Kansas and Arizona gave fans on ESPN Big Monday everything they could have hoped for in the matchup, even without star freshman Darryn Peterson. Arizona was fully equipped with its multiple star freshmen from this class that is producing NBA caliber players so early.
This is by far the biggest win for Kansas so far this season, but there are bigger things yet to come for both teams. Head coach Bill Self, however, feels like this could have been one of the biggest, if not the biggest game that college basketball has had this season.
This could ruffle some feathers of other blue-blood programs, especially Duke and UNC, who just played their big rivalry game on Saturday.
Bill Self believes No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 9 Kansas is best game in college basketball to date
Duke and UNC had a game that also came down to the wire, where the Tar Heels overcame a solid deficit in order to take home the huge win at home. That is known as the biggest rivalry and usually the biggest game in college basketball every year.
Well, Self disagrees with that a bit, feeling like the matchup between KU and Arizona deserves that top spot.
"Guys, we’re gonna play bigger games than this, just like Arizona’s gonna play in bigger games than this, but it was probably as big a game that college basketball has had," Self said. "I could be wrong. I would say, to date."
Some blue bloods might disagree with that, but Kansas was able to win this match without their star freshman, while Duke and UNC relied on Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson for the fireworks from that game. Kansas was able to rely on Melvin Council Jr. and Flory Bidunga in what was a dawg fight late in the game to take down No. 1 Arizona.