The Jayhawks have weathered the storm without Darryn Peterson, posting a 10–3 non-conference record (third in strength of schedule among power conference teams).
Regardless of Peterson's status, Bill Self hopes another guard can step up in the backcourt as Big 12 play approaches.
Jamari McDowell has made a leap in his redshirt sophomore campaign, emerging as a trusted ball handler and defender, as well as a reliable three-point shooter. Starting in the Jayhawks’ past five games without Peterson, he has become a dependable rotational piece for the squad.
Elmarko Jackson, another redshirt sophomore, delivered the biggest game of his career by leading Kansas past Tennessee at the Players Era Festival. However, he has been up and down and must find more consistency heading into the second half of the season.
McDowell and Jackson entered the season as major question marks after both missed last season for different reasons. While they’ve shown solid progress, Bill Self now knows largely what to expect from the two Jayhawk veterans.
In addition, two more players have major opportunities for increased roles heading into Big 12 play: Jayden Dawson and Kohl Rosario.
Last season, Dawson played for Loyola Chicago, while Rosario was a high school junior competing in the Overtime Elite league. This season, a blue-blood program and its passionate fan base are counting on them to materialize.
Jayden Dawson has had a rough start to the season, dealing with an injury that kept him sidelined for three games. In his limited playing time, the senior transfer is averaging just 3.0 points, 1.0 rebound, and 1.0 assist, shooting 32.4% from the field. While the numbers aren’t impressive, he has shown potential as a deep-ball shooter and has displayed reliable ball-handling ability in his minutes.
Dawson was one of the most anticipated transfers in Bill Self’s 2025 class. So far, he has shown that he can provide real leadership to some of the younger players on the team. Though he is likely the less probable of the two to break out into a larger role, he still has a chance if he can produce and make a positive impact in his minutes.
Kohl Rosario had a strong start to his college career, averaging nearly ten points over the first three games. However, he struggled to find a flow over the next nine contests. After starting the season in the lineup, he became ineffective and saw a reduction in minutes. In the three-game stretch against UConn, Missouri, and NC State, Rosario logged just sixteen total minutes. His struggles continued when he played 17 minutes against Towson, scoring only three points.
Fortunately, he closed out the non-conference slate with the best shooting game of his young career. Against Davidson on December 22, he scored thirteen points, including three made triples. If Rosario can carry that momentum into conference play, he has a real shot at a memorable second half of his freshman season, similar to how Johnny Furphy did in 2023 before being selected in the NBA Draft that summer.
If even one of these guards is able to find his stroke and establish a rhythm in conference play, it could make a big difference for this team.
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