Arizona’s first season in the Big 12 Conference was an eye opener, both in terms of the significant bump in competition from the Pac-12 and the hostile atmospheres it entered. No more trips to half-empty gyms in Corvallis or Pullman, or ones in California with nearly as many UA fans as ones for the home team.
Kansas
What to watch for when unbeaten Arizona men’s basketball visits Kansas
Trips to Lubbock, Manhattan, Ames and Lawrence all ended badly. The opponent had a lot to do with that, but so did the crowds. All four games were sellouts, the atmospheres electric.
The second time around has been much better for Arizona (23-0, 10-0) on the road in the Big 12. It’s won at Utah, TCU, UCF, BYU and ASU, in addition to a nonconference win at UConn in November, the six consecutive road wins the longest in-season streak since 2016-17.
But now comes a trip to the last road venue that the UA lost in, Kansas’ Allen Fieldhouse. The Wildcats fell 83-76 in Lawrence to end the 2024-25 regular season, keeping Jayhawks coach Bill Self perfect on Senior Day.
Self, who is in his 23rd season at Kansas, has also never lost at home on Big Monday. He’s 38-0 , with the Jayhawks’ last Big 12 home loss on a Monday coming in 2001.
But Kansas (18-5, 8-2) has also never beaten a No. 1 team at Allen Fieldhouse, going 0-5 in such opportunities. The last was in 2003, when top-ranked Arizona came to town and won 91-74.
“It’s going to be an awesome atmosphere,” UA coach Tommy Lloyd said. “And I just have a feeling those Jayhawk fans are going to be out for blood. So you know what? We’re here for it.”
Arizona is a 2.5-point favorite, per FanDuel Sportsbook, and if that holds it would be just the sixth time Kansas has been a home underdog since 1996.
Here’s what to watch for when the UA and KU meet on Monday night:
Depending on which expert you listen to, or which sportsbook you check out, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft is probably going to be one of two freshmen from the Big 12. Arizona has already faced BYU wing AJ Dybantsa, now it gets a crack at Kansas guard Darryn Peterson.
The 6-foot-6 Peterson is averaging 20.5 points per game, 21.1 in Big 12 play, and makes 41.7 percent of his 3-point shots. He has scored in double figures every time out, going for 18 in 20 minutes against BYU and nailing the tying and winning 3s in the final 1:20 of a win at Texas Tech last week.
But Peterson has also missed quite a bit of time due to injury. He’s sat out 10 games, nine during nonconference play, did not play at Kansas State on Jan. 24 and a week later didn’t play the second half against BYU because of cramping.
The last two games, at Texas Tech and vs. Utah, saw him play 30-plus minutes but also post two of his lowest offensive ratings of the season.
Like BYU, Kansas isn’t just its potential No. 1 pick. Three other Jayhawks average more than 14 points in Big 12 games, with guard Melvin Council dropping 36 at NC State in December scoring 22 in an OT win over TCU last month that saw his team rally from down 15 with less than five minutes to go.
Kansas also has the top shot blocker in the conference in 6-foot-10 sophomore Flory Bidunga. Bidunga has swatted 65 shots this season, averaging 3.8 in Big 12 play with seven against Utah on Saturday, and is shooting 78.5 percent in conference action.
Depth could be an issue for Kansas, though. Only two bench players average double figures in minutes and guard Elmarko Jackson missed the last game. Self has said Jackson will play against Arizona but may not be 100 percent.
Bidunga and starting center Bryson Tiller, a 6-11 freshman, have been good at avoiding foul trouble but if they do get whistled there’s not much behind them to eat minutes.
Arizona has outrebounded every opponent this season, finishing plus-20 against Oklahoma State last time out, and is limiting Big 12 foes to boards on 25.6 percent of their misses. That’s tops in the conference, while Kansas is the worst offensive rebounding team in the league.
