorn rival Texas A&M of their opening spherical sport, with a five-point lead at 71-66.
Xavier Musketeers:
Final Candy 16 look: 2017
Head Coach: Sean Miller
Most well-known alum: Tyrone Hill
Chris Carlson/AP
The Musketeers look to go to a Remaining 4 for the primary time in this system’s historical past, they usually hope a well-known face will lead them there as Sean Miller is again teaching the Musketeers.
Miller beforehand coached Xavier from 2004-2009 and lead the workforce to an Elite 8 in 2004 and 2008 and a Candy Sixteen in 2009.
In Miller’s first yr again with this system, Xavier is again within the Candy Sixteen for the primary time since 2017, regardless of dropping key starter Zach Freemantle for the yr in February.
Xavier has the most effective offenses within the nation, rating eleventh in factors per sport (PPG), tied for sixth in subject objective share and fifth in 3-point subject objective share.
Regardless of the lack of Freemantle, the Musketeers nonetheless characteristic offensive expertise, with 4 different starters averaging over 10 PPG, led by guard Souley Boum on the perimeter and ahead Jack Nunge within the inside.
Xavier has skilled highs and lows within the match.
The Musketeers needed to comeback from a 13-point deficit in its opening spherical sport in opposition to 13-seed Kennesaw State.
Nevertheless, they had been capable of management the vast majority of the sport in opposition to their Spherical of 32 opponent Pittsburgh, with the workforce main by as a lot as 20 factors at one level. The Xavier Musketeers completed the sport 11 factors forward, defeating the Pittsburgh Panthers 84-73.
Miami Hurricanes:
Final Candy 16 look: 2022
Head Coach: Jim Larrañaga
Most well-known alum: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
Hans Pennink/AP
A yr after reaching an Elite Eight for the primary time in its program historical past, Miami Hurricanes head coach Jim Larrañaga has led the workforce again to the Candy 16.
The Hurricanes barely squeezed by the Drake Bulldogs in its opening match sport with a last rating of 63-56, however blew out the Indiana Hoosiers 85-69 within the Spherical of 32.
Like Xavier, the Hurricanes are the most effective offensive groups within the nation, with the Hurricanes 48.1% subject objective share tied for seventeenth out of 363 colleges, and an offensive ranking ranked eighth within the nation
The Hurricanes know rating, with this system’s 79.1 PPG tied for twenty fourth within the nation, led by fourth yr junior guard Isaiah Wong, who averages 16.1 PPG.
The Hurricanes’ beginning lineup has 4 gamers who common a minimum of 13 PPG, which incorporates Wong and former Kansas State guard Nijel Pack.
Pack performed his first two years with Kansas State. He transferred from the Wildcats after this system fired coach Bruce Weber. Pack led Ok-State in scoring in his two years with this system.
Nevertheless, the Hurricanes’ offense can be examined in opposition to the most effective defenses within the nation within the Houston Cougars.
The Cougars hardly ever permit groups to attain greater than 70 factors in opposition to them, with the workforce permitting greater than 70 factors solely 5 occasions this season.
The Midwest Regionals in Kansas Metropolis start on Friday, with Houston vs. Miami set to tip off at 6:15 p.m. Texas will play Xavier half-hour after the Houston vs. Miami sport ends.
The Midwest Regional Remaining can be performed on Sunday. The time of the sport is to be decided.