Maybe John Calipari is better off as the underdog.
Calipari’s 10th-seeded Arkansas beat No. 7 Kansas, 79-72 Thursday in one of the marquee matchups of the first round of the NCAA tournament.
In doing so, the Razorbacks eliminated a Kansas team that was ranked No. 1 early in the season and Calipari’s Hall of Fame counterpart Bill Self. The loss marks a disappointing end to a Kansas season that started with championship expectations in Lawrence. Instead, the Jayhawks exit the NCAA tournament without a win.
[You could win $25K in the Women’s Bracket Mayhem contest. Enter now!]
The loss ends a 17-season streak for Kansas of advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament. The last time Kansas lost in the first round was to Bradley in 2006.
The win marks the first NCAA tournament win for Calipari since 2023 and his second since reaching the Elite Eight with Kentucky in 2019. A first-round exit as a No. 3 seed spelled the end of Calipari’s Kentucky tenure last season, two years after his Wildcats lost as a No. 2 seed in the first round to No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s and three years after Kentucky failed to make the tournament field following a 9-16 season.
John Calipari and Arkansas are moving on to the second round of the NCAA tournament. (Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
This time, it was Calipari’s turn to win as the underdog in his first time coaching a double-digit seed in the NCAA tournament in 24 trips. He’ll lead the Razorbacks into the second round, where they’ll take on the winner between No. 2 seed St. John’s and No. 15 Omaha. A potentially legendary coaching showdown between Calipari and Rick Pitino awaits.
Arkansas led 47-44 after a sizzling first half for both teams. The Razorbacks then took control with a 7-0 run to start the second, only to see Kansas rally back for a 67-64 lead with 4:55 remaining. But Arkansas answered with another 7-0 run to take a 71-67 lead with 1:47 remaining following a Johnell Davis 3-pointer.
Kansas never led again.
Kansas initially got back into the game by switching to a triangle-and-2 zone in the second half. An Arkansas team that turned the ball over just three times in the first half finished with 10 for the game and allowed Kansas to take its late lead with a 17-10 run. But Arkansas withstood the pressure and closed out the game with its own 15-5 run to secure its spot in the second round.
Point guard D.J. Wagner, who followed Calipari from Kentucky to Arkansas, played all 40 minutes and finished the game with 14 points, six assists and two steals. Davis finished with 18 points while hitting 4 of 9 3-point attempts. Jonas Aidoo led Arkansas in scoring with with 22 points, while Trevon Brazile double-doubled with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Kansas senior KJ Adams Jr. finished with 13 points and four rebounds for Kansas, but left the game in its final minutes with a non-contact injury. He required assistance walking to the locker room. Self told reporters that Adams suffered an Achilles tendon injury that will require further imaging.
“He’s got an Achilles injury,” Self said. “We’re hopeful for the best tomorrow. I’m not sure it’s going to be great news though.
Zeke Mayo led Kansas with 18 points while hitting 4 of 5 3-point attempts. Two-time All-American Hunter Dickinson tallied 11 points and nine rebounds, but struggled down the stretch in a scoreless second half.
