When Darryn Peterson chose to play for the Kansas Jayhawks ahead of the 2025 season, fans could hardly wait to see what the nation’s No. 1 player could do on the court. Yes, Peterson has dealt with injuries that have kept him on and off the hardwood; however, over the past couple of games, Peterson has been able to stay mostly healthy and has delivered on the promises that five stars beside your name are supposed to deliver.
Friday night’s 80-62 win over the Baylor Bears will go down as a memorable night for Kansas, not just for Peterson but for teammate Flory Bidunga, as the team combined for 49 points on an insane 22-27 rate from the field.
The pair looked in sync. When Peterson was not smoothly notching jumpers, Bidunga was dominating in the paint. The two caused Baylor copious amounts of trouble.
Following the game, Peterson and Bidunga both took to the media. When asked about whether Friday night was an expected result of their separate abilities meshing, Peterson answered, “I came to Kansas to play with him, as he pointed to Bidunga.
Peterson later referred to an interview he had earlier in his career, where he was asked who he was excited to play with.
“Flory, because I want to throw him some lobs, so it was good to actually get one today.”
Bidunga finished the game with 23 points, five blocks, and 11 rebounds. Peterson capped off his 23 minutes with 26 points, two rebounds, and three assists.
So far this season, Peterson has averaged 22.2 points per game, on only 240 minutes, a remarkable rate. Peterson also tallies a strong 50.3% field goal clip.
Bidunga averages 14.2 points per game, add 47 blocks and 161 rebounds on the season, and you can see why the potential is sky-high.
Fans will hope the combo is just getting started as the Kansas Jayhawks must travel to take on the Colorado Buffaloes. Tipoff is set for 10 p.m. CT next Tuesday, with streaming available on ESPN.
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