Why The Athletic Predicts Kansas Will Beat Arkansas — And Then What?

CJ Moore of The Athletic has the Jayhawks getting through the Razorbacks, but then comes Rick Pitino and St. John's

Mar 13, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas Jayhawks coach Bill Self reacts to game play during the second half against the Arizona Wildcats at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

146 days will have passed by the time Kansas (21-12) and Arkansas (20-13) tip off in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night (7:10 p.m. ET, CBS).

146 days since these two squads met in a largely forgettable preseason exhibition outing earlier this season. 

Putting on our DANCING shoes 👏 pic.twitter.com/oavQsYtXhq

— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) March 16, 2025

Nonetheless, it serves as a measuring stick of sorts for what to expect in Thursday’s matchup – or does it?

The Razorbacks cruised to an 85-69 victory over the Jayhawks back in late October. But, and it’s a big but, Kansas didn’t have its star big man, Hunter Dickinson.

That meant the Jayhawks were missing 17.6 points and 10.0 rebounds from their lineup. And is that enough to make the difference this time around, when it’s for all the marbles?

Well, according to CJ Moore of The Athletic, the answer to that question is a resounding yes.

Not only has the availability of Dickinson this time around sold Moore, but Kansas’ better recent play, and Arkansas’ potential to be out of sorts with the return of Boogie Fland – who hasn’t played in two months – has Moore rolling with the Jayhawks.

Then, in yet another legendary Hall of Fame Coach standoff, Bill Self will likely take his Kansas squad into a matchup with Rick Pitino and St. John’s.

And for this matchup, Moore points out another, even more intriguing storyline:

“Two years ago, Bill Self recruited Dickinson out of the portal, and his addition pushed out Zuby Ejiofor, who has emerged as a star for the Johnnies.” 

Between Ejiofor’s 14.6 points and 8.0 rebounds, and St. John’s top rated defense in the country (KenPom), Moore expects Kansas to bring out a repeat of its most recent Houston performance (20 turnovers), and put together another low-scoring outing.

All of that figures to be just enough, according to Moore, for the Red Storm to escape with a win, punch their ticket to the Sweet 16, and send the Jayhawks home with a second round exit – which would be the final stamp on a letdown of a season that began atop the college basketball world.