3 reasons why Kansas Basketball can make it back to the Final 4 this season

Kansas is tough to beat when Gradey Dick goes off

One of the special aspects of collegiate sports is that players only spend four to five years in college, meaning there’s always a crop of new talent. Watching which freshmen break out is always interesting, and Kansas just happens to have one of this year’s best new faces. Gradey Dick was a 5-star recruit who was expected to be talented, but the pressure of replacing some of those major pieces from last season might’ve gotten to a number of people.

That pressure hasn’t impacted Dick, who is averaging 14.2 points and 5.0 rebounds a game to this point. A talented wing who can play multiple spots on the floor, this 6’8 phenom is a sniper, hitting 42% of his 3-pointers this season while also knocking down 85% of his free throw attempts. He’s had six 20-point outings and shows up when the game matters most, like his career-high steals against Indiana or his impressive long-distance shooting back around Thanksgiving.

There have been nine games this season where Dick has made at least three 3-pointers and the Jayhawks have won them all, including over several ranked opponents. You won’t find this type of consistent sharpshooter at most programs, but he’s been seamless in transitioning to the college game. There’s no guarantee that Dick will shoot his way into the history books during March Madness, but there’s one thing that’s for certain. When his outside shooting touch is there, then the Jayhawks win.