Chaos at the Phog: Shorthanded Kansas Ends No. 1 Arizona’s Undefeated Run

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For the first time in Bill Self’s 23-year tenure at the helm of No. 9 Kansas, a top-ranked team visited Allen Fieldhouse. On Monday night, the Jayhawks ensured the wait was worth it, delivering an all-time classic 82–78 upset victory over No. 1 Arizona.

The win was more than just a Top-10 takedown; it snapped Arizona’s 23-game winning streak and handed the Wildcats (23–1) their first loss of the season, leaving only Miami (Ohio) as the nation’s last remaining unbeaten team.

The “Next Man Up” Miracle

Just 30 minutes before tipoff, the Jayhawk faithful were stunned to learn that star freshman and projected No. 1 NBA draft pick Darryn Peterson was a late scratch due to flu-like symptoms. Without their leading scorer (20.5 PPG), Kansas entered the game as 5.5-point underdogs.

The Freshman Force: Sophomore center Flory Bidunga stepped into the void, dominating the paint with a monster 23-point, 10-rebound double-double. His signature moment came at the 11:13 mark of the second half—an “absurd” alley-oop and-1 over Arizona’s 7-foot-2 Motiejus Krivas that ignited the comeback.
The Senior Closer: Guard Melvin Council Jr. struggled from the field (6-of-25) but refused to stop attacking. He matched Bidunga with 23 points, including a clutch 10-of-11 performance from the free-throw line to seal the game in the final minute.

The Comeback: Riding the “Phog” Momentum

Arizona appeared to be in total control for the first 30 minutes, using their superior size and depth to build a 45–42 halftime lead that eventually stretched to 11 points early in the second half.

The momentum shifted on a 23–9 Kansas run midway through the second half. Bryson Tiller (18 points) hit back-to-back triples, and Jamari McDowell—starting in Peterson’s absence—added 10 points and relentless defensive pressure. Kansas took its first lead of the night with 9:32 remaining and never trailed again, surviving a late Arizona surge that brought the Wildcats within one point in the final minute.

Box Score Breakdown

Team	1st	2nd	Final
#1 Arizona	45	33	78
#9 Kansas	42	40	82

Leading Scorers: Bidunga (KU) 23, Council Jr. (KU) 23, Burries (AZ) 25.
The Stat that Mattered: Free Throws. Kansas went 21-of-25 (84%), while Arizona struggled at 8-of-14 (57%).
Wildcat Standout: Freshman Brayden Burries led all scorers with 25 points, including four three-pointers, in a losing effort.

Coaches’ Corner

“Kansas is a hell of a team. They beat the No. 1 team in the country at home tonight. They did a hell of a job and their coach did a hell of a job.”

— Tommy Lloyd, Arizona Head Coach

The victory marks the Jayhawks’ first-ever win over an AP No. 1 team inside Allen Fieldhouse and their eighth consecutive win overall.