Henry in the Huddle: Navigating the Jayhawks' Challenges
STILLWATER, Okla. - Kansas coach Bill Self has been vocal this season about the untapped potential of his team, emphasizing that they can reach new heights once all their pieces fall into place. However, Wednesday night's victory at Oklahoma State raised questions about when, or if, the Jayhawks will ever be fully whole, especially with guard Darryn Peterson's recurring early exits.
Peterson's latest departure was a familiar scene. Before Wednesday, it had been 18 days since his last in-game cramping episode, where he scored 18 points in the first half against BYU before leaving with 16:46 to go. The Jayhawks saw a 21-point lead shrink to four but managed an eight-point win.
During the interim, it seemed Peterson had overcome his cramping woes. He played 35 minutes, hitting crucial 3-pointers against Texas Tech on Feb. 2, and led the team with 34 minutes in a win over Utah.
However, he missed the upset against Arizona on Feb. 9 due to flu-like symptoms. Coach Self, in a press conference, defended Peterson against media criticism, attributing his absences to a string of unfortunate events, including a hamstring injury, cramps, a rolled ankle, and illness.
Yet, Wednesday brought a shift in Self's tone. Peterson dazzled with 20 early points, pushing KU to a 23-point lead. But after hitting a 3-pointer with 17:22 left, he signaled to Self and exited the game due to cramping.
"The plan was for him to come out," Self said. "Then he makes the 3 and says, 'Get me.' I didn’t expect him to be done, but he was clearly cramping."
Unlike the game against BYU, KU had already lost much of its lead before Peterson's exit. His shot extended the lead to 13 after OSU closed it to 10. The Jayhawks then pieced together a lackluster second half, securing an 81-69 win over the Cowboys.
Self acknowledged progress with Peterson's cramping but admitted he thought the issue was behind them. "I didn’t anticipate that tonight at all," he said.
"I thought he was good to go. But we only got 18 minutes out of him.
That’s disappointing because he could have had a really big night."
Despite the setbacks, Self noted the team’s familiarity with playing without Peterson. "We’re not unaccustomed to it," he said, understating the reality. Peterson has missed 12 of KU’s 26 games and struggled to finish the majority of the rest.
Senior forward Tre White praised Peterson’s first-half impact. "He put us in a good space to keep it going," White said. "Even when they went on runs, we had enough cushion to manage and play hard in the second half."
Self, however, is acutely aware of the risks. "In the NCAA Tournament, you need all your best players," he said. "One day like that can derail not just a game, but a season."
With the tournament looming on March 19, the Jayhawks face a race against time to manage Peterson’s cramps and optimize their play when he’s on the court. The clock is ticking.