In a month packed with marquee college basketball matchups, Monday night’s showdown between the Arizona Wildcats and the Kansas Jayhawks has a strong case as the best yet. Arizona heads to Lawrence for a massive Big 12 battle that also doubles as a meeting between two of the hottest teams in the country..
Arizona enters the game a perfect 23–0 and sitting atop the national rankings. The Wildcats are one of just two unbeaten teams left in the country, alongside Miami (OH), and they currently lead the Big 12 standings. They are coming off a dominant 84–47 win over Oklahoma State, another reminder of how overwhelming they have been on both ends of the floor.
While Arizona’s Big 12 schedule has been manageable so far, that changes quickly. This matchup with Kansas kicks off a brutal stretch that includes Texas Tech, BYU, Houston, Baylor, Kansas again, and Colorado before March 3.
Kansas, meanwhile, has quietly rounded into form. After early conference losses at UCF and West Virginia, the Jayhawks have ripped off seven straight wins and look much more like themselves. They are coming off a 12-point home victory over Utah on Saturday and now face one of the toughest home tests of the season.
The road ahead is no picnic for Kansas either. After this game, the Jayhawks head out for back-to-back road trips to Iowa State and Oklahoma State, then return home to host Cincinnati and Houston. Their final three games include trips to Arizona and Arizona State, followed by a rivalry game at home against Kansas State.
Arizona vs. Kansas: Where and when
- Date: Monday, February 9, 2026
- Time: 8:00 p.m. CT
- Location: Phog Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas
Arizona vs. Kansas: Where to watch or stream
Arizona vs. Kansas: Betting odds
Spread: Arizona -2.5 | Kansas +2.5
Moneyline: Arizona -145 | Kansas +125
Total: 147.5
Projected starting lineups
Arizona Wildcats
- #5 Brayden Burries – 15.3 ppg
- #10 Koa Peat – 14.6 ppg
- #00 Jaden Bradley – 13.8 ppg
- #13 Motejus Krivas – 11.0 ppg
- #8 Ivan Kharchenkov – 9.4 ppg
Kansas Jayhawks
- #22 Darryn Peterson – 20.5 ppg
- #40 Flory Bidunga – 14.6 ppg
- #3 Tre White – 14.6 ppg
- #14 Melvin Council Jr. – 13.7 ppg
- #15 Bryson Tiller – 8.7 ppg
Big 12 showdown
This has all the makings of a classic. Arizona has passed every test so far and looks every bit like a national title contender, but winning inside Phog Allen Fieldhouse is a different challenge altogether.
Kansas is surging at the right time and has a chance to jump back into the Big 12 regular-season title race with a statement win. The Jayhawks are also fighting to improve their NCAA tournament seeding, and a victory over the top-ranked team in the country would go a long way.
Expect an electric atmosphere, a packed house, and a game that lives up to the hype.