The No. 24 University of Arizona men’s basketball team (20-10, 14-5 in Big 12) is headed on the road to take on the University of Kansas (19-11, 10-9 in Big 12) on Saturday, March 8, at 2:30 p.m. in Lawrence, Kan. This will be the Wildcats’ last regular-season game before Arizona will seed at the No. 2 or No. 3 spot in the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, Miss.
History vs. Kansas
The Jayhawks first met the Wildcat on Dec. 31, 1979, in Tucson, where Arizona fell to a 78-60 loss. Over the years, Kansas has built a lead on the series over Arizona, 8-4. The most recent meeting was in 2010, where the Wildcats unfortunately lost 87-79 in Las Vegas. On the road, Arizona is 1-2 in matches played in Lawrence, Kan., with a win in 2003. The last time the Wildcats traveled to Jayhawks territory was in 2007, where Kansas won 76-72.
Kansas players to watch
The Jayhawks are guided by 22nd-year head coach Bill Self. Self is just three wins away from becoming the winningest coach in Kansas history, collecting a record of 588-143 (80.4%). Kansas is currently on a two-game losing streak.
Hunter Dickinson, a 7-foot-2 center, leads active players in career made field goals with 1,096. Dickinson is the Jayhawks’ leading scorer and rebounder, averaging almost a double-double consisting of 16.9 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. In conference play, Dickinson has collected 24 blocks, the second most for his team. Additionally, he dishes out two assists, one steal and 1.4 blocks per game.
KJ Adams, a 6-foot-7 forward from Austin, Texas, posted a career-high 13 rebounds and 21 points in a 78-73 loss to No. 10 Texas Tech University. Adams can collect fouls and get to line, coming off a 9-for-10 free-throw shooting game against the University of Houston. The senior averages 9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.
Wildcats to watch
Fourth-season head coach Tommy Lloyd has guided Arizona to a 28-15 record in true road games, marking the second-best winning percentage in the country (65.1%) in a power conference since the 2021-2022 season. Lloyd has collected 108 wins coaching in his first four seasons, the fifth most in NCAA history. Securing a victory against Kansas can move him in a tie to a fourth-place spot with Brad Underwood.
Arizona is coming off a 113-100 victory over its rival, ASU. The Wildcats are tied for second place in the Big 12 with Texas Tech with a 14-5 record. During the victory against ASU, 7-foot sophomore Henri Veesaar led the Wildcats with a career-high 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists and four blocks. The Estonian has built a 40% shooting percentage from beyond the arc while also averaging 9.3 points and five rebounds per game.
Caleb Love is another one of the top five active leaders in career field goals, with 871 made shots. He is also fifth among active players in point totals, collecting 2,615 career points. Love leads Arizona in scoring, averaging 16.4 points per game, ranking sixth in the Big 12. The former Tarheel from the University of North Carolina has shot 42% from the 3-point line in his past four games and puts up 4.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.
