Kansas vs. Arkansas: Live game reactions and analysis

Fayetteville, Arkansas – No. 1 ranked Kansas travels to No. 16 ranked Arkansas in this college basketball exhibition matchup. This is the first time we are seeing Hall of Fame head coach John Calipari on the sidelines for Arkansas

Starters, Arkansas vs. Kansas

Some of the usual starters, for both teams, will not be playing in this one. For Arkansas, they are without senior Jonas Aidoo. Kansas will be without seniors Hunter Dickinson and Shakeel Moore and junior Rylan Griffen.

Kansas – Sr PG Dajuan Harris, Sr G Zeke Mayo, Jr. SG AJ Storr, Sr. PF KJ Adams, Fr. C Flory Bidunga

Arkansas – Fr. PG Boogie Fland, So. PG DJ Wagner, Fr. SF Karter Knox, Jr. PF Adou Thiero, So. C Zvonimir Ivisic

Game Notes

2:41 1Q – Freshman guard Boogie Fland and sophomore guard DJ Wagner have been super aggressive coming out of the gates. Fland, who was the industry’s No. 1 ranked point guard in the 2024 recruiting class, played with a lot of confidence, handling the ball and attacking open space in the half-court. Wagner knocked down an early three, but he also touched the paint, getting downhill with a head of steam. Early on, this pairing has been impressive.

1:21 1Q – Kansas senior forward KJ Adams is like a wrecking ball out there. His motor is non-stop and that has been leading to a few extra plays for his team. Defensively, his length and quick-twitch have led to some positive defensive possessions. He is active on the boards and he finishes with ferocity high above the rim – Arkansas 23, Kansas 17

End of 1Q; Arkansas 25 and Kansas 17

8:24 2Q – Zvonimir Ivisic is clearly comfortable taking shots from beyond the arc, and his pick-and-pop game is something that Arkansas will utilize this season. Big Z knocks down a three off the catch and then the next time down taking an off-balanced step back. The skill of Big Z was what captivated fans last season, he has noticeably added weight. As he continues to figure out his game, he should be able to give this Razorback team an alternate look to Jonas Aidoo when he gets healthy. – Arkansas 30, Kansas 19

8:05 2Q – Flory Bidunga made his name as a high school prospect with his motor. He is a top 1 percent -type athlete and able to elevate off the floor quickly. Bidunga made back-to-back plays above the rim, one off a drop-step dunk and another off a full-court alley-oop. Bidunga has also made some plays off the ball on the defensive end, getting in the passing lanes. While he is still working on the offensive skill set, he provides something different than what the Jayhawks will get from Dickinson. – Arkansas 30, Kansas 21

5:13 2Q – Timeout – Arkansas 37, Kansas 25

1:40 2Q – Freshman Boogie Fland has been the best player on the floor to this point. He has used quick hands and anticipation on the defensive end, disrupting the flow for DaJuan Harris. He’s also utilized his love dribble to attack open pockets of the floor. He just finished with a big and-1, finishing at the rim of a steal. He has gotten this his spots in the half court with a decisive first step, his pace has been excellent. His poise has been beyond his years to this point. – Arkansas 42, Kansas 29

1:24 2Q – While Dajuan Harris has been very loose with the ball, he has been a consistent scoring threat for the Jayhawks. The senior guard is one of the most seasoned players in college basketball. He will need to tighten things up. While he has made plays, he has multiple turnovers in the paint and has not been able to lock up the point of attack on defense. – Arkansas 42, Kansas 31

Halftime; Arkansas 45, Kansas 33

Sophomore DJ Wagner finished the first half with 13 points and freshman Boogie Fland led the way with 14 first-half points for the Razorbacks. They combined to go 10-14 from the field.

8:31 3Q – Ivisic made a heck on an instinctive play, grabbing the deflected shot and quickly firing an outlet pass to Adou Thiero. The outlet was over the inside shoulder of Thiero, as the defender was running long side his outside shoulder. Thiero gathered the pass, took one dribble, and he rose up to dunk it with authority and get the crowd to its feet. It is this type of flashes from Ivisic that make him so intriguing as a long-term prospect. – Arkansas 51, Kansas 33

6:06 3Q – Boogie Fland and DJ Wagner have been able to touch the paint at will in this one. Both have been decisive off the bounce, quickly putting their foot in the ground and getting downhill. They have also been unselfish, attacking with their head up and making the appropriate play with two feet in the paint. Kansas has not offered much in the way of keeping either guard out of the paint. – Arkansas 56, Kansas 38

4:40 3Q – Timeout. Arkansas 56, Kansas 38

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