The Kentucky Wildcats are celebrating a victory in the NCAA Tournament after beating the Providence Friars 61-53 on Friday night. This is their first win in the Big Dance since 2019, and the entire BBN (Big Blue Nation) is rejoicing. It was a tough and physical game, but Kentucky managed to outlast their opponents to secure their place in the next round.
Next up for the Wildcats is a match against the Kansas State Wildcats, who are also coming off a win in the Round of 64. K-State beat Montana State 77-65 in a game that was close for most of the way. They pulled away in the final minutes, showing impressive form.
Kentucky’s star player, Oscar Tshiebwe, will once again be a key figure for the team in their upcoming game. He was instrumental in their win over Providence, breaking a shot clock-era rebounding record with 25 rebounds. He is a force to be reckoned with on the glass and will be hoping to dominate once again. Jacob Toppin excelled in the game and showed his senior leadership for the team and Antonio Reeves was on fire, knocking down some long range jumpers and getting to the paint for the Cats.
One area that Kentucky will want to improve on is their scoring drought. They struggled to put points on the board in the second half of their game against Providence, going almost five minutes without scoring. While the Friars also went cold during that period, the Wildcats will be keen to avoid such a situation in the future.
Kansas State has some talented players of their own, including Keyontae Johnson and Markquis Nowell. Johnson was a standout forward for the Florida Gators and a potential NBA Draft pick, but his career was threatened when he collapsed due to an undetected heart condition in December 2020. He missed the rest of the season and the 2021-22 season, but he has since resumed his career and joined K-State. He had a fantastic year, averaging 17.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, earning Third-Team All-American honors. Against Montana State, he had 18 points, eight rebounds, and three assists.
Nowell, on the other hand, is a skilled point guard who has become one of the best players in college basketball. He is averaging 16.8 points, 7.6 assists, 2.4 steals, and 3.5 rebounds per game, also earning Third-Team All-American honors. The 5-foot-8 guard has drawn comparisons to former Wildcat Tyler Ulis, who is now on Kentucky’s coaching staff. Kentucky will need to come up with a plan to contain Nowell if they hope to win.
Nae’Qwan Tomlin is another player to watch on K-State’s team. The junior forward is averaging 10.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game.
The KSU Wildcats exceeded expectations in Jerome Tang’s first year as head coach. Tang was hired after serving as Baylor’s associate head coach and helping the Bears win the 2021 NCAA Championship. K-State was projected to finish last in the Big 12 preseason projections, but they have proved their doubters wrong.
Kentucky and K-State faced off in the 2018 Sweet 16, with K-State coming out on top in a thrilling game. However, Kentucky has already achieved a significant milestone in this year’s tournament by winning their first game in 1,444 days. They will be hoping to continue their winning streak and advance to the Sweet 16.
The game between Kentucky and K-State will take place on Sunday, March 19th at 2:40 pm EST.
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