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KANSAN.COM/SPORTS | THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017
Junior guard Devonte' Graham celebrates after making a three pointer late in the second half against Oklahoma on Feb. 27. Graham had 16 points in Kansas' 73-63 victory.
Missy Minear/KANSAN
Who will win the NCAA tournament?
KANSAS
BRENDAN DZWIERZYNSKI
@BrendanDzw
It's said year after year, but good guard play is arguably the most important factor for a national championship-winning team. A strong performance from a team's backcourt throughout the tournament instantly makes it a favorite to take home the title.
This reasoning is exactly why Kansas will win this year's national championship.
The Jayhawks' backcourt is composed of both super-stars and capable role players, all of whom make a clear impact in every game. Assuming this unit plays to its full capabilities (and there's no reason to believe it won't) Kansas has to be the favorite to win it all.
The guard-play narrative is proven true with such regularity that it's a blatantly obvious fact by now. Whether it was Ryan Diarciacono and Josh Hart for Villanova last year, Duke's Quinn Cook and Tyus Jones in 2015 or the heroic play of UConn's Shabazz Napier in 2014, credence is given to this theory every season. With that in mind, the Kansas guards stand head and shoulders above the rest of the field, demonstrating why the Jayhawks should be heavy favorites this year.
When your unit is led by the best player in the country, you're instantly in good shape for the tournament. With senior Frank Mason III leading the group of guards, it would be foolish to expect anything other than a deep run for Kansas. With the combination of his tangible skills, like his strong shooting acumen, his toughness in the lane and his effective passing, and his intangible traits, like his veteran presence and leadership, the Jayhawks already have a leg up on their competition.
Mason isn't the only playmaker for Kansas, however. Enter freshman Josh Jackson, whose 16.4 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game earned him Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors, as well as a place on the All-Big 12 first team. The fluidity with which Jackson plays is extraordinary, making nifty plays all over the floor look effortless. His length is exceptional, his court vision is stunning and his ability to take over a game is the sort of trait you desperately want in March.
Second-team All-Big 12 selection junior Devonte' Graham deserves plenty of hype as well. Over 13 points and over four assists per game speaks for itself, but where Graham really shines is in late-game situations. When the lights are at their brightest, Graham is at his best, as evidenced by his play in comeback wins for
Kansas over West Virginia and Oklahoma this season. It's hard not to love a guard who plays a ton of minutes, is trustworthy with the ball in his hands late in a game and also plays well on both ends come tournament time.
As if those three studs weren't enough, junior Svi Mykhailiuk and sophomore Lagerald Vick are also contributors, even in smaller roles. When he's hot, Mykhailiuk can be a top-tier scorer, and Vick's athleticism and energy challenges opponents on both ends.
NORTH CAROLINA
Opponents need to pick their poison when it comes to facing Kansas, because the Jayhawks can kill you in so many ways.
As if the elite guard play wasn't enough, don't forget Kansas starts one of the most underrated big men in the country in senior center Landen Lucas. 10 rebounds per game in conference play is impressive, but his basketball IQ and fantastic defense are what make him stand out.
There are great players throughout the tournament field. When it comes to guard play, however, one thing that is absolutely necessary for NCAA tournament success, Kansas has a clear advantage over every other team. This formidable backcourt is why the Jayhawks will be cutting down the nets in Phoenix this year.
▶ MIKE MAICKE
@MJ_Maicke
Champ week is over, the field is set, and March is fully upon us.
What many consider the most wonderful time of the sports year began Tuesday with the First Four appetizer, then ramps up to full-on madness with the first round Thursday afternoon.
Brackets are being created only to likely be destroyed at the hands of intense parity and a group of about eight teams that truly have a good, realistic chance to win the entire tournament.
The defending champion Villanova Wildcats look as dangerous as ever, claiming the No.1 overall seed. Arizona is peaking at the right time after an impressive run in the PAC-12 Tournament. Kansas is led by the best player in the country in senior guard Frank Mason III. And of course, Duke just completed an incredibly impressive run through the best conference in the country for another ACC Tournament title.
But there's one team that I believe has the slight nod over the rest of the impressive field.
The North Carolina Tar Heels, winners of the best conference in basketball by two games, will be cutting down the nets in April.
Yes, they lost their senior leader in Marcus Paige last year, but the Tar Heels have not missed a beat. In classic North Carolina fashion, the huge void was immediately filled by arguably the best guard in the country, Joel Berry II.
But it doesn't stop with Berry, this Tar Heels squad is as battle tested as it gets after almost all of their pivotal players return from last year's devastating loss at the buzzer to Villanova in the championship game.
