Kansas delivered a statement win on Monday night, knocking off No. 1 Arizona 82-78 in front of a raucous Allen Fieldhouse crowd.
It was the kind of victory that puts the rest of college basketball on notice. But while the Jayhawks were celebrating one of the biggest wins of the season, much of the attention postgame wasn’t on the final score-it was on the absence of their star freshman, Darryn Peterson.
Peterson, who’s been a game-changer all year, was ruled out shortly before tipoff with what the program described as “flu-like symptoms.” According to head coach Bill Self, the decision had been looming since Sunday, but the team held out hope that Peterson might wake up feeling better and be able to go.
“We don’t know if it’s the flu-it’s flu-like symptoms. That’s what I’ve been told,” Self said after the game. “We were hoping adrenaline would kick in today, but he just didn’t feel great.”
Peterson’s absence caught many by surprise, especially since he wasn’t listed on the pregame injury report. That led to some raised eyebrows and questions about whether Kansas was playing it close to the vest. Self was quick to shut that down.
“You sound like you bet on the game,” Self quipped when asked about the timing. “But there was no ploy with that at all.”
The situation gained even more traction when a sideline video started making the rounds online, appearing to show tension between Peterson and the Kansas coaching staff. Kansas Athletics moved quickly to clear the air, clarifying that the person who sent the text featured in the clip was a statistics worker contracted by ESPN and had no connection to the team or any inside information. In other words, there’s no drama here-just a sick player and some unfortunate timing.
Peterson’s health has been a lingering subplot for the Jayhawks this season. When he’s been on the floor, he’s been electric-averaging 20.5 points per game and showcasing the kind of skill set that makes NBA scouts take notice.
But staying on the court has been the challenge. Whether it’s illness or other availability issues, his rhythm has been stop-and-go.
Still, if Monday night proved anything, it’s that Kansas can go toe-to-toe with the best even without their top scorer. The Jayhawks leaned on their depth, grit, and the always-intimidating environment of Allen Fieldhouse to grind out a gutsy win over the top-ranked team in the country. That’s the kind of performance that builds belief-not just in the locker room, but across the entire fan base.
And when Peterson is back at full strength? This Kansas team might just have another gear.