Kansas got 42 of its 71 points against Utah in the paint but also gave up 32 (of 57). The Jayhawks are +6.4 in paint points for the season, +8 in Big 12 games. Arizona, which won the paint battle 54-14 against Oklahoma State, is +19.2 in conference play.
Arizona may need to attempt a few more 3-pointers in this one, though, as Kansas is third-best in the Big 12 in 2-point defense. Bidunga’s shot blocking has a lot to do with that.
Which Wildcat(s) step up most?
Brayden Burries was Arizona’s leading scorer for the seventh time, fourth in Big 12 play, but for the 12th time this season the Wildcats had at least five players in double figures. Every member of the 8-man rotation has either led or tied for the lead in scoring in a game, with five different guys doing that in conference games.
“I just feel like our versatility, and we know how deep we are,” Jaden Bradley said when asked about the key to Arizona’s unbeaten start. “It can be anybody’s night, the bigs, the guards, and I feel like everybody’s happy for one another. And I feel like that’s special. You don’t see that too often.”
Kansas could have a front row seat for another Bradley masterclass, which he’s mostly saved for ranked foes. The senior guard is averaging 19.7 points in Arizona’s six games against ranked teams, shooting 56.9 percent, and 18.8 points in Big 12 road contests.
Kansas
Child killed after being struck by Amazon delivery vehicle in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A child is dead after being struck by an Amazon delivery vehicle Monday night in Kansas City.
The Kansas City Police Department responded to the incident just before 6:30 p.m. in the area of East Missouri Avenue and Lexington Avenue in Kansas City’s Historic Northeast neighborhood.
Preliminary investigation indicates that a marked Amazon delivery vehicle had just completed a package delivery in the area. Police said after the delivery, the driver of the vehicle began traveling westbound on East 3rd Terrace toward Woodland Avenue.
Police said at the same time, a child, under the age of 5, was playing in a grassy area of a nearby public park. The child entered the roadway and was struck by the Amazon delivery vehicle.
The Amazon driver initially stopped at the scene but left before officers arrived, according to police.
Police said a family member attempted to follow the Amazon vehicle and inform the driver of what had happened. The driver denied involvement and left the area.
The child was pronounced dead as a result of the injuries, according to police.
Kansas City police said the investigation remains active and ongoing.
Kansas
Defiance also draw in Kansas City
The Tacoma Defiance continued a weekend of Seattle vs Kansas soccer with a draw against Sporting Kansas City II. The Sporting second team has not been immune to the struggles in Kansas City, as they have started the season with six points through 9 games and a -15 goal difference. With a Defiance starting lineup featuring six players on first-team contracts, taking home three points should have been the expectation.
The first half was eerily similar to Saturday with Defiance dominating the run of play but entering the locker room with a 1-1 draw. They conceded the opening goal in the 40th minute where Charlie Gaffney and Cody Baker did not organize themselves well to cover the cross from the left side. That cross found an unmarked Shane Donovan who was able to score off a header to the near post, past academy goalkeeper Noah Newman in his first start of 2026.
Five minutes later, Baker equalized with a golazo from 25 yards out that was ripped into the upper right corner. This shot came off a clearance but the sequence right before was representative of how dangerous the left side of the team was. Peter Kingston found a cross-field ball to Sebastian Gomez, his combination play with Codey Phoenix and ability to create space on the dribble led to the cross.
The second half was more evenly played throughout but ended the same as the first with a goal apiece. The Defiance first-teamers came through in the 57th minute when Gomez received the ball on the left touchline, dribbled and centered for Osaze De Rosario. He made a nice move around the defender and slotted the ball in the corner from the top of the box.
SKC II scored in the 63rd minute on a corner after the initial ball wasn’t cleared. It bounced around before landing to previous goal scorer Donovan whose shot was on target but got a slight touch from Tega Ikoba.
With regulation ending in a draw, the teams went to a PK shootout where Defiance won 4–2 after Newman made two saves. Edson Carli converted the winning spot kick.
