Down Key Players, KU Drops Sloppy Exhibition Game at Arkansas, 85-69''

                  Down Key Players, KU Drops Sloppy Exhibition Game at Arkansas, 85-69''

The Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team faced a tough challenge in their recent exhibition game against the Arkansas Razorbacks, losing 85-69. With several key players sidelined due to minor injuries, including preseason All-American center Hunter Dickinson and transfers Rylan Griffen and Shakeel Moore, the Jayhawks struggled to find their rhythm on both offense and defense.


Coach Bill Self commented on the situation, noting, “It wasn’t our team. I didn’t learn anything very favorable. Their guards outplayed ours, and their big guys dominated too. It’ll be a different story when we have everyone back.”

Arkansas, missing one of their own new players, Jonas Aidoo, had a strong showing under their new coach John Calipari. The Razorbacks started five players with connections to Kentucky, and many stepped up to deliver impressive performances. D.J. Wagner led the scoring for Arkansas with 24 points, while freshman guard Boogie Fland added 22 points and made six steals.

Kansas guard Dajuan Harris Jr. was the standout for the Jayhawks, scoring a game-high 26 points. He showcased his skills with a mix of layups and 3-point shooting, though he acknowledged it wasn’t enough. “I got to score, but I just try to be aggressive for my team,” he said.







Despite some late-game energy from Harris and freshman Rakease Passmore, the Jayhawks fell behind by double digits in the second half. Senior KJ Adams reflected on the game, admitting, “I made a lot of unforced turnovers, and they just played harder than us. We need to work on that in practice.”

 First Half Highlights

The game started with Arkansas quickly taking an 8-2 lead, thanks to two early 3-pointers from Wagner. Kansas responded with a 3-pointer from Zeke Mayo, followed by a smooth assist from him to AJ Storr for a basket. However, Arkansas maintained the lead, even stretching it to seven points with an alley-oop from Fland to Trevon Brazile.

The Jayhawks fought back, with a key offensive rebound by Adams leading to a five-point possession: a 3-pointer from Harris followed by a dunk from Adams. However, Arkansas ended the first quarter with a 25-17 lead after a scoring drought from Kansas.

In the second quarter, Kansas struggled to score until freshman Flory Bidunga scored on a putback. He quickly added two more baskets, keeping Kansas in the game. Despite this, Arkansas extended their lead to 35-25 after Passmore fouled Wagner, who converted a three-point play.

After a timeout from Self, Kansas improved defensively, forcing four stops and closing the gap with a couple of baskets from Harris. However, Arkansas managed to respond, with Fland scoring five straight points. By halftime, the Razorbacks held a solid 45-33 lead, with Fland leading all scorers with 14 points.

 Second Half Struggles

The second half did not bring the turnaround the Jayhawks hoped for. Arkansas built their lead to 18 points at times, while Kansas struggled to score. The Jayhawks went nearly four minutes without a field goal until Jamari McDowell finally broke the drought, but Arkansas quickly countered with a 3-pointer.
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Passmore found his footing in the third quarter, scoring eight points, and Harris continued to excel, trying to lead his team back into the game. Despite their efforts, turnovers and defensive lapses allowed Arkansas to maintain their lead.

In the fourth quarter, Kansas managed to cut the deficit to 73-61 with strong drives from Harris, but turnovers allowed Arkansas to score easy transition points, extending their lead once more.

 Looking Ahead

The Jayhawks will return home for another exhibition game against Washburn on Tuesday at 7 p.m. They expect some of their injured players to resume practicing by then, which should help improve the team’s cohesion and performance.

As Coach Self prepares his team for the season, the hope is that the return of key players will bring a more unified and competitive squad onto the court.