Game Day Live Blog: Kansas vs Cal Baptist | NCAA Tournament First Round

Tonight, Kansas kicks off its NCAA Tournament run against No. 13 seed California Baptist. The Jayhawks are a No. 4 seed in the Big Dance and are hoping to make rattle off a few wins despite a recent rough stretch.

We will be tracking the game live at Kansas On SI throughout the night. Update this page periodically for score updates from the March Madness showdown.

Mar 19, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) 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

Kansas vs. Cal Baptist Live Updates: First Half

Pregame - St. John's has advanced to the Round of 32, making the Red Storm the prospective opponent for the winner of this game. Tip off has been pushed back to 9:07 CT.

19:04 - Both teams get off to a slow start offensively. Peterson smoked two fast-break layups, but Bidunga was able to clean one up and go 1-for-2 from the line to get the scoring started. Kansas leads, 1-0.

17:30 - Clearly, each school is shaking off some rust right now. Cal Baptist has committed two turnovers and missed a few shots at point-blank range. Peterson has missed his first three shot attempts, and Tiller connected on the first field goal of the game. Kansas leads, 3-0.

15:52 - A Tre White and-1 basket in transition gives the Jayhawks an early five-point lead. Some strong defense from both teams right now, but CBU has been a bit turnover prone. Kansas leads, 8-3.

13:37 - Daniels finally gets on the board with a crafty layup. Peterson's start is a bit concerning, as he's missed his first five shot attempts. Kansas leads, 8-5.

12:01 - White has been the catalyst of KU's offense amid Peterson's struggles, with a game-high eight points thus far. The Jayhawks have already shot 10 free throws as a team to the Lancers' four. Kansas leads, 13-5.

10:48 - Jackson ignites a bit of a run for Kansas with a tough mid-range jumper and a nice assist to Bidunga for a layup. The Jayhawks are up to 4-for-17 from the field, making two in a row after missing 13 of their first 15 attempts. Kansas leads, 17-6.

9:05 - Kansas is starting to roll offensively. Peterson hit his first two baskets of the game around the paint and KU has now held its opponent to 3-for-16 shooting (18.8%) and five turnovers. True freshman Paul Mbiya is even getting in on the action, throwing down a dunk that forced CBU head coach Rick Croy to use a timeout. Kansas leads, 23-8.

7:32 - Daniels has now taken seven shots and missed six of them. He needs to have a big game if CBU is going to pull off the upset, but he's been pretty abysmal so far. Mbiya has now played six minutes and is making a difference on the defensive glass and down low. He may have been the secret weapon Self was saving for the tournament. Kansas leads, 25-8.

Second Half

N/A

How to Watch Kansas vs. Cal Baptist Basketball

Time: 9:07 p.m CT
Channel: CBS
Link: Watch CBS