Providence Basketball: 3 keys for Friars to upset Kansas in Sweet 16 matchup
Getting off to a Hot Start
A common theme with Providence this season has been them getting off to slow starts and picking it up in the second half. A prime example of this is when the Friars were down by 13 points at halftime at Hinkle Fieldhouse against Butler, just to win in overtime. Another game where the Friars got off to a slow start was early in the season against Virginia. They scored just 15 first-half points en route to a blowout loss.
The Jayhawks are one of the highest-scoring first-half teams in the country, placing 15th in the country averaging 37.7 PPG in the first half according to Team Rankings. The Friars come in at 176th in the nation with 32.8 PPG. If Providence doesn’t want its season to end Friday, it should ensure that it takes the lead early and maintains it.
One way that the Friars can get off to a hot start is to run through their sets and get open looks for their three-point shooters to capitalize on. It would help if any of their perimeter threats – Horchler, Reeves, and Jared Bynum – could get off to quick starts by drilling a couple of triples.
Next. Ranking Sweet 16 teams. dark
The Friars also shouldn’t become reliant on the perimeter game too much and stay with what they know, that being continuing to feed Watson in the paint. Playing against Kansas is a different story as opposed to South Dakota St. and Richmond, but Watson is a “super-senior” who has played in big games before, so facing one of the best teams in the country and one of the most underrated centers in McCormack shouldn’t faze him.