Bill Self’s Kansas squad finds itself in a familiar position in the Sweet 16 with a clear path to the Elite Eight. What stands in the way is the best Providence team in a few decades, which is making its deepest tournament run since 1997.
This 1-4 matchup is chalk for the Midwest Region side of the bracket but both the Friars and Jayhawks had a scare during the opening weekend against lesser opponents. This Big 12 vs. Big East matchup has the third-largest spread of the round, indicating oddsmakers are all the way out on Providence getting past KU.