There are not many teams you want to face less in the nation than the No. 5 Houston Cougars. Especially when your primary scoring outlets have been off the pace after a desolate 84-68 loss to Cincinnati last weekend. Yet when the No. 14 Kansas Jayhawks took to the hardwood Monday night, there was palpable energy that carried Bill Self’s squad to their 21st win of the season in a 69-56 win over Kelvin Sampson’s Houston.
Heading into Monday night, Houston had allowed just 62 points per game, a mark that is tied for the nation’s best. So getting even two scorers to notch 10+ points is a great test; nonetheless, four, which is what Kansas did.
Tre White led all scorers with 23 points, Melvin Council Jr. and Bryson Tiller each finished with 11, with Darryn Peterson topping off another 14 points as the Jayhawks put together a decent 44% field goal rate, 5.1% higher than what Houston typically allows.
Rewriting the narrative on Peterson's health
Now, while Peterson didn’t have his best game, the Prolific Prep alum showed how healthy he was with consistently clean jumps to snag four rebounds, and an overall added bounce to most of his steps with the ball at his fingertips.
Peterson’s health has seen the former five-star play in 17 of the Jayhawks’ 28 games with varying issues, the most notable being a cramping situation that has taken the media by storm.
Following the game, ESPN commentator Fran Fraschilla was asked by Scott Van Pelt about Darryn Peterson’s performance.
“We're all keyboard cowboys right now. Typing away about what he can't do, what he can do, where he's gonna be drafted. And I would just say, the narrative's not yet been written,” quoted the former Manhattan, St. John’s, and New Mexico coach.
“Let's give this young man a chance over the next couple weeks to show us what he has, and I know Bill Self's looking forward to that.”
Monday marked back-to-back games where Peterson notched 30+ minutes, one of only three times this season, where he has been able to compile stretches like that.
Keeping Peterson healthy is crucial heading into crunch time
Playing the Cougars at home with the confines of Allen Fieldhouse rooting you on is one thing. Having to travel to Arizona to take on the No. 2 team in the nation is another. The Wildcats will likely be the last ranked opponent Kansas faces in the regular season, yet it could also be their most difficult.
Kansas scraped by Tommy Lloyd’s squad when they first met on the 9th, with the Jayhawks collecting an 82-78 win to give No. 1 Arizona its first loss of the season, and all that was without Peterson. In order to get out of Tucson, Ariz, alive, it will be in everyone’s best interest to have the potential No. 1 pick playing as much as his body will allow him.
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