Kansas is gearing up for an exciting showdown in San Diego as they prepare to face off against the Cal Baptist Lancers in the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. The No. 4 seed Jayhawks are set to clash with the No. 13 seed Lancers on Friday at the iconic Viejas Arena, nestled within the San Diego State campus. With the bracket freshly revealed, fans now know the tipoff times for these thrilling first-round matchups.
The Jayhawks and Lancers will tip off at 8:45 p.m. CT, which is 6:45 p.m. local time in San Diego.
This game will follow the St. John's vs.
Northern Iowa matchup, starting about 30 minutes after its conclusion. Viewers can catch all the action on CBS, with the seasoned broadcast team of Kevin Harlan, Robbie Hummel, and Stan Van Gundy calling the game.
Kansas enters the tournament boasting a solid 23-10 record, while Cal Baptist comes in with an impressive 25-8 mark. The Lancers, under the guidance of head coach Rick Croy, clinched their spot in the tournament by triumphing in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament, overcoming Utah Tech and Utah Valley in the process.
During the 2025-26 season, Cal Baptist tested their mettle against three Big 12 teams, facing Colorado, BYU, and Utah in a challenging December stretch. Although they fell short in these contests, losing by an average of 15 points, the experience against top-tier competition could prove invaluable.
Cal Baptist's strengths lie in their defense, ranked No. 50 by KenPom, while their offense sits at No. 191.
Meanwhile, Kansas is favored by 13.5 points, setting the stage for what promises to be an intriguing battle on the court. Fans should buckle up for a game that could deliver plenty of March Madness excitement.