NCAA Basketball: 10 most compelling 1st round 2023 NCAA Tournament matchups

Kentucky (6) vs. Providence (11)

Truth be told, Kentucky was probably making this list no matter who they played. The Wildcats made headlines last tournament for all the wrong reasons, bowing out to 15-seed St. Peter’s in the first round. With the Cats missing the Dance in 2021 and the tournament being canceled in 2020, it’s been a while since John Calipari and Big Blue Nation have even reached the first weekend.

Though Kentucky is a big enough story unto itself, their first-round opponent, Providence, provides a tremendous foil. The Friars are led by Bryce Hopkins, a 6’7″ sophomore who at this time last year was getting limited minutes for the very Kentucky team that he now faces. Hopkins is the Friars’ leading scorer and rebounder, and will surely be looking for a win against his former school.

Also hanging over the proceedings are the rumors that Georgetown is interested in Providence head coach Ed Cooley after firing Patrick Ewing a week ago. Cooley has quietly made the Friars a tournament mainstay since taking over in 2011, although he’s yet to guide them to the Sweet Sixteen.

Both offenses rank in the top 20 despite not relying on the three. Instead, they pound the offensive glass to get second chances. Oscar Tshiebwe, last year’s National Player of the Year, is second nationally behind only Purdue’s Zach Edey in offensive rebounding, while Providence forward Ed Croswell isn’t far behind, ranking fifth. Their battle down low, and how it’s officiated, will be the most important factor in who moves on.

Providence’s two keys to winning most games are offensive rebounding, and getting to the free throw line more than their opponents. Statistically, they’re average in nearly every other category, but these two stand out. The Friars have gotten big wins this year, beating Marquette, UConn, and Creighton, but they ended the year on a three-game losing streak.

Kentucky has come on late in the season after being on the bubble for much of the year. Shades of last year’s Tar Heels, perhaps? Everything Kentucky does revolves around walking double-double Tshiebwe, but much of the late-season push has been due to the emergence of Cason Wallace. The freshman guard has shown an ability to score and especially distribute as the season has gone on, filling the void when the team lost point guard Sahvir Wheeler to an ankle injury in early Feburary. Wallace averaged over 7.5 assists in the first six games Wheeler missed, and Kentucky will need him to continue his ascendance to make a deep run.

This edition of the Wildcats is more experienced than the typical one-and-done versions of years past. Seniors Jacob Toppin and Antonio Reeves are integral pieces, with Toppin providing scoring and rebounding support and Reeves acting as the team’s one true marksman, shooting 40.7% from three on the year.

The storylines of Hopkins vs. his old team and Kentucky trying to shake the demons of last year’s tournament are enough to make this matchup compelling enough, but the battle down low on the offensive boards should make this one of the more fun watches of the first weekend.