Three Final Game Day Thoughts Entering No. 11 Kansas vs No. 1 Arizona

Will the top-ranked Arizona Wildcats maintain their undefeated record in tonight's Big Monday showdown with Kansas? That question will finally be answered later this evening, when the Jayhawks host Tommy Lloyd's group in Allen Fieldhouse for one of the most meaningful matchups in recent memory.

KU is looking to keep its seven-game winning streak alive behind 15,000 Jayhawk fans who should have the Phog as loud as it has been all season. Although KU opened as a slight underdog, everyone knows that a game in AFH always gives the home team a fighting chance. Here are our final thoughts heading into game day.

Kansas Jayhawks forward Bryson Tiller (15) looks for a dunk against Baylor Bears during the game inside Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 16, 2026. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

3. Two Teams With Different Offensive Tempos

In addition to boasting the sixth-best offense in the country, Arizona also has the 25th-highest tempo per possession on the offensive end. The Wildcats like to get shots up quickly and do so at an extremely efficient rate.

Meanwhile, the Jayhawks rank just No. 199 in tempo, sitting in the bottom half nationally. They do run in transition with speedy guard Melvin Council Jr. and their alley-oop threats, but for the most part, Bill Self prefers to operate in the half-court.

How UA executes its offensive scheme could very well decide the game. Arizona is far better when pushing the pace, but if KU can get set defensively and force longer possessions, it could hold an edge in that department.

2. An Exciting Freshman Duel

What makes Arizona's success so impressive is that it has accomplished it with a trio of freshmen in its starting lineup. Koa Peat, Brayden Burries, and Ivan Kharchenkov make up more than half of the Wildcats’ starting five.

Peat has been phenomenal this season, averaging 14.6 points and 5.6 rebounds and putting his name in consideration for a top-10 draft selection. Burries is another potential lottery pick who could be a one-and-done.

But of course, Kansas will counter that with projected No. 1 overall pick Darryn Peterson. When healthy, Peterson has looked like one of the best players in the country and arguably the most natural scorer college basketball has seen in years.

DP will go head-to-head with more elite draft competition just a little over a week after outdueling BYU freshman star AJ Dybantsa. Both teams have talented, experienced veterans, but the freshmen are the players to watch tonight.

1. Arizona's Toughest Test Yet

Arizona survived difficult nonconference matchups a few months back, including a road tilt at UConn and neutral-site wins over Alabama and Florida. However, this is likely going to be the toughest test of the Wildcats' regular-season schedule.

Outside of a close road win at BYU last month, UA's schedule has largely detoured around the Big 12's top teams, having avoided Kansas, Iowa State, and Texas Tech to this point. While the entire conference is a gauntlet, the Wildcats haven't encountered a team playing as well as the Jayhawks.

Their +8.89 strength of schedule ranks ninth in the league and 41st nationally, nowhere close to the Jayhawks, which own the third-toughest SOS in the country. KU is far more battle-tested than its opponents, and that could be a key factor if it is able to pull off the upset tonight.