Kansas Basketball: 3 keys to beating Providence in Sweet 16 matchup
By Tommy Farmer
Don’t Let the Friars Hang Around
If you’ve paid any attention to the Big East or Providence basketball this season, you know that Providence has a knack for getting itself into close games. Furthermore, they have a knack for winning close games. The Friars are 11-2 in games decided by less than five points this season, with both of those losses coming to Villanova.
A lot of Providence’s success has been made out to be a result of “luck” by the naysayers, but there is something to be said about the toughness and resolve of a group that continually finds ways to win.
The Jayhawks are the more talented team, but that doesn’t mean too much in March if they don’t bring it. If Kansas finds itself in a dogfight down the stretch, Providence may have the advantage. Providence has boatloads of experience in those situations and won’t feel the pressure nearly as much as the favored Jayhawks will. If Kansas gets an early lead, they cannot let up.
It’ll be a major key to the game to not let Providence stick around if Kansas is able to accrue an early lead. That won’t be a simple task itself for Kansas, but it’ll be even harder as the game progresses to gain an edge on this Providence group.