Kansas vs. Michigan Sweet 16 Preview

The Kansas Jayhawks overcame some sluggish play in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament to once again make the Sweet 16 – the fifth time in the last six years the program has made it this far. If the top-seeded Jayhawks want to make a second consecutive Final Four, they will first have to get past the fourth-seeded Michigan Wolverines.

Michigan may be young, but the team is loaded with talent. The Wolverines are led by sophomore point guard Trey Burke, who averages nearly 19 points and seven assists per game. Michigan also gets a lot of scoring from Tim Hardaway, Jr., who averages 15 ppg. Michigan relies heavily on shooting threes for their success, with Hardway and Nik Stauskas both shooting over 40% from beyond the arc.

Kansas’ offense has been extremely unpredictable this season, but one consistent the Jayhawks have had is an outstanding defense. Anchored by the nation’s best shot-blocker in Jeff Withey and one of the best perimeter defenders in Travis Releford, KU has one of the top-rated defenses in the nation.

On offense, the Jayhawks will have to find a way to get Ben McLemore going. The redshirt freshman is predicted by most to be the top pick in the 2013 NBA draft and leads Kansas in scoring; however, he has been a no-show in March so far. McLemore went 0-9 from the field against North Carolina and scored only two points. He has eclipsed the 30 point mark several times this season, and may be due for a breakout game against Michigan’s suspect defense.

Tonight’s game will be a true clash of styles, as Michigan has a great offense while Kansas has a great defense. With Withey in the paint, Michigan will likely rely heavily on three point shooting. If the Wolverines aren’t on fire from beyond the arc, and the Jayhawks can counter with some threes of their own, KU could find itself closer to another Final Four.

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Kansas - Oklahoma State Preview

While it hasn’t always been pretty, the Kansas Jayhawks have made it to this point in the Big 12 season undefeated in conference play, and currently have a two game lead over several teams tied for second. KU will look to stay undefeated and increase their lead on Saturday, when the Jayhawks host the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The game is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m.

The Jayhawks’ struggles on offense lately have mostly been a result of sloppy guard play, particularly from senior point guard Elijah Johnson. Johnson has been prone to turnovers, and is struggling to score from both beyond the arc and in the lane. Ben McLemore has quickly turned into Kansas’ best offensive weapon, and Jeff Withey and Travis Releford are both efficiently scoring as well. If Johnson can return to the form he displayed in the latter portion of last season, Kansas’ offense will greatly improve.

Oklahoma State is one of the most talented teams in the league, and many pegged them as the second-best team behind Kansas before the season started. OSU is 4-3 in Big 12 play, however all three losses have come on the road to good teams – Kansas State, Oklahoma and Baylor. The Cowboys narrowly beat Iowa State at home on Wednesday, thanks to Marcus Smart’s layup with only seconds left on the clock. If Oklahoma State can defeat Kansas in Lawrence, they will take a huge step towards locking up an NCAA tournament berth and will be officially part of the Big 12’s upper tier of teams.

Kansas has won 102 of its last 103 home games; however Oklahoma State provides a huge challenge. If Kansas can finally get its offense to wake up, they shouldn’t have much trouble handling the Cowboys. However, if KU continues to shoot poorly from three and turns the ball over, Oklahoma State has the talent to pull the upset.

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