It was just announced that Kansas star freshman Darryn Peterson will not play Tuesday night against the UConn Huskies. Peterson has been sidelined with complications from a tight hamstring since November 7 and will now look to return when the Jayhawks take on Missouri this Sunday in Kansas City.
Without Peterson, the Jayhawks have still fared well, posting a 5–1 record in his absence and going 3–0 in the Players Era Festival this past week in Las Vegas. They are undeniably a more talented team when he is on the floor, but the difficult task of beating the Huskies isn’t totally out of reach without him, especially when playing in Phog Allen Fieldhouse.
The overwhelming and obvious downside of Peterson being out is that we lose the privilege of watching the NBA’s No. 1 prospect go to battle against a top-five team in the cathedral of college basketball.
Does every college basketball fan want to see Darryn Peterson play tonight? The answer is a resounding YES!
Fortunately for KU, Peterson’s absence also provides several positives for this Jayhawks squad. It allows the team to grow and mesh without its main star, which could yield massive benefits come March.
During Peterson's absence, guys like Tre White, Bryson Tiller, Elmarko Jackson, and Jamari McDowell have seen a significant boost not only in usage but in production, getting more reps than expected. Each of them has improved tremendously, cleaning up minor aspects of their on-court game in a short amount of time, and it shows.
Just one month ago, none of those four players would have been expected (or even trusted) to produce at the level they have so far. Tonight, they have an opportunity to continue growing and building trust with one another without their superstar.
None of that is to say this game will be easy, because the Jayhawks will likely be underdogs on their home floor and will need to play nearly flawlessly if they want to upset UConn.
After coming from behind to defeat a talented Tennessee team, securing another big win here would be enormous. It would show the country that this Jayhawks team is legit, and will be even scarier once Peterson returns.
Although a loss should never be taken lightly, and wouldn’t surprise anyone in this situation, it obviously wouldn’t affect the Jayhawks as much as it would if the team were at full strength.
Fans may be discouraged about KU's chances, but with Peterson out, a lot of pressure is lifted from the roster, allowing them to play more freely. In a way, the Jayhawks are playing with house money tonight and should be loose when they take the floor. A loss wouldn’t be devastating, while a win would go a long way.
Battle of the Fast & Fearless: Kansas Jayhawks vs UConn Huskies matchup significance
Though UConn will likely be favored, Bill Self’s team should be encouraged to go out and secure a victory tonight over one of the best teams in the country.
Can the Jayhawks pull off an improbable victory against UConn heading into the Border War?
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