Behind Enemy Lines: Previewing Arkansas vs. Kansas with JayhawkSlant
Arkansas vs. Kansas matchup preview with Jayhawks perspective from JayhawkSlant.com.
The Arkansas Razorbacks are back in the NCAA Tournament field after a one-year hiatus, as first-year Head Hog John Calipari has navigated a season full of injuries and a short roster to earn the Razorbacks a bid into March Madness. What awaits for his team is a head-to-head matchup between two storied programs and two Hall of Fame coaches.
The 10-seed Kansas Jayhawks and 7-seed Razorbacks drew a first round matchup against each other in the NCAA Tournament, and it’ll mark the second time this season the teams have met, though this meeting will be the first that counts in the record books.
Arkansas and Kansas met in a preseason exhibition that resulted in the Razorbacks emerging victorious, 85-69, back on Oct. 25. The Jayhawks were without three key players that game, though, and Arkansas was also not at full strength. Plus, both teams have grown and evolved since October.
To get a better feel for exactly how Kansas has grown and what to expect in this matchup, we reached out to Shay Wildeboor of JayhawkSlant, the Kansas Rivals affiliate, to provide some context and intel on the matchup. Here is what Shay had for us:
It has been quite some time since the exhibition matchup between Arkansas and Kansas. The Jayhawks didn't play their full roster and the Razorbacks have had guys develop since then, as well. What would you say is the biggest difference in this Kansas team since that exhibition game?
Shay: "When Kansas and Arkansas met back on October 25 inside Bud Walton Arena, Hunter Dickinson, Rylan Griffen, and Shakeel Moore were sidelined with injuries. Dickinson, the 7-foot-2, 265-pound center from Alexandria, Va., leads Kansas in scoring (17.6) and rebounding (10.0), while Griffen averages 6.4 points per game on the season.
"Dickinson, in the previous three games, has logged 104 minutes, hit 32-of-59 field goals, 6-of-11 shots from behind the arc, 7-of-9 free-throws, pulled down 35 rebounds, dished out seven assists, blocked three shots, was credited with four steals and scored a total of 75 points.
"There’s no doubt that Dickinson is playing his best basketball at the right time for Kansas. He’s got the ability to score down low or from the perimeter.
"If Kansas is going to have any success in the NCAA Tournament, Dickinson will need to lead the way, but he can’t do it alone.
"Griffen, the 6-foot-6, 190-pound guard from Dallas, Texas, played a key role in Alabama reaching the Final Four a season ago, will need to regain his shooting touch from behind the arc in the NCAA Tournament opener against Arkansas.
"He has the ability to be a difference-maker, but doing so on a consistent basis has been the biggest problem. Currently, Griffen is averaging just 6.4 points per game and shooting just 33.6 percent (40-of-119) from behind the arc.
"Unless something changes last minute, I don’t anticipate Shakeel Moore playing many minutes, if any at all, on Thursday night."
Hunter Dickinson is one of the best big men in the country and has put together another strong season. He's back in the NCAA Tournament with the Jayhawks for the second time after a Round of 32 exit last year. Is there any pressure on him to take this team further this year? Is there any pressure on the team and coaching staff as a whole after back-to-back Round of 32 exits?
Shay: "If Kansas is going to make a run in March, Hunter Dickinson will need to lead the way for the Jayhawks. He can’t do it alone, but Coach Bill Self made it clear last week that Kansas is going to ride Dickinson in March, and he needs to be the guy that steps up and sets the tone.
"As I mentioned above, Dickinson, in the last three games, has logged 104 minutes, hit 32-of-59 field goals, 6-of-11 shots from behind the arc, 7-of-9 free-throws, pulled down 35 rebounds, dished out seven assists, blocked three shots, was credited with four steals and scored a total of 75 points.
"With the most important part of the season looming, Dickinson is playing his best basketball.
"As good as Dickinson has been lately, he’ll need some help from his supporting cast. In last week's Big 12 Tournament, senior guard Zeke Mayo, logged 74 minutes, hit 12-25 field goals, 10-of-12 shots from behind the arc, pulled down 12 rebounds, dished out five assists, and committed six turnovers.
"Mayo, the 6-foot-4, 180-pound guard from Lawrence, Kan., was at his best at the Big 12 Tournament last week. In two games (defeated UCF and lost to Arizona), Mayo scored 44 points and, like he’s done so many times this season, converted a number of big shots when his team needed it the most.
"If Dickinson and Mayo have similar performances against Arkansas, Kansas will be a tough out. As good as Dickinson and Mayo were last week, AJ Storr (bench), Dajuan Harris, Rylan Griffen, David Coit, KJ Adams, and Flory Bidunga must find ways to impact the game on both ends of the court."
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