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Hall of Fame coach John Calipari and his Arkansas Razorbacks defeated Hall of Fame coach Bill Self and his Kansas Jayhawks 79-72 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, ending a disappointing season for the preseason No. 1 Jayhawks in fitting fashion. Arkansas’ win snapped KU’s 17-game winning streak in tourney openers and handed the Jayhawks a 13th loss on the season, their most since 1982-83.
The Razorbacks rolled to a win as 4.5-point underdogs behind big games from Jonas Aidoo and Johnell Davis, who scored 22 and 18 points, respectively.
Arkansas’ defensive effort was just as important in the upset as its offense, crucially limiting KU All-American big man Hunter Dickinson to zero points, three fouls and turnovers in the second half. Dickinson finished 11 points and nine rebounds in the losing effort.
Calipari has now handed Self two season-ending losses to Self’s one, with Thursday’s outcome the first of the three that didn’t end in the national championship game. (Self beat Calipari and Memphis in the 2008 NCAA championship; Calipari returned the favor vs. Self and KU in the 2012 NCAA championship.)
It’s the fifth time Kansas began the season ranked preseason No. 1 and failed to make the Sweet 16.
This story will be updated