And really, what's more motivating than watching the opposing team celebrate the best achievement of their sports career while confetti and disappointment shower over you?
With some crazy anomalies (cough 2012 Kentucky), upperclassmen and strong guard play win tournaments. When you can mix those together like the case with Kemba Walker, Ryan Arciadiacono and now Berry, you put your team in a very advantageous position.
Now the same thing is absolutely true for Kansas, as the Jayhawks sport arguably the best backcourt in the country with both Mason and junior Devonte' Graham also being upperclassmen, but what separates the Tar Heels here is the balance, depth and interior presence.
Senior center Landen Lucas has been great for Kansas. But, if he gets in early foul trouble the Jayhawks
can have a difficult time rebounding the basketball, an area where North Carolina excels. In fact, it's statistically the best rebounding team in the country, bringing in 43.5 boards per game.
Seniors Isaiah Hicks and Kennedy Meeks are two big, athletic forwards who are walking mismatches. Freshman Tony Bradley is averaging over 7 points and 5 rebounds a game for the Tar Heels off the bench. They are deep, and the talent hardly drops off.
Speaking of mismatches, Justin Jackson is a 6-foot-8 forward that moves like a guard and is comfortable around the perimeter. Jackson leads the team with 18.1 points per game and can score from anywhere on the court. Jackson can body up guards in the paint, or draw out bigs away from the basket with an honest jumper.
And, of course, they're led by one of the greatest coaches of all time with Roy Williams, who is part of an elite group of coaches with multiple championships, and knows exactly what it takes to get your team to the Final Four.
It's a year of parity, and like I said, about eight teams could win this tournament and it wouldn't surprise me at all.
There is a pack of successful programs with title aspirations, but the Tar Heels are just slightly ahead of the herd.
After UC Davis win, KU focuses on tournament preparation
Missy Minear/KANSAN Coach Bill Self gives directions from the bench at the Sprint Center on Nov. 21. Kansas defeated UAB 83-63.
▶ SKYLAR ROLSTAD
@SkyRolSports
Kansas learned its NCAA tournament Round of 64 opponent Wednesday night. UC Davis weathered a close game against North Carolina Central in Dayton, Ohio, to advance, 67-63.
For Karsas, the tournament comes into focus after the initial excitement surrounding the bracket reveal. Senior center Landen Lucas said on Selection Sunday that the team looks to narrow its focus.
The Jayhawks will meet the No. 16 seed Aggies in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Friday in the Jayhawks' first game of the tournament.
"You look at what the path would be, because you envision yourself and expect yourself to make it all
the way," Lucas said. "But I would say as soon as practice comes tomorrow, maybe even a little earlier than that, you start focusing on that first game and that first weekend ... But you give yourself a little time to look at everything, and then you quickly go back to focusing on game one."
Kansas now turns to UC Davis, a team with a powerful forward in Chima Moneke. Moneke averages 14.4 points per game and 9.4 rebounds per game. He scored 18 points and hauled 12 rebounds in UC Davis' First Four win over NC Central Wednesday night.
Kansas coach Bill Self said Sunday that the waiting game during the First Four to determine Kansas' opponent was a disadvantage.
"I do think it's a little bit of a disadvantage not knowing who you're going to play the first game," Self said. "But obviously, the other teams have to do the same thing."
The Aggies' win Wednesday night could be considered an upset. NC Central won its league, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, while UC Davis finished
second and qualified for the tournament by winning the Big West conference tournament.
NC Central was ranked as the best 16-seed by far, according to KenPom. UC Davis, on the other hand, was ranked the lowest by KenPom. NC Central was ranked among 15- and 14-seeds in KenPom rankings.
Self meets up with a former tournament foe in UC Davis head coach Jim Les. Les coached his alma mater, 13-seed Bradley, to victory against the 4-seed Kansas in Detroit in the first round of the 2006 NCAA tournament. Les took the UC Davis job in 2011 and has brought the Aggies to their first NCAA tournament appearance in school history.
"I know Jim, obviously, from going way back," Self
Lucas looked forward to the Jayhawks' regional advantage as the No.1 seed on Sunday when the bracket was revealed.
said. "Then of course he had probably one of the biggest wins of his coaching career against us when he coached Bradley, and he beat us in the opening round in Detroit, if I'm not mistaken."
"Hopefully we've got a lot of Kansas fans out in Tulsa cheering us on," Lucas said. "And the biggest thing about getting the seed that we got is that we play in Kansas City. Our fans are great, especially helping us when we're going on runs or maybe coming back in the game. So we're all looking forward to playing in front of them in Tulsa and seeing them out there."
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