Kansas vs. Samford: NCAA Tournament Preview and Prediction
Here is everything you need to know about Kansas and Samford in our Jayhawks vs. Bulldogs NCAA Tournament first-round preview.
NO. 4 KANSAS (22-10) VS. NO. 13 SAMFORD (29-5)
Time, TV: 8:55 p.m. CT Thursday, March 21, TBS, NCAA March Madness Live
Location: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
All-time series: First meeting between programs
Winner: Advances to the Round of 32 on Saturday to take on the winner of No. 5 Gonzaga and No. 12 McNeese State.
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS
Kansas: C Hunter Dickinson, F K.J. Adams Jr., G Johnny Furphy, G Kevin McCullar Jr., G DaJuan Harris Jr.
Samford: F Achor Achor, F Jermaine Marshall, G Dallas Graziani, G Lukas Walls, G Rylan Jones
PLAYERS TO WATCH
KANSAS
G Kevin McCullar Jr.
Senior guard Kevin McCullar’s health has been a major topic of conversation surrounding the Jayhawks’ upside in the Big Dance. McCullar missed games down the stretch due to a lingering knee injury and was held out of the Big 12 Tournament. Kansas has been dealing with injuries to both of their All-Americans (Kevin McCullar and Hunter Dickinson) and if they show signs of fatigue due to injury, the Jayhawks could be heading home in an early upset.
SAMFORD
F Anchor Anchor
While the name Achor Achor should be a good enough reason to follow a certain player in its own right, the junior forward’s game backs it up. Achor led his team this season in scoring with 15.8 points per game. He also added 6.1 rebounds per game and 1.5 assists per game on 59.9% from the field. While Achor’s scoring around the rim is impressive, he also has a polished deep shot. The 6-foot-9 forward also boasts an impressive 44.6% three-point shooting percentage, which Kansas will have to focus on eliminating.
KEY STORYLINES
KANSAS
Bill Self is back. Kansas took the court in the 2023 NCAA Tournament under assistant coach Kurtis Townsend, with Bill Self missing the tournament due to some medical concerns. While the Jayhawks may have had a down year in the 2023-24 regular season, one of the nation’s best basketball programs is returning the best coach in college basketball to the sidelines. Self’s experience in tournament play is something that the Jayhawks desperately missed in the previous season.
SAMFORD
Bill Self said it himself earlier this week: Kansas struggles against teams that shoot threes effectively and frequently. To Self’s credit, the matchup does play in favor of the Bulldogs when it comes to three-point shooting. Samford is shooting 39.32% from three, which ranks seventh in the nation behind Kentucky, Purdue, Dayton, UNC Greensboro, Northwestern, and Colorado. On the flip side, Kansas has struggled to defend the three this season and is surrendering 33.2% from three, which ranks 152nd in the country. If Samford can connect on the three-ball, Kansas could be in trouble.
PREDICTION
Kansas 84, Samford 75. Samford is a quality team with veterans who can shoot basketball. I just don’t think it’s going to be enough if both McCullar and Dickinson return to the floor. Samford’s size leaves a lot to be desired, and I think Self’s team will step up and get the job done on the low block and at the free-throw line.
