The Kansas Jayhawks and the Arkansas Razorbacks are set to clash in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 20th.
Tip-off is set for 6:10 p.m. central on CBS. Kansas (21-12) is listed as a No. 7 seed, while Arkansas (23-13) is listed at No. 10.
Thursday’s game between Kansas and Arkansas is the first outing for each team in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, where the winner will continue to play again on Saturday, March 22nd, against either No. 2 St. John’s or No. 15 Omaha.
Here is a preview of the game.
How to Watch Kansas vs. Arkansas
Date: Thursday, Mar. 20, 2025
Time: 6:10 p.m. CT
TV Channel: CBS
Site: Amica Mutual Pavilion, Providence, Rhode Island
Kansas vs. Arkansas Betting Odds, Lines
Opening Line: Kansas -5.5
Current Line: Kansas -4.5
Over/Under: 145.5 (opened at 146.5)
Kansas vs. Arkansas Predictions
While the 2024-25 season wasn’t a typical year for Bill Self and company, the Jayhawks still found a way to slightly steady the ship. The Jayhawks enter March Madness in an interesting spot, with their 12 losses being the most in Bill Self’s career at Kansas. They attempted to rebuild their disappointing 2023-24 quad with some big-name portal pickups, however, those haven’t quite worked out, as AJ Storr and Rylan Griffen have been struggling mightily this year. Senior center Hunter Dickinson has been the most complete piece for Kansas, averaging 17.6 points and 10 rebounds per game in his final year of college basketball.
For Arkansas, John Calipari’s team barely made the NCAA Tournament field, with many bracketologists believing that the team would miss out. Ultimately, they leapfrogged some key bubble teams to earn a 10-seed, leading to a matchup between two Hall of Fame coaches in the tourney’s opening round. Two key injuries to know for Arkansas rest with junior forward Adou Thiero, who has been given a doubtful designation, and freshman guard Boogie Fland, who appears to be eyeing a return to the court. Fland was posting 15.1 points, 5.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game prior to injury and has not played since January 18th.
Kansas enters the game as a 4.5-point favorite, and while the Jayhawks have been discombobulated at times throughout the year, they enter the game playing much better basketball than Arkansas. Sometimes, that’s all it takes when it comes to a game like this.
Kansas 66, Arkansas 62
ESPN Matchup Predictor: Kansas 71.0% Chance of Winning
