DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Kansas’ national title defense ended in the second round of the NCAA Tournament when Arkansas’ Ricky Council IV made five free throws in the closing seconds and the eighth-seeded Razorbacks beat the No. 1 seed Jayhawks 72-71. Davonte Davis scored 25 points and Council added 21 as Arkansas rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit. Kansas, playing without ailing coach Bill Self, became the second top seed not to escape the tournament’s first weekend after Purdue lost on Friday night to No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson. Arkansas and coach Eric Musselman return to the Sweet 16 for the third straight year.
Also in the NCAA:
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Blake Peters made five 3-pointers in the second half and Princeton shocked another power conference team to reach the regional semifinals for the first time in 56 years by beating Missouri 78-63. The No. 15 seeded Princeton followed up a first-round win over Pac-12 tournament champion Arizona by dominating the 10th seeded Missouri of the SEC from the start. Princeton has reached the round of 16 for the first time since 1967 when only 23 teams even made the tournament. DeAndre Gholston 17 points and Noah Carter added 14 for Missouri, which was seeking its first berth in the Sweet 16 since 2009.
