No. 9 Kansas rallied to beat No. 1 Arizona 82-78 in Lawrence, led by Flory Bidunga’s 23 points and 10 rebounds, with the comeback sealed by late free throws from Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White.

Darryn Peterson was out with flu-like symptoms, marking his 11th missed game this season as Kansas leaned on a next-man-up approach.

Senior guard Melvin Council Jr. logged 23 points, six rebounds, and six assists in 40 minutes, marking his third 20+ point game of the season and helping pace the late push.

Coach Bill Self noted that Peterson’s absence allowed Kansas to be more aggressive, while still recognizing Arizona’s quality and the difficulty of the matchup.

Arizona’s loss snapped their 23-game win streak, leaving the Wildcats to navigate a disrupted pregame narrative surrounding Peterson’s absence and the top-ranked matchup.

Michigan remains in the top mix with Aday Mara’s 24 points and six rebounds fueling a win, supported by advanced metrics that bolster their No. 1 status.

Their No. 1 ranking is backed by KenPom and Torvik metrics, plus a resume featuring multiple Quad 1A victories.

Nebraska is projected to move back to a No. 2 seed with a key upcoming win, illustrating how bracket projections shift game by game.

Arizona trails in the context of the Top 25, facing a heavier Quad 4 load and fewer Quad 1A wins compared with some peers.

St. John’s defeated Xavier in overtime behind 25 points from Zuby Ejiofor, as Rick Pitino earned his 904th win and the Red Storm strengthened their Big East standing.

No. 24 Louisville dominated NC State 118-77, with Mikel Brown Jr. pouring in 45 points and Ryan Conwell adding 31 as Louisville shot a season-high 60% and hit 18 three-pointers.

ESPN’s Bracket projections place Michigan at the No. 1/No. 2 mix in the coming polls as they bolster their résumé and continue strong quadrant performances.