With March Madness looming just around the corner, Kansas men’s basketball is heating up at just the right time. The Jayhawks, currently ranked No. 11 in the nation, are climbing the seed lines in the latest NCAA Tournament projections. According to ESPN's Bracketology, Kansas now holds the No. 12 overall seed, slotting in as a No. 3 seed and leapfrogging fellow Big 12 contenders BYU and Texas Tech in the process.
That jump didn’t come out of nowhere. Kansas has strung together back-to-back wins over both those teams, including a gutsy road victory in Lubbock that showcased why this squad still has plenty of March potential. And with matchups still ahead against Arizona, Houston, and Iowa State-all currently seeded higher-there’s no shortage of resume-boosting opportunities left on the calendar.
Kansas vs. Texas Tech: A Gritty Win on the Road
Let’s talk about that win in Lubbock. It wasn’t pretty, but it was clutch.
Freshman guard Darryn Peterson had been quiet for most of the night. The Red Raiders had him bottled up, forcing tough looks and keeping him off rhythm. But with the game on the line, Peterson delivered the kind of performance that turns heads in March.
Down three with under a minute to go, Peterson stepped into a deep three and drilled it. Tie game.
Moments later, after a Texas Tech turnover, he pulled up again-same result. Swish.
Just like that, Kansas was in control, and United Supermarkets Arena went silent.
Peterson finished with 19 points, matching Texas Tech’s LeJuan Watts, who had done his best to keep the Red Raiders in front. But it was Kansas that closed the door, ending the game on a 14-2 run and walking out with a 64-61 win.
A Game of Runs-and Responses
The game itself was a rollercoaster. Texas Tech came out firing, launching 12 three-pointers in the first seven minutes.
Kansas struggled early with turnovers and looked a step slow defensively, but stayed in it thanks to strong interior play from Flory Bidunga and Riley Council. That inside presence helped the Jayhawks claw back and take a 32-29 lead into halftime after a late 10-4 push.
But the second half opened with a gut punch. Texas Tech rattled off an 11-0 run out of the break, flipping the momentum and forcing Kansas to dig deep. The Jayhawks responded with defense-tightening up on the perimeter-and timely buckets to stay within striking distance.
Down 59-56 with under four minutes to play, Kansas needed a spark. Peterson provided it. And the defense did the rest, holding Tech scoreless in the final possessions to seal the win.
What’s Next
With the victory, Kansas improves to 17-5 overall and 7-2 in Big 12 play. That’s six straight conference wins for Bill Self’s squad, who now return home to Allen Fieldhouse for a Saturday showdown against the Utah Utes.
Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m. CST on FOX.
There’s still a month of regular season basketball left, and for Kansas, that means opportunity. The Jayhawks are gaining momentum, finding different ways to win, and getting clutch performances from young stars like Peterson. If they keep trending upward, don’t be surprised to see them climbing even higher on the bracket-and making plenty of noise when March finally arrives.