The No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks are on upset watch as they face off against the No. 13 Samford Bulldogs in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 21. Kansas will be playing without guard Kevin McCullar Jr, the team’s leading scorer, as he continues to recover from a knee injury.
Center Hunter Dickinson suffered a shoulder dislocation in the Jayhawks’ regular season and did not play in their single Big XII Tournament game, but is expected to return to the court for March Madness.
Tip-off is scheduled for 9:55 p.m. ET, and the game will air on TBS.
Hunter Dickinson injury updates
Dickinson’s return was a much-needed boost for the Jayhawks. Dickinson averages 18 points per game, just under McCullar’s team-high 18.3, and leads the team in rebounds with 10.8 per game. The Jayhawks were woeful against Cincinnati in the conference tournament with both players missing, losing by 20 points.
Kansas enters this game as a 7-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook, the smallest line of any 4-13 matchup in the tournament.