Kansas basketball: Clemson preview, where to watch
By Stan Unruh
The Kansas basketball team returns to NCAA Tournament action Friday. Here are a few things to know when the Jayhawks battle Clemson in the Sweet 16.
Bill Self is taking another trip to the Sweet 16. The No. 1 seed Jayhawks are in the Midwest Regional semi-finals for a third straight season. All the excitement is new for their opponent Friday night in Omaha. Nobody expected No. 5 seed Clemson to have an outstanding season. As a matter of fact, most media picked the Tigers to finish in the middle of the Atlantic Coast Conference or lower. They exceeded all expectations.
The Tigers, who won 25 games, have an experienced starting five that includes four players who averaged double figures in scoring this season. Six-foot-three senior Marcquise Reed leads the Tiger attack at almost 16 points a game. Mr. reliable had 16 in the blowout of Auburn. He missed all his three-point attempts.
Junior guard Gabe Devoe led the Tigers over Auburn with 22 points. The 6-foot-3 Devoe hit 6 of 9 three pointers in Sunday’s runaway win. He is shooting right under 40 percent from beyond the arc on the season. A couple of Clemson big men off the bench senior forward Donte Gratham and grad student Mark Donnal are the best Tiger three-point shooters. Grantham at 6-foot-8 and Donnal 6-foot-9 both shoot over 41 percent from three.
Tiger junior forward Elijah Thomas averages just 10 points and leads the team with 8 rebounds a contest. The 6-foot-8 starter scored 18 points and grabbed11 rebounds against Auburn. He also had 3 blocked shots and has 76 blocks on the year.
Here is where to watch the Jayhawks play the Tigers
Date: March 23
Time: 6:10 p.m. CST
Location: Omaha
Venue: Century Link Center
Television: CBS
Stream: Watch CBS
Listen: Jayhawk Radio Network
Keys to victory
Next: Expect another big weekend from Lagerald Vick
The Jayhawks have won 6 of their last 7 games against the nation’s Top 25. Clemson lost 5 of 10 against similar competition. The Tigers are good defensively, limiting teams to just 65 points a game. On the other hand, the Jayhawks have the talent and the speed to put up a lot of points on anyone.
Expect All American Devonte Graham to have a big game on this big stage. The Jayhawks need to run the offense through a healthy Udoka Azubuike and attack the basket. Malik Newman and Lagerald Vick will give the Tigers plenty of trouble. If Clemson stops those two, Svi Mykhailiuk will make them pay.