Seton Hall Basketball: NCAA Tournament second-round preview versus Kansas
The Seton Hall Pirates would advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2000 with a win over the Kansas Jayhawks.
TV Schedule: Saturday, March 17, 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS
Location: Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas
Step one for the Seton Hall Pirates was to capture their first NCAA Tournament victory in 14 years.
Step two will be just a tad more challenging.
After a close, yet comfortable win over the NC State Wolfpack on Thursday night, the Pirates will have their work cut out for them against the top-seed Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday evening.
In some ways, this is a disconcerting matchup for Seton Hall. Kansas is a vastly superior team in almost every facet of the game and their high-powered offense could easily turn this into a shootout in the mid-90s.
There are some areas, however, where the advantage rests with Seton Hall. One of those areas is on the boards; according to Sports-Reference, the Jayhawks barely made the top 300 in terms of rebounds allowed this season.
Seton Hall, on the other hand, is one of the best rebounding teams in the nation. They limit second-chance opportunities for opponents and keep possessions alive on the offensive boards. Their ability to do so could frustrate Kansas, especially depending on the playing status of Udoka Azubuike, who played just three minutes against Penn.
A less tangible advantage for the Pirates is their senior leadership. As we’ve already covered in-depth, Seton Hall is stocked with upperclassmen ready to leave a remarkable legacy on the program. Kansas has a couple of seniors too, but the cohesion and chemistry of the group has never looked as strong as it has for the Pirates.
Not tangible, but just as important as the battle on the boards.
Seton Hall arguably entered the NCAA Tournament as the strongest No. 8 seed on the board. Can they pull off the upset?
Prediction: Seton Hall 87, Kansas 84