Jalen Wilson reveals difference between first, second half of Arkansas loss

Kansas felt very good about potentially repeating as national champions in this season’s NCAA Tournament. It hasn’t been done since 2006 and 2007 when Florida accomplished it but, as the No. 1 seed in the West Region, the Jayhawks had a prime opportunity to defend their title in Houston. However, that dream came to an end this weekend as Arkansas stunned them with a comeback and sent them home in the Round of 32.

After the loss, Jalen Wilson said what killed them in the end were the energy plays from the Razorbacks. They came out with a fight that Kansas didn’t match as well as they could have. Come the final buzzer, he said that’s what got him and his teammates beaten in Des Moines.

“(Arkansas) had a great energy. And they played to their strengths a lot,” said Wilson. “I didn’t do a good job on the glass and that let them get some second-chance points. And, especially, it was magnified at the end of game with the free throw.”

“It always comes down to one play, especially hustle plays like that,” Wilson said. “It’s just disappointing to end like that, especially with how great our year was. (But) credit to them for how they played.”

Kansas started off hot with an early nine-point lead that led to an eight-point lead at the break. From there, they extended that to their largest lead of the game with a 12-point advantage with 15 minutes left. After that, though, Arkansas closed the gap with an 18-5 run led by Davonte Davis.

The game never got outside of a four-point window from that point on. With things that tight, that’s when it came down to the hustle plays Wilson eluded to. That’s where Arkansas made their mark late as they grabbed eight offensive boards in the second half for nine second-chance points with none being bigger than the pair from Kamani Johnson and Ricky Council IV in the final minute that put the ‘Hogs ahead for good.

The smallest things can send you home in March if they add up the right way. That was the case for Wilson and the Jayhawks as the Razorbacks shut them out in second-chance points, fastbreak points, and bench points in the second half. By the end, that pressure piled up too high late in the game and was all it took to eliminate Kansas from the dance even though they led for over 95% of the matchup.