3 Final Thoughts Before Kansas and Cal Baptist Face Off in NCAA Tournament

Kansas and Cal Baptist are set to tip off this evening once St. John's and Northern Iowa finish their first-round matchup. The Jayhawks are hoping to advance past the first round after being eliminated by Arkansas in their opener a year ago.

Cal Baptist is making its first-ever appearance in the Division I NCAA Tournament after a thrilling victory over Utah Valley in the WAC championship game. The Lancers have only been at the Division I level for eight years and are hoping to make noise in the Big Dance their first time around.

KU is undoubtedly the superior team in this contest, but it cannot afford to overlook its opponent. Here are a few final thoughts heading into the matchup.

Jan 24, 2026; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self laughs at a call by the officials during the second half against the Kansas State Wildcats at Bramlage Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

3. Darryn Peterson and Dominique Daniels Should Have an Exciting Faceoff

The two headliners of this game will be Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson and Cal Baptist phenom Dominique Daniels Jr. Both players are capable of taking over a game at any moment and are among the most prolific scorers in the country.

Peterson is obviously more well-known, as he is projected to go No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft. Daniels is an undersized guard who finished the regular season fifth in the nation in scoring and took home the WAC Player of the Year award.

While the play of each team's supporting cast will be important in determining the outcome, these two will ultimately be the X-factors. A strong performance from Peterson can put the Jayhawks in position to win, but if Daniels puts together one of his 30+ point nights, CBU could hang around and make things interesting late.

2. Kansas Needs to Get Off to a Fast Start

The Jayhawks have been prone to slow starts during their recent rough stretch. They trailed 13-2 in the first five minutes of their loss to Houston in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals.

At times, the offense becomes stagnant and relies too heavily on Peterson creating his own shot, which causes others to become passive. All five players on the court need to stay aggressive and look to score with the ball in their hands.

Mar 19, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) and guard Jayden Dawson (1) during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

CBU has the No. 50-ranked defense in the country and one of the best 3-point defenses in the nation. If KU fails to hit open looks early, Rick Croy's group could stay in the game longer than expected.

1. Anyone Can Be Upset in March

The first day of tournament action was another reminder that no game is safe, even matchups like top-seeded Duke vs. No. 16 seed Siena. The Saints could have pulled off an upset if they weren't gassed by the end of the second half, but still gave the Blue Devils a scare nonetheless. Double-digit seeds like High Point and VCU are also advancing to the Round of 32 this weekend.

It's easy to look at a mid-major like Cal Baptist and assume Kansas will advance, but that is never guaranteed in March. All it takes is a few big shots down the stretch and some careless play to create the next Cinderella.

Kansas is 7-0 as a double-digit favorite this year, but there have been games like the Utah matchup in conference play where it started slow and had to rally to pull off a clutch win. Self needs to make sure his team understands that nothing is guaranteed and that the players are 100% focused until the final buzzer sounds.