LAWRENCE, KS – In a thrilling Senior Night performance, Hunter Dickinson matched his career-high with 33 points, propelling the Kansas Jayhawks to an 83-76 victory over No. 24 Arizona on Saturday.
Dickinson’s dominant performance, coupled with strong contributions from fellow seniors, proved crucial as the Jayhawks (20-11, 11-9 Big 12) secured a vital win heading into the Big 12 Championship. Zeke Mayo contributed 20 points, including five three-pointers, while KJ Adams added 12 points and energized the crowd with three dunks.
Kansas surged to a 14-point lead in the first half, fueled by Dickinson’s efficient scoring. He shot 8-of-9 from the field in the first half, giving Kansas a 39-30 advantage at halftime. Dickinson finished the game with 15-of-23 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds, recording his 14th double-double of the season.
“The seniors played great,” said Kansas head coach Bill Self. “That was about as well as I can remember seniors playing on Senior Night. They carried us. We needed that bad.”
Arizona (20-11, 14-6) mounted a comeback in the second half, with Jaden Bradley scoring 21 points and Caleb Love adding 16. Bradley and Love combined for 26 points in the second half, briefly giving Arizona a 68-66 lead with 6:02 remaining. Trey Townsend added 13 points off the bench for the Wildcats.
However, Dickinson’s dominance proved too much for Arizona. He took over in the final minutes, securing the victory for Kansas.
With this win, Kansas enters the Big 12 Championship as the No. 6 seed. They will play on Wednesday, March 12, at 8:30 p.m. CT at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, facing the winner of the No. 11 Utah vs. No. 14 UCF game, scheduled for Tuesday, March 11.
