Kansas vs Southern Illinois Preview

Kansas Jayhawks (1) Vs. Southern Illinois Salukis (4)
Thursday, 3/22 @ 7:10
Betting Line From Bookmaker: Kansas -9

The Kansas Jayhawks continue to roll, this time beating a solid Kentucky team by the score of 88- 76. The Southern Illinois Salukis convincingly beat the Virginia Tech Hokies 63-48 to get to the Sweet 16 and earn maddux's premium basketball pick subscribers another easy winner.

Kansas led at the half by 6 and won by 12. They shot an amazing 57% from the floor and an even more astounding 63% from three-point land. At one point the Jayhawks led by 20. By the start of the second-half, Kansas had put Kentucky away. Kentucky shot well overall; it’s simply that the Jayhawks shot extraordinarily.

Sophomore forward Julian Wright led the team with 21 points and 8 rebounds. He also had two steals. Sophomore shooting guard Brandon Bush put in 19 and sophomore point man Mario Chalmers was good for 16 while making 8 assists and grabbing 3 rebounds. Off the bench, junior forward Darnell Jackson played 10 minutes and took down 4 rebounds while notching 4 points. Freshman guard Sherron Collins hit for 8 points while dishing off 2 assists.

On defense, the Jayhawks blocked 5 shots and stole 7. They committed 10 turnovers and sent the Wildcats to the foul line 23 times.

In their second round match-up, Southern Illinois found themselves in a battle until the beginning of the second-half, when they opened up a 10-point lead within 6 minutes. The Salukis were solid at 44% from the floor, 57% from the three-point mark and 57% from the free throw line.

Senior guard Jamaal Tatum led all scorers with 21 points, while senior guard Tony Young was not far behind, putting in 17. Sophomore guard Bryan Mullins hit for 11 while handing off 3 assists. Off the boards, junior forward Randal Falker grabbed 12 and earned a double-double with 10 points.

The Salukis played determined defense in the second-half. They finished the game with 5 steals and 3 blocks. The defensive catalyst was Falker who knocked down 3 shots and made 3 steals.

The Jayhawks come into this game with a young team that is shooting at an alarming rate. They also have a very deep bench that can score. The Salukis possess a fine defense and great firepower in the backcourt. Their bench is not as deep. Southern Illinois has a more mature club and is more disciplined. Kansas can get into foul trouble.

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