Eric Boggs 
Kansas holds off North Carolina in an early top 10 matchup.
Hunter Dickinson led top-ranked Kansas with 20 points as the Jayhawks narrowly escaped No. 9 North Carolina’s comeback, securing a 92-89 victory Friday night. Kansas built a commanding 49-29 lead in the first half but watched it slip away as the Tar Heels stormed back, eventually leading 87-83 with just over three minutes remaining.
In a high-stakes showdown, Kansas’ Dickinson and Zeke Mayo (21 points) responded with clutch baskets to level the score at 89. Dickinson’s inside bucket with 1:15 left put Kansas back on top, and a critical free throw with 12 seconds left extended their lead to three. North Carolina’s Elliot Cadeau had a chance to send the game into overtime, but his 3-point attempt missed as the buzzer sounded, sealing the Jayhawks’ victory.
Seth Trimble led North Carolina with 19 points, while RJ Davis and Cadeau added 16 and 12, respectively. Kansas and North Carolina, meeting for the first time since their thrilling 2022 national championship game, traded blows throughout the second half. A 3-pointer by Jae’Lyn Withers gave the Tar Heels an 80-79 edge, and they continued to press with aggressive drives, ultimately going 28-for-31 from the free-throw line.
The victory spared Kansas from what would have been the biggest blown-lead loss in school history and marked head coach Bill Self’s 590th win at the school, tying the legendary Phog Allen. With this close win, Kansas improves to 2-0 and looks ahead to their next challenge against Michigan State on Tuesday, while North Carolina will aim to regroup against American on Friday.
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