Kansas opened its 2024-25 season with a performance in Fayetteville, Arkansas, falling to the now John Calipari-led Arkansas Razorbacks 85-69. The Jayhawks felt the absence of Hunter Dickinson, Rylan Griffen and Shakeel Moore as they struggled to score and defend an athletic Razorbacks group.

The exhibition spanned four quarters instead of the traditional two halves and players could not commit a foul.

Offensively, the returnees who were used were the decisive factors. Dajuan Harris was the only consistent scorer and led the team with 26 points. KJ Adams added nine and Rakease Passmore provided a spark in the second half. The freshman finished the game with 11 points, eight of which came after halftime.

First quarter

DJ Wagner got Arkansas going early, hitting two three-pointers as part of eight early points. After falling out of sync early on offense, Kansas fought back with a three-pointer from Zeke Mayo and a dunk from KJ Adams off the short roll.

The Razorbacks extended their lead to 16-9 after a lob from Boogie Fland to Trevon Brazile. The Jayhawks responded with a five-point blow, with Dajuan Harris hitting a corner three and Adams throwing down another dunk after a loose ball.

Fland looked dynamic at the start, distributing the ball and throwing down a few pull-ups from mid-range. Kansas' offense stalled late in the quarter and went scoreless over the final 2:57.

Arkansas had a 25-17 lead at the end of the first period thanks to a 7-2 run, primarily from the free throw line. Rakease Passmore made a nice move to the basket in the final three minutes for the only Jayhawk points.

Second quarter

The two teams' big men battled it out early in the second quarter, with Flory Bidunga scoring six straight goals for Kansas, including a lob from Harris. Zvonimir Ivisic hit a three-pointer from the top of the key and Arkansas remained in the lead.

The Razorbacks went on a 7-2 run while Wagner remained the team's leading scoring threat. Karter Knox scored in transition to give Arkansas a 37-25 lead, prompting a Bill Self timeout with 5:13 to play.

Arkansas had a 2:30 losing streak after the timeout and missed its next four shots. However, Kansas couldn't take advantage of much, as two throws from Harris reduced the deficit to eight.

Fland went on a 6-0 run on his own, giving the Razorbacks a comfortable lead of 42-29. Harris responded with a three-pointer, but it didn't provide much of a spark as Arkansas took a 45-33 halftime lead. Kansas struggled to score consistently outside of Harris, who had 10 points at halftime. Fland and Wagner combined to shoot 27 of 45 at Arkansas.

Third quarter

Arkansas built a comfortable lead as Kansas couldn't get anything going offensively. The Razorbacks scored the first six points of the second half before Harris briefly calmed things down with a three-pointer.

It showed the sloppiness that one would expect from a friendly game and neither team looked confident on offense. Both teams struggled from the outside, but Arkansas' athleticism allowed the Razorbacks to thrive at the basket. Midway through the third period, Arkansas led 56-38.

Johnell Davis hit a three-pointer to give Arkansas a 20-61-41 lead. Passmore scored five goals for the Jayhawks, including a three-pointer, but Kansas still couldn't take the lead.

Harris and Passmore each scored a basket in the final minute of the third period, with Arkansas holding a 65-50 lead entering the fourth period.

Fourth quarter

Harris remained the Jayhawks' bright spot offensively, scoring the first 11 points of the quarter. He helped Kansas take a slight lead and still trailed 73-61 with four minutes to play.

However, Arkansas responded immediately after botching two straight dribble handoffs, leading to transition shots for Fland and Wagner. Turnovers were a problem for Kansas throughout the game, with the Jayhawks finishing the game with 17.

The Razorbacks' lead increased back to 18 after Ivisic hit his second three-pointer of the game. Arkansas finished with a comfortable win.