Kansas vs. Gonzaga: NCAA Tournament Preview and Prediction
No. 4 Kansas (23-10) vs. No. 5 Gonzaga (26-7)
Time, TV: 2:15 p.m., Saturday, CBS
Location: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
All-time series (Gonzaga 1-0): The Bulldogs won their only meeting, 102-90, on Nov. 26, 2020, at a neutral site tournament in Fort Myers, Fla.
NCAA Tournament Results: Kansas: def. Samford, 93-89 (first round); Gonzaga: def. McNeese, 86-65 (first round)
Winner: Advances to the Sweet 16 next Thursday.
Projected starting lineups
Kansas: G Nicolas Timberlake, G DaJuan Harris Jr., G Johnny Furphy, F K.J. Adams Jr., C Hunter Dickinson.
Gonzaga: G Ryan Nembhard, F Nolan Hickman, F Anton Watson, F Graham Ike, F Ben Gregg.
Players to watch
Kansas
Hunter Dickinson
Kansas needed a huge game from Dickinson and he delivered, as he scored 19 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in the first-round victory over Sanford. His 20 rebounds was the third most of any Kansas player in an NCAA Tournament game. The Jayhawks will need more of that if they expect to advance past the second round. For the season Dickinson is averaging 18 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Those assists could be key. He had five against Sanford and he can act as a part time facilitator at the top of the key in situations where he can see over defenses and find open players.
Gonzaga
F Anton Watson
Watson had 13 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists in Gonzaga’s first-round win over McNeese. The Bulldogs have a couple of forwards that can hurt you, but Watson has the more versatile game. He averages 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He can also stretch you, as he shoots 40% from the 3-point line. Whomever defends Watson will have to chase him all over the floor and he’s rather indefatigable. He plays more than 30 minutes per game.
Key storylines
Kansas
It’s been a tumultuous season for Kansas. The Jayhawks started the season as a national title contender and had a near-perfect non-conference. Then, in Big 12 play, Kansas ended up having its worst season in the conference, losing eight league games and losing forward Kevin McCullar Jr. for stretches due to injury. McCullar will not play for the rest of the NCAA Tournament and Kansas is playing no more than seven players in its rotation. If The Jayhawks continue to advance it will be because they shoot the ball the way they shot it against Samford in the first half on Thursday, when they shot better than 60% from the field.
Gonzaga
The Bulldogs have had a good season, but not quite the season we’re used to seeing from them. They lost three different high-major games during non-conference play. Once Gonzaga got into West Coast Conference play it ran into their nemesis, Saint Mary’s. The Gaels beat the Bulldogs in their first matchup in February, and then the Bulldogs got their revenge in early March. But when they met again in the WCC Tournament, Saint Mary’s beat Gonzaga for the tournament championship. Gonzaga had a resume good enough for an at-large bid and the Bulldogs are hoping to reach the Sweet 16 yet again.
Prediction
Gonzaga 78, Kansas 74. It’s incredible these two programs are only meeting for the second time. Gonzaga has a versatile, lengthy lineup and that should give Kansas some matchup issues. Depth will become an issue for Kansas late and Gonzaga will advance.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
