Kansas is 38-0 at Phog Allen Fieldhouse in Big Monday games under coach Bill Self, but the Jayhawks have never defeated an Associated Press No. 1-ranked team in their arena. They are 0-5 in such games.
Something’s gotta give with No. 1 Arizona coming to Phog on Monday night. The game will be televised at 7 p.m. on ESPN with Jon Sciambi and Fran Fraschila calling the action. Brian Jeffries and Reggie Geary will be the broadcasters on Wildcats Radio 1290-AM.
The most recent game Kansas hosted a No. 1 team was in 2003, when Arizona was the opponent. The Jayhawks were outscored 52-22 in the second half, squandering a double-digit lead, and lost 91-74.
Kansas has also lost to top-ranked Oklahoma (1989), Kentucky (1977), Notre Dame (1974), and Cincinnati (1962) at Allen Fieldhouse.
“We played there last year,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said, referring to Arizona’s 83-76 loss. “I came away thinking, ‘All right, it is different.’ I have a feeling those Jayhawk fans are going to be out for blood.”
Arizona enters its game at No. 9 Kansas on Monday with the best start in program and Big 12 history, topping the Jayhawks’ 22-0 start in 1996-97 (the same year the Wildcats’ ended Kansas’ season in the Sweet 16 en route to a national title).
Arizona (23-0, 10-0 Big 12) also has achieved the longest winning streak in its history. Its nine straight weeks ranked No. 1 is also a program record.
The Jayhawks (18-5, 8-2) have won seven consecutive games entering the Big Monday showdown.
“Big game; let’s go,” Lloyd said after his team defeated visiting Oklahoma State 84-47 Saturday. “I’m sure the preparations have already started with the staff. Like I said, I wish we were playing it tonight … tomorrow (Sunday), we’ll come in and we’ll prepare, and then we’ll jump on the plane and let’s see what we got.”
Arizona is among the nation’s leaders in average scoring margin (21.6 points), rebounding (43.9 a game), field-goal percentage (51.6%), points per game (89.3) and assists per game (18.2).
“They’re men; they dominate people 12 feet and in,” Self said of Arizona. “We’ve got to play bigger. We’ve got to play tougher. We’ve got to play stronger. We’ve got to play smarter.
“And then, they guard, so we got to give them something to defend on the other end. It’ll be a fun game. It’ll be a fun atmosphere. Only one day to prep, but hopefully we can figure something out to at least slow them down.”
Kansas will counter Arizona’s offensive efficiency with a defense that allows just 67.3 points per game and a home-court record of 10-1 this season.
The Jayhawks’ success hinges on their shooting accuracy (47.9%) and the emergence of freshman standout Darryn Peterson, who is averaging 19.0 points over his last 10 games.
Arizona’s young talent includes freshmen Brayden Burries (team-leading 15.3 points per game) and Koa Peat (14.6 points and 5.6 rebounds a game).
The Wildcats’ presence inside includes Tobe Awaka (9.9 rebounds a game) and Motiejus Krivas (8.3).
Self will rely on Flory Bidunga (14.6 points and 8.9 rebounds a game) to offset some of Arizona’s inside strength.
“To me, there’s not a better defender, regardless of position anywhere,” Self said of Bidunga. “He’s learning how to not gamble and make somebody score over his length.”
Tre White, a guard, is second on the team in rebounds with 7.1 a game.
A key matchup will be on the perimeter between Kansas’ Peterson, White and Melvin Council Jr. (13.7 points and 5.1 assists per game) and Arizona’s Burries, Jaden Bradley (13.8 points and 4.5 assists) and Ivan Kharchenkov (9.4 points and 50.9% field-goal shooting).
NOTES
— The Wildcats’ 23-0 start to the season is a Big 12 and Arizona record and matches the longest winning streak of any kind in Big 12 history (Baylor 2019-20).
— Arizona’s record when playing as the No. 1 team in the AP Poll: 68-11, including 15-0 this season.
— Under Lloyd, Arizona is 27-13 (.675) against Top 25 opponents, the best winning percentage in the country since the start of the 2021-22 season. Arizona is 11-7 vs. Top 10 opponents in that span.
— Bradley is on the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List, the Oscar Robertson Trophy
Midseason Watch List, the Wooden Award Top 25 and the Bob Cousy Mid-Season Top 10 Watch List.
— In true road games under Lloyd, Arizona is 34-16 (.680), which trails only Houston (.840) and Duke
(.725) among major conference teams.
— Arizona is 8-0 in Quad-1 games this season, the most Q1 wins without a loss in the country.
— In Big 12 play, Arizona leads the league in scoring (87.9 points per game), scoring margin (+18.5), field-goal perceantage (.510), field-goal percentage defense (.381), opponent field-goal percentage(.295), and rebound margin (+11.8). Arizona has out-rebounded every opponent this season.
— Arizona has scored at least 84 points in all but one Big 12 game so far (low is 77 vs. Cincinnati).
–The Wildcats have made 198 free throws in Big 12 play this season. Opponents have attempted 160.
— Only twice this season has the same player led Arizona in scoring in back-to-back games.
— Seven different players have scored 20 or more points in a game this season.
— Burries leads Arizona has seven games of 20+ points.
— Peat has four double-doubles this season and is averaging 15.2 points in Big 12 play while shooting 55%.
— Bradley is 9 of 13 from the floor (69%) in clutch time this season, according to CBBAnalytics; He averages 19.7 points on 56% shooting against Top 25 opponents this year.
— Awaka leads the country in offensive rebounds per 40 minutes (7.5).
— Krivas has a career-high 40 blocked shots and leads the team with five double-doubles.
— Kharchenkov is averaging 9.9 points per game in Big 12 play while shooting 54.8% from the floor. He
has 22 assists to just 11 turnovers in conference play.
— Kansas won its seventh consecutive game with a 71-59 win against Utah on Saturday.
— Kansas leads the series with Arizona, 9-5, and the Jayhawks have won two of the last three meetings. Arizona won the last match up, 88-77, on March 13, 2025, in the Big 12 Championship.
— Monday marks the 28th time Kansas will face the Associated Press No. 1. Kansas is 9-18 against No. 1, including 4-4 in the Self era.
— Under Self, Kansas is 26-5 (83.9%) in Allen Fieldhouse against teams ranked higher than the Jayhawks.
— Kansas leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense at 38.0%, which is sixth nationally, 3-point field goal percentage defense at 29.4%, which is 18th nationally, and blocked shots at 6.1, which is second nationally to Georgia (6.9).
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