Arkansas edges out Kansas 72-71 in NCAA second round.

 

Arkansas edges out Kansas 72-71 in NCAA second round.

The second round of the NCAA Tournament saw a thrilling game between the No. 1 seeded Kansas Jayhawks and the No. 8 seeded Arkansas Razorbacks. The game was played at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday, and ended with a score of 72-71 in favor of the Razorbacks.

Kansas started the game strong and led for almost 35 minutes. However, Arkansas put on a strong performance in the second half, outscoring the Jayhawks 45-36, which led to their victory. Davonte Davis played a crucial role in the Razorbacks' comeback with 25 points. The win allowed Arkansas to move on to the NCAA Sweet 16.

Kansas had a higher shooting percentage, with 48% (24-of-50), compared to Arkansas' 41% (24-of-58). Interestingly, Kansas has won 24 out of 27 games this season when they have outshot their opponents.

Despite the loss, Kansas had some impressive performances. Redshirt junior Jalen Wilson had 20 points, continuing his streak of seven consecutive games with 20 or more points - the longest streak in the NCAA Tournament. Wilson was supported by sophomore forward KJ Adams Jr. with 14 points, redshirt senior Kevin McCullar Jr. with 13 points, and redshirt junior Dajuan Harris Jr. with 12 points.

This loss marks the end of Kansas' season, with a record of 28-8. Kansas had won the National Championship in 2022, and they were crowned Big 12 Regular Season Champions with a 13-5 record in Big 12 play.

Arkansas, on the other hand, will now advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 to play the winner of the game between the No. 5 seed Saint Mary’s and No. 4 seed UConn in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 23-24