The Arkansas Razorbacks will face off with the Kansas Jayhawks in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 20, 2025. Both of these teams have had massive ups and downs over the course of the season but only one will be able to advance to the second round of this year’s March Madness. This game features an iconic coaching matchup, as Arkansas’ John Calipari takes on Kansas’ Bill Self.
Going into this game, the college basketball odds have Kansas as a 4.5-point favorite. As for the total, oddsmakers have set that at 145.5 points. Continue reading to get a full breakdown of this Arkansas vs Kansas matchup and to find out what bet we like the most for this intriguing first-round game.
Arkansas Enters First Tourney Under Calipari
John Calipari’s first season as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks has had its share of ups and downs. The Razorbacks went 8-10 in SEC play during the regular season and lost to Ole Miss in the second round of the SEC tournament. But the Razorbacks still received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, where Calipari and his team will look to prove they belong, starting with this first-round game.
Finding consistency on both ends of the floor has been a challenge for Arkansas throughout this season. There have been games where they have looked great on one end of the floor or the other, but those games have been too few and far between. The question will be whether or not Calipari can get his team to flip the proverbial switch to get a win in this contest under the bright lights of March Madness.
Can Kansas Shake Off Struggles In Tournament?
The Kansas Jayhawks were ranked number-one in the country early in the 2024-25 season. But they have struggled since then, going 21-12 overall and barely finishing above .500 in the Big 12, a conference they have dominated historically. Still, Kansas received an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament and they will look to prove that they are worthy of that designation by beating Arkansas in this opening-round clash from Providence, RI.
For Kansas, establishing Hunter Dickinson in the paint early on will be a top priority offensively. Dickinson leads the Jayhawks with 17.6 points per game. But Dickinson’s career has been filled with disappointments in March, both in Kansas and with the Michigan Wolverines before that. He will need to prove that he can deliver here to help his team overcome a rough regular season by Kansas’ standards.
Arkansas vs Kansas Prediction
Arkansas +4.5 (-110) over Kansas
220K Gold Coins & 10 FREE Sweeps Coins
Claim Bonus - Kansas struggled mightily down the stretch this season and we don’t see that stopping here.
- The upside for Arkansas is high enough to justify backing them here, even if they are so inconsistent.
