Kansas Jayhawks Host Green Bay in Basketball Season Opener

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The No. 19 Kansas Jayhawks will begin their 2025-26 regular season by hosting the Green Bay Phoenix on Monday, November 3, at 7 p.m. Central Time at Allen Fieldhouse. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with Steven Davis and Nick Bahe calling the action.

Kansas enters the matchup with a strong exhibition record of 2-0, having defeated No. 11 Louisville 90-82 and Fort Hays State 71-35. Green Bay, on the other hand, comes in with a 1-1 exhibition record, following an 83-78 loss to Bradley and a 75-48 win over St. Norbert College.

This game marks the first time Kansas and Green Bay will face each other in series history. Kansas has a remarkable streak of 52 consecutive home opener victories, a record that dates back to the 1973-74 season.

In its last exhibition game against Fort Hays State, Kansas was led by a senior player who contributed 16 points and six assists. Other notable performances included another senior scoring 12 points and a redshirt-freshman adding 10 points. Kansas is coming off a 21-13 season, making a 34th NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 35 years.

Eight newcomers join the Jayhawks this season, with Darryn Peterson being the top-rated recruit in the nation. Head coach Bill Self has expressed the uniqueness of this year’s team due to its roster changes, saying, “We had a bad day this morning, just from attention to details, carry-over.”

Green Bay is led by head coach Doug Gottlieb, who is also known for his role as a talk radio host. The Phoenix finished last season with a 4-28 record and will look to turn things around this year with returning players and new faces.

In their previous exhibition, Green Bay’s Marcus Hall shined with 15 points, while Rob Stroud added 14 points off the bench. Kansas, expected to be a strong favorite in the matchup, is favored by 29.5 points, indicating the Jayhawks’ potential dominance heading into the season.

As the Jayhawks prepare for their first official game of the season, they will aim to establish momentum before facing tougher opponents, including a matchup against North Carolina on November 7.