Arkansas Beats Kansas as John Calipari-Bill Self March Madness Battle Thrills CBB Fans

Arkansas emerged victorious in a hard-fought matchup with Kansas in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, winning by the final score of 79-72 on Thursday.

The Razorbacks trailed by three points with three minutes left in the second half, but they went on an 11-2 run to take a 75-69 lead with roughly 20 seconds remaining in regulation.

Kansas couldn't overcome the deficit despite a late three from Rylan Griffen, as Johnell Davis hit a pair of free throws to seal the final result.

Arkansas led by as many as 11 points early in the second half, but head coach John Calipari's team struggled against Kansas' zone defense down the stretch of the game. The Razorbacks still pulled away with the win, though.

Senior forward Jonas Aidoo led the way with 22 points on 10-of-19 shooting, while junior Trevon Brazile finished with a double-double by scoring 11 points and pulling down 12 rebounds.

Davis also chipped in with 18 points.

Fans were amazed by the close contest between Calipari's squad and the Jayhawks, led by head coach Bill Self.

Thursday's result was surprising for Kansas, as it marked the school's first loss in the first round of March Madness since 2006 (h/t ESPN's Pete Thamel).

The Jayhawks struggled to take care of the ball, committing 16 turnovers compared to 18 assists.

Senior center Hunter Dickinson finished with 11 points and nine rebounds, but he shot just 4-of-13 from the field and hit only one of his four attempts from behind the arc.

Arkansas will now move on to face the winner of Thursday's contest featuring St. John's and Omaha.