The Kansas basketball program drew a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday, its lowest since hiring Bill Self as head coach. The enigmatic Jayhawks will face off against John Calipari and Arkansas in the first round of March Madness in a battle between two Hall of Famers at the helm.
Arkansas finished with an 8-10 record in conference play and did not live up to its expectations due to an injury-riddled campaign. However, the Razorbacks accumulated solid wins toward the latter stages of the season and have shown they can compete with any team.
Preliminary betting lines came out before the game, and to no one's surprise, the higher-seeded team is favored to win.
Kansas Jayhawks open first round as favorites over Arkansas
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Kansas is a 4.5-point favorite on Thursday. KU's moneyline sits at -198, while Arkansas' is +198.
After an up-and-down season, nobody truly knows what version of Kansas will come out in the postseason. The Jayhawks are an incredibly flawed squad that struggles with turnovers, rebounding, and getting to the free throw line. The Razorbacks' experienced, athletic roster could give KU fits.
Arkansas will return future NBA lottery pick Boogie Fland for the first time in over two months, albeit in a limited role. Coach Cal will extend his lineup to an eight-man rotation, with Fland coming off the bench. However, leading scorer Adou Thiero, who has a hyperextended knee, is doubtful about the contest.
Kansas had its regular season ended by Arizona in the Big 12 Tournament. Meanwhile, Ole Miss narrowly defeated Arkansas in the SEC Tournament after it picked up a victory over South Carolina.
The Jayhawks are a huge question mark for the entire country. Will the No. 1 preseason team come out, or will their flaws be exposed like they were when the two schools played in a preseason scrimmage? Only time will tell.