One of the Biggest Projected NCAA Bracket Busters Is South Dakota State Over Providence

One of the Biggest Projected NCAA Bracket Busters Is South Dakota State Over Providence

You would think that the 25-5 Providence College Friars would have earned most everyone’s respect, but in a world of pontificators, there are plenty of bracketologists claiming that the run-and-gun South Dakota State team is going to run the Friars right out of the tournament.

Sure, Ed Cooley’s Big Dance record is just 1-5, but the Friars are a top 10 team this season built on seniors and 5th-year players.

 

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Kyle Boone, CBS Sports says:

"South Dakota State is 30-4 on the season and enters the tournament having won its last 21 games dating all the way back to mid-December. This is a brutal matchup for the Friars, so if you're going to take a big upset by seeding, this is the one in the Midwest I've circled in sharpie."

 

Sporting News writes:

No. 13 South Dakota State (+2) vs. No. 4 Providence

There aren't many teams that can keep up with the offense of the Jackrabbits. No Division I team has scored more points than the 2,948 dropped by South Dakota State, and no team exceeds the 60.4 effective field goal percentage. But it also has not faced another tournament-bound team since it lost to Alabama 104-88 in the second game of the season. Now, it will have to face Big East regular-season champion Providence.

The Friars are favored to slow down the Jackrabbits by both TeamRankings and KenPom. South Dakota State has had its issues on defense this season, and while Providence hasn't been dominant on offense, it has faced a far tougher schedule, facing teams like Villanova, Creighton, Xavier and Marquette down the stretch of the season.

 

Sports Illustrated writes:

South Dakota State (No. 13 seed, Midwest Region)

The 30–4 Jackrabbits won’t have lost for more than three months by the time the ball is tipped in their first NCAA tournament game. This is a program that has been in this spotlight before, with close losses to the likes of Baylor, Maryland and Ohio State in the first round of the Big Dance in the last decade. But this year’s group has the best chance in program history of winning a March Madness game.

Why? South Dakota State is elite on the offensive end. The Jackrabbits rank in the top 15 in KenPom’s offensive efficiency metric, topping the nation in both three-point field goal percentage (a ridiculous 44.2% from deep) and effective field goal percentage (topping Gonzaga and Purdue at 59.7%). They take care of the ball, are loaded with shooters and have several weapons that can beat you. The biggest question is whether they can get enough stops—this isn’t an overly athletic team and it’s struggled to defend high-major competition this season, giving up 104 points to Alabama and 87 points to Washington. That might not be quite as big a concern against a Providence team that isn’t that explosive on the offensive end, and advanced metrics have suggested the Friars have overachieved for most of the season. Can the Jackrabbits end Providence’s incredible run in close games?

 

Joe Lunardi, ESPN says: 

"South Dakota State's first opponent will likely be favored to win. But the opposing coach will hate how it happened. The Jackrabbits have the profile of a team that can spoil dreams. They have averaged 86.7 PPG, second in the country to Gonzaga." 

 

 

New York Times writes:

Full bracket picks: Kansas over Texas Southern/Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Creighton over San Diego State, Richmond over Iowa, South Dakota State over Providence, Iowa State over Louisiana State, Wisconsin over Colgate, U.S.C. over Miami, Auburn over Jackson State. Second round: Creighton over Kansas, Richmond over South Dakota State, Wisconsin over Iowa State, U.S.C. over Auburn. Regional semifinals: Creighton over Richmond, Wisconsin over U.S.C. Regional final: Wisconsin over Creighton.