Darryn Peterson poured on 26 points in Kansas’ 80–62 win over Baylor on Friday night, accounting for 18 of the Jayhawks’ first 32 points and 20 in the opening half.
After missing much of the nonconference slate, Peterson appears to be finding his rhythm at the right time for Kansas.
Peterson’s early surge sparks more balanced Kansas attack
Statistics like that don’t just turn heads — they open eyes. And as February looms, Kansas’ early-season struggles may finally be turning around.
It became apparent early that Peterson was going to make an impact — and he did more than that. He made a statement.
Unlike the first three games of conference play, Kansas didn’t rely solely on Flory Bidunga’s presence in the paint and the midrange from Melvin Council Jr. From the opening tip, this one looked different.
The true freshman became the first Kansas starter this season to score 20 points in a single half. Peterson finished the night shooting 11 of 13 (84%) from the field and 50% from three-point range.
Peterson’s percentage more than doubles his last two games in which he shot 40% or less from the floor.
Peterson’s emergence changes the offensive equation
When a player like Peterson plays with that level of confidence against a team like Baylor, good things tend to follow. At this level, that style of play is contagious.
Alongside Peterson’s breakout performance, Flory Bidunga recorded 23 points, 11 rebounds, and five blocks, marking his third game this season with 20 or more points.
Meanwhile, Peterson recorded his seventh consecutive game shooting over 60 percent from the floor, also leading Kansas’ perimeter attack for the second straight game.
Kansas shot over 50 percent from the field for the second straight game and the sixth time this season, a noticeable improvement from both of the Jayhawks' road losses to UCF and West Virginia.
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