PROVIDENCE — The 10-seed Arkansas Razorbacks are in the Big Dance, and will face off against the 7-seed Kansas Jayhawks in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night.
It hasn't been an easy season for the Razorbacks, who were dealt a rough hand with injuries and inconsistent play for most of the season, but they rattled off wins when it mattered, and heard their names called. Now, all eyes will be on head coach John Calipari and his squad in the NCAA Tournament.
The Jayhawks also had a down year, respective to previous seasons, and despite an 21-12 overall record with an 11-9 mark in Big 12 play, will be a tough test for the Razorbacks. Calipari and Kansas head coach Bill Self have a lot of history between each other, and are coaching against each other in the NCAA Tournament for a third time.
The other two times they've faced off have been in National Championships; Self took the 2008 national title over Calipari while he was at Memphis (a game also played in San Antonio, where this year's Final Four is), and Calipari returned the favor in 2012 when his Kentucky team won the title over Kansas.
"Playing someone I have respect for in this is hard," Calipari told the media Wednesday. "Both of us are trying to beat each other's brains in. Then you feel bad and then you move on thinking about the next game."
Despite the national conversation around Self's struggles and the noted friendship Calipari has with his colleague, he said he didn't pay much attention to Kansas throughout the year.
"I’ll be honest, I wasn’t following their struggles," Calipari said Sunday. "I had my own struggles. So...I wasn’t following college basketball. I was following my individual players and what we had to do. So there was a point, they lost a game and I was like, ‘Wow.’ Then I saw their record and I said, ‘What in the world?’ He’s probably not following us and then seeing we were 0-5, saying, ‘What in the world?’"
This game will also be a chance at redemption of sorts for Arkansas guard D.J. Wagner. He was on the Kentucky team that got bounced by the Oakland Golden Grizzlies — a team Arkansas beat 92-62 earlier this season — in the first round of last year's NCAA Tournament.
Wagner said he's learned a lot since the last time he played in the Big Dance, and he won’t take any team lightly.
"For me personally, it was very painful," Wagner said. "That wasn't the plan to lose. That's never the plan, though, to lose, especially in the first round and stuff like that. I'm just happy to be back, happy to have another opportunity and another go at it, and now I know you can't take anything lightly or take anything for granted.
"None of the games are going to be easy. Every team is good. I feel like it was a good learning experience."
Below are details on how to watch, BetSaracen betting lines, links to stream and links to all of our coverage leading up to the game...
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How to Watch/Listen
Who: 10-seed Arkansas Razorbacks (19-12, 8-10 SEC) vs. 7-seed Kansas Jayhawks (21-12, 11-9 Big 12)
When: Thursday, March 20 at 6:10 p.m. CT
Where: Amica Mutual Paviliion — Providence, Rhode Island
TV/Stream: CBS / WatchCBS (Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Evan Washburn)
Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
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BetSaracen Odds
Below are details on the betting odds for the game and Double R Prop bets. To get in on the action, visit BetSaracen.com and click on the Arkansas Specials tab.
(Lines and odds are subject to change at any point after the publishing of this story. HawgBeat does not guarantee any bet as a winner or loser. You must be at least 21 years of age to use BetSaracen. If you have a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net)
*All odds accurate as of the publishing of this story. They are subject to change.*
Moneyline/Spread
- Arkansas: +5, +185 (-110)
- Kansas: -5, -225 (-110)
- O/U: 145.5 (-110/-110)
Double R Props (More available in the BetSaracen app)
- Billy Richmond OVER 7.5 points and OVER 2.5 rebounds (+230)
- Johnell Davis OVER 13.5 points and OVER 3.5 rebounds (+275)
- D.J. Wagner OVER 19.5 points and rebounds combined (+475)
- Jonas Aidoo OVER 7.5 points and OVER 7.5 rebounds (+220)
- Trevon Brazile OVER 11.5 points and OVER 8.5 rebounds (+350)
