Providence, R.I. – In a highly anticipated matchup between two college basketball powerhouses, the 10th-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks stunned the 7th-seeded Kansas Jayhawks with a 79-72 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night. The win marked John Calipari’s first tournament victory as the Razorbacks’ head coach and ended Kansas’s impressive streak of first-round wins.
Jonas Aidoo led the charge for Arkansas, delivering a dominant performance with 22 points. Johnell Davis contributed 18 crucial points, including clutch free throws in the game’s final minutes, securing the Razorbacks’ hard-fought victory. Freshman standout Boogie Fland, returning from a right thumb surgery that sidelined him since January, provided a spark off the bench, scoring six points in 24 minutes of action.
The game was a nail-biter, with Kansas initially trailing by 11 points in the second half. However, the Jayhawks mounted a comeback, briefly taking a 65-64 lead with less than six minutes remaining, thanks to a follow shot by AJ Storr.
Zeke Mayo paced Kansas with 18 points, while AJ Storr finished with 15 and Hunter Dickinson added 11 points and nine rebounds. Despite their efforts, the Jayhawks couldn’t maintain their lead.
Arkansas regained control with crucial free throws from Aidoo and a pivotal three-pointer by Davis, giving them a 71-67 advantage with under two minutes to play. The Razorbacks held their nerve in the closing seconds, with Davis sinking four more free throws to seal the victory. Rylan Griffen’s late three-pointer for Kansas wasn’t enough to overcome Arkansas’s composure at the free-throw line.
“We knew it would be a battle,” Davis said. “We just stayed focused and executed down the stretch.”
Key Takeaways:
- Arkansas’s Resurgence: This victory marks Arkansas’s first NCAA Tournament win since their Sweet 16 run in 2023 under former coach Eric Musselman, signaling a promising start to Calipari’s tenure.
- Kansas’s Historic Streak Ends: The loss ends Kansas’s remarkable streak of 35 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances without a first-round defeat, and drops their first round record to 47-6 all time.
- Looking Ahead: Arkansas now advances to the second round of the West Region, where they will face the winner of the St. John’s vs. Omaha game on Saturday.