Overview
Lineup

Stats
xG

Shots

Key performers
Sebastian Gomez
Gomez is making the left winger position his own, consistently being a dangerous outlet and getting an assist in his second straight game. His dribbling and passing ability make him a creative machine out wide and he is finding dangerous passes forward illustrated by his four key passes on the evening. He also finds the pass before the pass, like in the 46th minute when he finds a little through ball from top of the box to Tsukanome on the right side of the box. This led to a dangerous cross to De Rosario but was really kickstarted by Gomez. He has grown throughout the year thus far and looks to be hitting a strong run of form.
Peter Kingston
Kingston returned to the double-pivot in this one and showed why this is probably his best position moving forward. He set the tempo for the team, keeping possession with 86% passing on 58 attempts. However, he also knew when to take the chance and had two key passes of his own. His best pass of the evening was in the 11th minute when he broke two lines on a through ball to Mark O’Neill. His versatility is a key factor in getting as many minutes as he has with the first team but performances like tonight make the case on where he should be long term.
Osaze De Rosario
De Rosario got a run out a day earlier with the first team and followed that up with a start for Defiance. He wasn’t quite as involved as is ideal with only 3 total shots but he was also in the right positions and close to finishing in the 2nd and 46th minute. He did ultimately find the back of the net in the 57th minute after receiving the ball at the top of the box, beating his defender to open up space and placing his shot in the corner. The longer run out and seeing the ball hit the back of the net will hopefully get him some rhythm for his next appearance at the first team.
Highlights
Replay
Kansas
Three Potential Bench Pieces Bill Self Can Bolster Kansas’ Roster With
The Kansas basketball program has made several notable additions since the transfer portal opened, landing three newcomers to round out the starting five. More importantly, the Jayhawks were able to secure top-ranked 2026 prospect Tyran Stokes, one of the most talented high school recruits Bill Self has ever acquired.
It has been an eventful offseason for the coaching staff, but its work in the portal is not done yet. KU still has four scholarships to fill out and will need to use one or two to add impact players off the bench.
Even if KU doesn’t land another starting-caliber transfer, it will need significantly more help on the second unit, especially in the backcourt. These are three players the Jayhawks have been in contact with and are considered strong options for the team next year.
3. James White (New Orleans)
A former Ole Miss, UAB, and New Orleans guard, James White has endured a tumultuous collegiate career, but averaged 19.2 points and 7.0 rebounds at his last stop. He is a 6-foot-5 wing who can get downhill with ease and would provide instant offense on the second unit.
White has become somewhat of a forgotten name since being involved in a sports gambling investigation two seasons ago, but he is reportedly drawing interest from top programs like Kansas and has likely been cleared by the NCAA. If KU is willing to take a chance on his controversial background, White would be an excellent rim-running guard for the staff to pursue.
2. Vyctorius Miller (Oklahoma State)
Miller took a visit to Kansas last month and hasn’t been closely linked to the program since. However, he remains one of the Jayhawks’ top targets as they look to add another bench piece.
The former Oklahoma State guard averaged 10.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 32 games (26 starts) for the Cowboys this past season. If he is willing to take on a smaller role at KU, he could help replace the departures of Elmarko Jackson and Jamari McDowell in the backcourt.
1. Abdi Bashir Jr. (Kansas State)
Bashir Jr. completed a Zoom call with the KU coaching staff last week and has been on the radar of Jayhawk fans since. His skill set would fit perfectly as a sixth man off KU’s bench.
After playing two years at Monmouth, where he earned All-CAA honors as a sophomore, Bashir transferred to Kansas State for his junior campaign. He averaged 13.2 points, 2.3 assists, and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 44.4% from 3-point range on 8.4 attempts per game.
It has been a while since the Jayhawks have had a 3-point shooter as prolific as Bashir. The rest of his game, including his defense, may be a question mark, but Kansas could desperately use a flamethrower who can swing a game instantly with his outside shooting.
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