After three games, the Kansas basketball team is 2-1 and plays Princeton on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT at Allen Fieldhouse. The biggest story of the early season has been the health of Darryn Peterson. The star guard missed an exhibition game and one of the regular-season games with a variety of maladies, including cramps, illness, and a sore hamstring.
His absence has allowed other players to take on more significant roles and has accelerated the learning curve for players new to the Kansas program. This experience of playing without Peterson should help the team as the season progresses and the schedule becomes more challenging (not that North Carolina wasn’t difficult).
Who are the statistical leaders for the Kansas basketball team so far
All statistics are based on averages.
Points
- Darryn Peterson - 21.5 (2 games)
- Flory Bidunga - 14.3
- Bryson Tiller - 10.0
- Tre White - 10.0
Rebounds
- Flory Bidunga - 7.0
- Bryson Tiller - 5.0
- Darryn Peterson - 3.5
Field Goal Percentage
- Flory Bidunga - 70.4%, 19 for 27
- Bryson Tiller - 62.5%, 10 for 16
- Tre White - 62.5%, 10 for 16
Three-point Field Goal Percentage
- Bryson Tiller - 75.0%, 6 for 8
- Nginyu Ngala - 75.0%, 3 for 4
- Darryn Peterson - 50.0%, 6 for 12
- Elmarko Jackson - 50%, 1 for 2
- Wilder Evers - 50%, 1 for 2
Free Throw Percentage
- Melvin Council Jr. - 100%, 4 for 4
- Jayden Dawson - 100%, 4 for 4
- Nginyu Ngala - 100%, 2 for 2
Assists
- Melvin Council Jr. - 5.7
- Darryn Peterson - 3.0
- Tre White - 2.3
Steals
- Darryn Peterson - 2.0
- Tre White - 1.0
- Jayden Dawson - .7
- Elmarko Jackson - .7
- Jamari McDowell - .7
Blocks
- Flory Bidunga - 2.3
- Bryson Tiller - 1.7
- Darryn Peterson - 1.0
Turnovers
- Darryn Peterson - 2.0
- Tre White - 2.0
- Bryson Tiller - 1.7
- Melvin Council Jr. - 1.7
Fouls
- Bryson Tiller - 2.7
- Flory Bidunga - 2.3
- Tre White - 2.3
- Elmarko Jackson
It’s early, and it will be interesting to see who emerges as the best players behind Peterson as the team chemistry improves and all of the new Jayhawks settle into Bill Self’s system and his expectations.
Flory Bidunga, Kohl Rosario, and Bryson Tiller have all had their moments early, giving fans glimpses of what might be possible as the season progresses. Tre White, Melvin Council Jr., Elmarko Jackson, and Jamari McDowell all appear to be carving out roles for themselves, too.
After Princeton, the schedule gets significantly tougher with Duke and UConn on the immediate horizon, so the Jayhawks need to mesh quickly.
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