Darryn Peterson Shines Early, Sidelined Late as Kansas Outlasts BYU
For a moment on Saturday night, Darryn Peterson looked every bit the future NBA lottery pick Kansas fans have been buzzing about. Explosive, confident, and downright electric in the first half, Peterson lit up the scoreboard and set the tone for KU’s 90-82 win over BYU. But just as quickly as he took over the game, he was gone-sidelined by a familiar nemesis: cramps.
Peterson came out firing, scoring nine of Kansas’ first 15 points and putting immediate pressure on BYU’s defense. Matched up against fellow top prospect AJ Dybantsa, the freshman didn’t shy away from the spotlight.
He attacked off the dribble, finished through contact, and capped off his dazzling half with a highlight-reel dunk that brought the Allen Fieldhouse crowd to its feet. It was the kind of play that turns heads-and possibly cements draft boards.
By halftime, Peterson had tallied 18 points on an ultra-efficient 6-for-7 shooting, adding two rebounds and an assist. But then came the turning point. Just over three minutes into the second half, he asked out of the game-and never returned.
Kansas head coach Bill Self said he could tell something was off even before Peterson sat down.
“At halftime, I could tell he didn’t have the same bounce,” Self said postgame. “He rides the bike and does some stuff to stay loose, but I asked him, ‘Are you good?’
and he said, ‘I’m good.’ Still, you could just see it wasn’t the same pop.”
Self wasn’t ready to make a medical diagnosis, but he did offer a theory: conditioning. Peterson had sprained his ankle in KU’s January 20 game at Colorado and missed the following matchup against Kansas State.
With no midweek game on the schedule, Saturday’s tilt with BYU marked an 11-day gap between game action. That kind of layoff, especially for a freshman still adjusting to the grind of a college season, can take a toll.
“He practiced Thursday, but it wasn’t full-speed,” Self said. “He was doing shooting drills and moving around, but not really getting winded.
I even told him in practice, ‘You’re kind of gassed, huh?’ So I wonder if that played into it.”
The timing is tough for Kansas, who now face a quick turnaround with a Big Monday showdown at Texas Tech on deck. Whether Peterson will be fully ready remains to be seen, but if Saturday’s first half was any indication, he’s got the kind of game-changing talent that can swing a matchup-when he’s healthy.
And while Kansas held on without him down the stretch, there’s no question they’re at their best when No. 0 is on the floor, attacking the rim and making defenses scramble. For now, the Jayhawks will hope the cramps were a one-off and that Peterson’s conditioning catches up fast. Because when he’s rolling, he’s not just good-he’s must-watch.