NCAA tournament: Saturday’s Midwest Region review

Kansas survived but showed some vulnerabilities. Providence is thriving again. And there are four other Power 6 teams still standing in the Midwest Region, including two double-digit seeds. This will be a compelling Sweet 16.

Here is what happened in the Midwest Region on Saturday.

Most impressive performance, team: Providence. Richmond PG Jacob Gilyard had his way with Iowa, scoring 24 points. In the first half against Providence? Zero points on six shot attempts. You can bet Friars coach Ed Cooley drilled into his players the need to make life as difficult as possible for Gilyard. It’s hard to overstate how physical and tenacious Providence’s defense is when fully engaged. The remaining teams in the region may soon find out. And Richmond’s 3-point shooting was virtually nonexistent: 1-of-22.

Most impressive performance, individual: Creighton F Arthur Kaluma. If you were borderline shocked that undermanned Creighton had possession of the ball, down by one point, with about a minute to play, you weren’t the only one. The injury-depleted Bluejays, missing Big East defensive player of the year Ryan Kalkbrenner (knee), had a chance to steal this game because of some smoke and mirrors and a lot of Kaluma, a freshman from the Phoenix area. He was spectacular with 24 points and 12 rebounds. He hit four 3-pointers, matching his season-high. Without his performance, this matchup would have been the biggest mismatch of Saturday’s second round, as it was expected to be.

Hard to understand: Creighton was positioned to potentially beat Kansas despite shooting 9-of-31 from 2-point range. It’s hard to overcome that degree of ineptitude inside the arc. The reason the Bluejays nearly did, of course, was because of their uncharacteristic success from beyond the arc and a near-perfect day at the free-throw line (18-of-21).

What we’ll be talking about from the Midwest Region Sunday: Expect some legit chatter about Providence possibly beating Kansas in the Sweet 16. Some may say this is a prisoner-of-the-moment-type sentiment because the Friars have looked especially strong in the tournament. But, remember, aside from a subpar defensive effort against Creighton in the Big East tournament, this is a tough, physical team that won the league’s regular-season title. This is a good Kansas team. But it is not one of Bill Self’s best teams.

Key numbers: Providence advanced to its first Sweet 16 since 1997. … With the victory, Kansas tied Kentucky for the most wins (2,353) in college basketball history. … This is the third Sweet 16 appearance in the past five tournaments for the Jayhawks. … Providence was 12-of-22 from 3-point range. … Kansas had seven blocks. … Creighton was averaging 6.5 made 3-pointers per game. Against Kansas, the Bluejays made 12. … Kansas and Creighton combined to go 37-of-41 from the line. … Five Providence players finished in double figures.

Game results

No. 1 Kansas 79, No. 9 Creighton 72

Main takeaway: If the Jayhawks make a run to the Final Four, the play of G Remy Martin will be a huge reason. After missing 10 games with a knee injury, the 6-foot senior is now healthy, and it shows. Coming off the bench, he was the prime catalyst for coach Bill Self’s team, finishing with 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Creighton struggled to contain Martin, an Arizona State transfer whose quickness and explosive dribbling enabled him to get a mid-range jumper whenever he wanted. His health solidifies Kansas as one of the favorites to win the national title.
Up next: Kansas vs. No. 4 Providence in Sweet 16, Friday in Chicago

No. 4 Providence 79, No. 12 Richmond 51

Main takeaway: This one never really was in doubt. Cooley now has his team playing its best basketball of the season. The Sweet 16 matchup with Kansas will be a must-see affair.
Up next: Providence vs No. 1 Kansas in Sweet 16, Friday in Chicago