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.
One of the top prospects in the 2027 boys’ high school basketball recruiting class recently trimmed his list of suitors, and the Kansas Jayhawks find themselves firmly in the mix.
KU is one of eight schools to make the cut for 2027 five-star small forward Demarcus Henry, according to On3 National Basketball Reporter Joe Tipton. His list of eight includes some of the best programs in the country: Kansas, Ohio State, Kentucky, North Carolina, BYU, Arkansas, UConn, and Louisville.
The 6-foot-7 Charlotte, North Carolina, native is one of the best players in the 2027 class. He’s currently ranked as the No. 5 player overall and the No. 1 player at his position, according to the most recent On3.com 2027 player rankings.
As a junior this past year at Compass Prep High School in Chandler, Arizona, Henry averaged 15.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game as he helped lead his team to a 25-3 record.
He followed that up with an impressive performance at the NBPA Top 100 camp this summer, leading all attendees in scoring (20.0 points per game) and rebounding (9.3 rebounds per game). He was also a member of the 2026 USA Men’s U18 National Team that earned a silver medal at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup earlier this summer in León, Mexico.
When speaking about his game, Henry mentions his versatility and how he’s developed over the past year.
“I’m just very versatile,” Henry told Rivals in a previous interview. “I can play one through four and just help my teammates and hit shots and play defense. I watch a lot of KD (Kevin Durant) and Paul George. How they score it, and how they could shoot off the dribble, shoot off the catch. I’ve gotten tougher and just more aggressive when I transferred AZ Compass and just being able to get downhill, I feel like that’s really developed for me.”
When asked about what he’s looking for in a potential home at the college level, Henry says he wants to be challenged and grow his game for the NBA.
“What I’m looking for in school is someone that just pushes me to be better,” Henry said. “Help me grow into the person I know I can be and someone who will help me reach my potential. I want to play for a coach that will hold me accountable and help me make me uncomfortable and keep growing and keep getting better and just help me reach the NBA, which is my ultimate goal.”
Early Contenders
Right now the early favorite to land Henry may be the basketball program with the least amount of notoriety of the final eight schools – and that is Ohio State.
Henry has a lot of familial ties to the university as his older brother Chris Henry Jr. is a five-star incoming freshman wide receiver for the Buckeyes football team this year, and his older sister Seini Henry is a talented women’s basketball player at Ohio State.
He’s already taken an unofficial visit to the school and has also taken an unofficial visit to BYU. Thus far, they are the only schools to have received a visit.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Follow
The Royals have been linked to shortstop Jacob Lombard out of Gulliver Prep (Fla.) — if he makes it that far — left-hander Gio Rojas out of Stoneman Douglas (Fla.) HS, outfielder Eric Booth Jr. out of Oak Grove (Fla.) HS, UC Santa Barbara right-hander Jackson Flora and Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress, among others. Maybe they shake up the board and go with Huntington Beach (Calif.) HS left-hander/outfielder Jacob Grindlinger, who is just 17 years old after reclassifying for this year’s Draft and has legitimate upside as a two-way player. Grindlinger is No. 16 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 250 Draft prospects list and is rising on boards as Draft day nears.
Prep players usually mean a lot of upside but with more risk, while college players bring a higher floor and more experience — often with a chance to move quickly. Over the full Draft, the Royals are going to value both.
“There’s a good mix of high school and college,” Bridges said. “To tell you the truth, our range is pretty broad. There’s a clear-cut four players, five players in this Draft, and then believe it or not, where we’re picking, you can go a number of different directions. So we have a pretty good balance of what we’re looking at, both high school and college.”
The Kansas Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 7, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 7 drawing
02-31-35-36-63, Mega Ball: 12
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 7 drawing
Midday: 4-2-9
Evening: 2-7-9
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning 2 By 2 numbers from July 7 drawing
Red Balls: 07-26, White Balls: 12-18
Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 7 drawing
27-43-48-49-50, Bonus: 02
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Kansas Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599. For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at select Kansas Lottery offices.
By mail, send a winner claim form and your signed lottery ticket to:
Kansas Lottery Headquarters
128 N Kansas Avenue
Topeka, KS 66603-3638
(785) 296-5700
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a claim form, and deliver the form along with your signed lottery ticket to Kansas Lottery headquarters. 128 N Kansas Avenue, Topeka, KS 66603-3638, (785) 296-5700. Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Kansas Lottery.
When are the Kansas Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3 Midday/Evening: 1:10 p.m. and 9:10 p.m. CT daily.
- 2 By 2: 9:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Super Kansas Cash: 9:10 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Kansas editor. You can send feedback using this form.
-
Michigan4 minutes agoMenominee, Michigan man arrested on sexual assault charges involving a minor
-
Massachusetts11 minutes agoHealey administration vows to appeal as Trump rejects Massachusetts blizzard aid request – The Boston Globe
-
Minnesota13 minutes agoMinnesota Looks to Add 1,100 Child Care Slots, With Melrose Among the 11 Funded Communities
-
Mississippi19 minutes agoDeath of Mississippi teen Nolan Wells under investigation
-
Missouri26 minutes agoMissouri realtors hold statewide rally to vote no on Amendments 4 & 5
-
Montana29 minutes agoDistrict court judge blocks new Montana GOP bylaws – WTOP News
-
Nebraska34 minutes agoNebraska ag experts say early detection for livestock parasites, illnesses will be important during summer show season
-
Nevada41 minutes agoLocal artists on Northern Nevada stages, now through Labor Day weekend
