Top seed Kansas rallies to lead Penn at half

TNT will broadcast Kansas vs. Penn.

Penn might be the greatest 16-seed in NCAA Tournament history, but the Quakers are still a 16. Lightfoot was just one point shy of his first-career double-double after he contributed nine points and pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds. Penn is second in the nation in three-point percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 29.2 percent from distance. New Mexico State is one of the better defensive teams in the country allowing 63.8 points per game.

I feel that there is a possibility of two Cinderella teams in this region.

It was a slow start on the offensive end of the floor for the Jayhawks, who managed to convert on just three of their first 11 shots from the field.

Fans across the United States get in on March Madness like no other set of playoffs in sports, filling out brackets and joining office pools that challenge them to pick the victor of all the games.

Buoyed by an electric showing from senior guard and Big 12 Player of the Year Devonte’ Graham, the Jayhawks closed the half on a 22-5 run.

Next up for Gonzaga will be either Ohio State or South Dakota State, and it goes without saying that the Bulldogs will need to be better offensively if they’re to reach the Sweet 16. He tied the NCAA record for assists in a game earlier in the season and has scored at least 40 points four times this season. Kansas was just too good.

All three of these teams also have Hall of Fame coaches from Tom Izzo at Michigan State, to Bill Self at Kansas, and Coach K at Duke. “If you watched him, he didn’t move very well”.

While Kansas looked like it was getting into a rhythm for the long haul, Penn would not go away. The charity stripe was a major factor in the game, benefiting Kansas and killing Penn.

The Crimson Tide (20-15) got 25 points and six assists from Sexton, who shot 10-of-14 from the free throw line. Penn ranked No. 76 with an Elo rating of 1700, more than 200 points better than the average No. 16 seed since 1985.

For most of the first half, Graham was guarded by Penn point guard Darnell Foreman. “You gotta focus on what you can control and you can’t control anything that’s happened in the past”.

“They got size inside, but the thing hardest to go against is the pace they play at with the athletes they have”, Donahue said.

Wade averaged 16.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in helping Kansas State to a top-half finish in the Big 12, and was a big reason why coach Bruce Weber’s team didn’t have to sweat out Selection Sunday. Ninth-seeded Kansas State likewise hopes to have All-Big 12 forward Dean Wade and high-scoring guard Barry Brown back from injuries that sidelined them during the Big 12 Tournament when they face Creighton on Friday in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“Better than what I thought watching them on tape”, Self said. Duke will also have Grayson Allen and Wendell Carter Jr to help them push away from Kansas late in the game.

A few negative comments about Wichita heading into the tournament followed mostly positive reviews from people experiencing the city for the first time. I think he’s really improved a lot in knowing how to read situations when the ball’s in his hands. “But when you get rolling or you get on a little roll, it definitely gives you momentum, the fans do”.

Graham, perhaps atoning for a dismal performance in last year’s tournament loss to OR, also had six rebounds and six assists as the Jayhawks cruised into a second-round matchup with eighth-seeded Seton Hall – which beat North Carolina State – in the loaded Midwest Region.