The University of Kansas is one of, if not the best team in college basketball this season, as evidenced by its number-one seed, but despite underperforming from expectations, the University of Maryland is still one of the most talented.
Here’s a breakdown of positional matchups for Thursday night’s Sweet 16 matchup.
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Point Guard
Melo Trimble vs. Frank Mason III
This matchup is between a pair of playmaking point guards that can both put points on the board, but who have struggled in recent weeks. Trimble is just two of his last 17 from three-point range, but over the past couple of game he has showed his innate ability to get to the free throw line that’s been missing for a large part of the Big 10 season. A big part of the game will be how whistle-happy the officials are. Mason is a very aggressive defender, and if the officials are quick to call fouls, he could be watching a lot of the game from the bench. In addition, with Trimble’s ability to convert from the free throw line (88 percent), the less he’s on the charity stripe, the better for the Jayhawks. Offensively, Mason, who is still receiving treatment from a foot injury from earlier in the season, hasn’t scored in double digits over his last four games, a far cry from the player who scored in double-figures in 19 of 20 games from December to February. He said he’s feeling fine, but if his foot starts bothering him, it could limit what Kansas can do offensively. If Trimble can get to the free throw line or bust out of his three-point shooting slump, it will make a major impact and could propel the Terps to the Elite Eight. Still, Mason is an extremely talented guard, who if allowed by the refs, could frustrate Trimble and bring out the struggles that have been visible at some points this season.
Shooting Guard
Rasheed Sulaimon vs. Devonte Graham
In this matchup Sulaimon’s height and experience advantage could be the difference. Known as one of the best defenders in the nation, Sulaimon will be looking to deny Graham the ball on the perimeter and harass him with the ball in his hands. When Graham gets the ball, Sulaimon’s height and length advantage could come into play. One key for Sulaimon is making sure Graham doesn’t get open three-pointers because he won’t miss (Graham is a 44 percent three-point shooter on the season). Both players excel at igniting and finishing the fast break, so transition defense will be very important in this one. Sulaimon’s experience could help him in this one, because though Graham, a sophomore, is used to big games, this is a new stage for him. Sulaimon will likely be more composed and should look to take advantage of any nerves Graham shows.
Small Forward
Jake Layman vs. Wayne Selden Jr.
Layman and Selden are very familiar with each other having played together, alongside Maryland guard Jaylen Brantley, on an AAU team that won the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Championship in 2011. But that was years ago, and now both of them are projected to be second round picks in the upcoming NBA Draft. How Selden handles Layman’s height. At 6-foot-9, Layman has three inches on Selden, and he moves very well for his size. But despite his height advantage, it’s Layman that needs to worry about Selden down low. Selden is extremely strong for the position, so look for him to try to outmuscle the much skinnier Layman. This is a tough matchup to gage because you never know which Selden is going to show up. He has the ability to take over a game, such as his 33 point and 25 point outings against Kentucky and Vanderbilt respectively, but then he can disappear at times, like his three point performances against TCU and Texas Tech. What we can count on is Layman bringing a strong defensive performance. Layman has been extremely effective on the defensive end over the past few months, and with his size and athleticism, Selden has a tough matchup against his former AAU teammate.
Power Forward
Robert Carter vs. Perry Ellis
Ellis one of the best scorers in the country, but it won’t be the mismatch that some expect it to. While Carter has had his struggles with smaller, quicker forwards who can stretch the floor, his defense and footwork have improved over the last month. In addition, Ellis prefers the post to the perimeter, and Carter has been a better defender when he can stay down low on the season. But Ellis has been on a tear lately, scoring at least 17 points in each of his past seven games, so if he stays hot, he can put up a lot of points. Even if he cools down a bit, Ellis will score. He’s one of the nation’s best at putting the ball in the bucket. One the other end, Carter is a talented, efficient, offensive player in his own right, scoring on 56 percent of his shots, and his improved footwork has made him a little quicker to the basket. This one will be fun to watch on Thursday night.
Center
Diamond Stone vs. Landen Lucas
In terms of talent, this is the biggest mismatch of the contest in Maryland’s advantage, and it’s not really close. That’s not a slight to Lucas, he’s a good player who knows his role at Kansas, but more to the fact that Diamond Stone is one of the most naturally talented players in the country. But, Lucas, a junior, has the experience advantage and usually makes the right decision, a big reason Lucas beat out star freshman Cheick Diallo for the starting role this season. Offensively, Lucas isn’t much of a threat when he’s not within a few feet of the basket, which should let Stone focus on stopping him there. On the other end, Stone should look to assert himself in the paint where his natural talent will show through. Stone, minus the game against South Dakota State, has been on a nice run since his suspension, and he seems to show up when the lights are the brightest, so it’s a safe bet that he’ll have a nice game on Thursday night.
Andrew Feather is a multimedia journalist from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. Currently a broadcast journalism major at Elon University in Elon, N.C., Feather serves as the Assistant Sports Director of Elon Local News, the school’s award winning, student-run news broadcast.