Self, Jayhawks Ready for 'Fresh Start' Against Suffocating Hogs

Kansas coach says team deserves difficult draw against Calipari's challenging Razorbacks

Kansas Jayhawks guard Dajuan Harris Jr. (3) passes the ball around Arizona Wildcats guard KJ Lewis (5) during the second half at T-Mobile Center. / William Purnell-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It's not about how a team starts but how it finishes.

Kansas Jayhawks coach Bill Self knows that quite well as his team prepares to play Arkansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Providence, Rhode Island Thursday evening.

His Jayhawks struggled greatly after starting the season 7-0 with wins over Duke, North Carolina, and Michigan State, but they are just 14-12 since. They fell way short of their goal of winning a Big 12 Conference title, finishing sixth in a league no longer featuring Texas and Oklahoma

Kansas Jayhawks coach Bill Self watches game play during the first half against the Arizona Wildcats at T-Mobile Center. / William Purnell-Imagn Images

"One thing about the NCAA Tournament, everybody's 0-0," Self said Sunday evening. "It's a fresh start for everybody. Anything that's happened up until this point is relevant, but nobody's going to remember. Kansas’ team in 1988 was 12-8 in January. And then they got hot. Right now, everybody's got to be stoked and ready to go."

The Jayhawks played four games against tournament teams in their final seven, winning only one against Arizona State at home to close the regular season. Kansas lost to Texas Tech at home, 78-73, and at Houston, 65-59.

Self said even though those games didn’t go his team’s way, the Jayhawks are close to turning the corner.

Arkansas will need to focus on not allowing anyone other than Hunter Dickinson and Zeke Mayo to beat them Thursday night. The inside-out duo for Kansas averages 33 of its 76 points per game, but the X-factor against the Razorbacks is K.J. Adams, who is scoring 14 points per game over the past six games.

Kansas Jayhawks forward KJ Adams Jr. (24) reacts after a play during the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Allen Fieldhouse. / William Purnell-Imagn Images

"We played some really good teams in our last seven games," Self said. "I think that in the last two weeks, in all honesty, we played pretty well. We didn't play bad the other day. We were right there, we just didn’t finish like we needed."

Arkansas presents Kansas with a defensive challenge that John Calipari hasn’t brought to the NCAA Tournament in a long time. The last time a Calipari coached team ranked in the Top 20 of KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency rankings was in 2019 at Kentucky when the Wildcats fell in the Elite Eight to Auburn.

The Razorbacks aren’t quite the elite offensive unit that Kentucky team was, but have been markedly similar since Feb. 1. Arkansas averages a higher percentage from the field (54%), the same percentage from three (35%), identical 74% from the free-throw line and both teams finished with the same assist-to-turnover ratio.

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Billy Richmond against the Texas Longhorns at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. / Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images

Defensively, Arkansas isn’t afraid to flash in passing lanes as they notch eight steals per game, which ranks No. 91 nationally which gives the Razorbacks an edge as Kansas averages over 12 turnovers per game. The Razorbacks also have plenty of length in the post, swatting away six shots per game, which ranks No. 5 nationally.

"It’s a hard draw, but you deserve a hard draw," Self said. "You’re a seven seed. You’re going to play a team that’s similar to you, and then you’re going to have to play a team that’s had one of the best years in the country in the second game, regardless if it’s Arkansas or St. John’s. Yeah, it’s a hard draw, but that’s the position we’re in, and every other seven seed is in. I’m looking forward to it. I think it’ll be fun."

Arkansas will tip-off against Kansas Thursday, March 20 at 6:10 p.m.

HOGS FEED:

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• Razorbacks' Calipari sees himself as an underdog, has the seed to go with image

• Two Razorback freshmen come together to cap off Ole Miss series win

• Preseason tilt provides zero insight into Arkansas, Kansas tourney game

• Calipari, Self first round game potential for All-Time Classic

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