In a surprising first-round matchup of Hall of Fame coaches, John Calipari and the Arkansas Razorbacks triumphed over Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks with a score of 79-72 on Thursday. This victory concluded a disappointing season for Kansas, who began the season ranked No. 1 in the preseason rankings. Arkansas’s win ended Kansas’s remarkable 17-game winning streak in tournament openers and resulted in the Jayhawks suffering their 13th loss of the season, a first since 1982-83.
The Razorbacks, who entered the game as 4.5-point underdogs, secured the win with standout performances from Jonas Aidoo and Johnell Davis, scoring 22 and 18 points, respectively.
Arkansas’s defense played a crucial role in their victory, particularly in the second half, where they effectively contained KU’s All-American center Hunter Dickinson, who was restricted to no points and committed three fouls and turnovers. Despite finishing with 11 points and nine rebounds, Dickinson struggled to make an impact following halftime.
With this match, Calipari has now given Self two season-ending losses, while Self has managed just one win over Calipari, which came in a national championship game. Notably, this is the first occasion that one of these encounters did not culminate in a championship matchup, as Self previously defeated Calipari and Memphis in the 2008 NCAA championship, and Calipari later avenged that loss against Self and Kansas in the 2012 finals.
Kansas’s Disappointing Finish
This marks the fifth time Kansas has commenced the season as the preseason No. 1, a rank achieved under Self five times, and subsequently failed to reach the Sweet 16. This trend includes multiple disappointing tournament exits, highlighting a pattern of struggles for the Jayhawks in the NCAA Tournament.
Kansas ended the game with a shooting percentage of 25 out of 58 from the floor and 8 out of 17 from beyond the arc but struggled with 16 turnovers, an issue that has plagued the team throughout the season. Self remarked that the team often beat themselves more than Arkansas did.
Season Struggles and Future Outlook
This third consecutive early exit in the tournament for Self and Kansas marks the longest drought for the program since 1998-2000. They now face the daunting task of overhauling a roster that will lose key players, including Dickinson and Dajuan Harris. The recent seasons have been riddled with injuries and missed opportunities in the transfer portal, with Self acknowledging the need to better evaluate future portal players.
Looking ahead, Kansas has secured a top-tier prospect in five-star guard Darryn Peterson from Prolific Prep, whose anticipated contributions could propel the program back to its former glory. However, substantial roster changes will be necessary to align with Peterson’s skill set and aspirations.
