Providence vs Kansas Predictions, Odds, Picks

• The Providence Friars beat the Richmond Spiders 79-51 in the Second Round.
• The Kansas Jayhawks beat the Creighton Blue Jays 79-72 in the Second Round.
• These two teams have never faced each other.

Providence Friars vs Kansas Jayhawks Odds

Odds taken from DraftKings Sportsbook

The Providence Friars will face the Kansas Jayhawks in this Sweet 16 matchup. Surprisingly, these two teams have never faced each other.

The Providence Friars had a great season in the tough Big East. They mowed through their non-conference opponents and went 14-3 in conference play.

Providence went up against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in the First Round. The Jackrabbits were a 13-seed in their region but on a 21-game winning streak. However, the Friars came out hot and had a 31-23 lead at the end of the First Half. The Jackrabbits tried to claw their way back into it but lost 66-57. Al Durham had a great all-around game with his 13 points, eight rebounds, and six assists.

The Friars took on the Richmond Spiders in the Second Round. Providence had control of this game the whole way through. They led 39-24 at the end of the first half and scored another 40 points in the second half. They won 79-51 behind Noah Horchler’s team-leading 16 points. Horchler also had 14 rebounds.

Providence may have a good record, but most of their wins were by single digits. They need to build a big lead in the first half to win this game.

The Kansas Jayhawks have one of their best teams in years. The Jayhawks, like the Friars, mowed through non-conference opponents and went 16-2. They struggled a little more in conference play, but not by much. They went 14-4 and won a share of the Big 12 title.

Kansas went up against the Texas Southern Tigers. The Tigers might have well not shown up; they were down by 28 points at the end of the first half. The Tigers had a better second half, but it was too little, too late. Kansas won 83-56. Remy Martin led all Kansas scorers with 15 points off the bench. He went 6-8 from the field.

The Jayhawks had a much tougher Second Round matchup in the Creighton Blue Jays. The game was close until the last couple of minutes, but Kansas pulled away with a few clutch shots. They won 79-72 against an injured Creighton team. Remy Martin had a much bigger role off the bench this game. He played 29 minutes and scored 20 points on 7-14 shooting.

Kansas has an offensively stronger team and a pretty veteran squad. I am picking them to win this game in a close fashion.

Pick:

Kansas beats Providence 78-71. Providence covers, Over 141.5 points.

Head-to-Head: Providence Friars vs Kansas Jayhawks

Why Might the Providence Friars Win?

Not many people expect the Providence Friars to win this game. However, they can if they create turnovers and protect the rim.

Providence does not have a great defense. They give up 66.2 points per game and only average 5.0 steals. However, they can step up this game and play stronger defense. If they steal the ball from Kansas a lot, they will be able to limit the Jayhawks’ scoring opportunities.

Providence has some impressive big men in Nate Watson and Noah Horchler. Everyone knows they can score, but the real test comes on defense. They need to lock down Kansas’ big men and protect the rim. If they do, they will give the Friars a chance to win.

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Why Might the Kansas Jayhawks Win?

The Kansas Jayhawks are the odds-on favorites to win. They need to hit free throws and win the rebounding battle.

Kansas shoots pretty well from the free throw line; they hit 72.4% of their free throw attempts. They need to draw fouls and convert their free throws this game. They can build a lead by shooting well from the line.

Kansas and Providence pull down about the same amount of rebounds each game. The Jayhawks have some good rebounders but will need more of a team effort on the boards this game. If they rebound as a team, they will win the rebounding battle.

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Friars Key Player: (F) Noach Horchler

Noah Horchler has shot the ball very well in March Madness. The 6’8” senior forward is coming off a 16-point game against Richmond. He shot 6-10 overall and 4-6 from deep. He could not be stopped and made Richmond pay. Horchler also came up big on the boards and had 14 rebounds.

Horchler has to continue looking for his shot and rebounding. He may also be tasked with guarding David McCormack or Christian Braun. Whoever it may be, he needs to lock him down.

Jayhawks Key Player: (G) Remy Martin

Remy Martin missed a lot of the season with injuries and did not play that well when he was healthy. However, he has been a star in March and led Kansas to a win over Creighton.

Martin is averaging 17.5 points and 4.0 assists over the last two games. If he continues hitting his shots and setting up his teammates, the Jayhawks should be in great shape.

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