Kansas ends disappointing season with 79-72 loss to Arkansas in NCAA Tournament opener

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (KCTV) - A season that started with the Kansas Jayhawks ranked No. 1 overall has ended with Bill Self and company exiting the NCAA Tournament in the opening round.

No. 7 seed Kansas fell 79-72 to No. 10 seed Arkansas Thursday night in a game the Jayhawks led by 3 with less than four minutes to play. The Jayhawks then turned the ball over five times in the game’s closing stretch to be outscored 15-5 to end the game.

Senior guard Zeke Mayo had 18 points for the Jayhawks in the loss. Senior center Hunter Dickinson ended his college career with 11 points and 9 rebounds, going scoreless in the second half en route to a 4-for-13 shooting effort.

The loss ended a 17 season streak for the Jayhawks of winning a game in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament and came with KU in its lowest seed in the Bill Self era in Lawrence.

Senior forward KJ Adams had 13 points in the loss and left with an injury late in the second half that KU described as an Achilles injury. He was carried to the locker room with assistance from the KU medical team.

Arkansas center Jonas Aidoo scored 22 points to lead all scorers. Razorbacks guard Johnell Davis had 18 points, including a critical late 3-pointer and several free throws to ice the victory for the Hogs.

AJ Storr had 15 points off the bench for KU.

Arkansas advances to play the winner of No. 2 seed St. John’s and No. 15 seed Omaha.

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