Kansas Holds Off BYU in a Wild One: Peterson Shines Early, Others Step Up Late
Kansas basketball walked away with a hard-fought 90-82 win over BYU on Saturday night, but this one was anything but comfortable. The Jayhawks came out firing, delivering arguably their best half of basketball this season to build a commanding 20-point lead at the break. But if you thought that was the end of the story, BYU had other plans.
The Cougars stormed back in the second half, taking advantage of a nearly eight-minute stretch where Kansas couldn’t buy a bucket. The game tightened to just four points with under 90 seconds left, but KU found a late burst - an 8-2 run to close things out - and held on for the win.
Let’s dive into the three biggest takeaways from a game that had a little bit of everything.
Darryn Peterson Owned the Spotlight - Until He Couldn’t Finish the Game
This one was billed as Peterson vs. Dybantsa, and for good reason.
Anytime you get a matchup between the projected top two picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, it's appointment viewing. Add in their high school rivalry, and the narrative practically wrote itself.
Kansas head coach Bill Self tried to downplay the storyline before tip-off, but let’s be real - everyone in the building knew what was at stake.
And Peterson? He didn’t just meet the moment - he took control of it.
From the opening tip, the freshman phenom looked locked in. He scored seven of KU’s first 12 points and demanded the ball like a player who knew exactly what kind of stage he was on. His first-half stat line was a clinic: 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting, barely a misstep in sight.
The exclamation point came just before halftime. Peterson used a screen to shake Dybantsa, turned the corner, and threw down a vicious poster dunk over two BYU defenders - including big man Keba Keita. It was the kind of play that makes highlight reels and draft boards light up.
BYU head coach Kevin Young summed it up best: “When it comes off his hand, you think it’s going in every time.”
But then, just as suddenly as he took over, Peterson was gone. He asked out of the game at the 16:46 mark of the second half and didn’t return. Postgame, Self said it was due to cramping - a frustratingly familiar ending for a player who’s had a few of these mid-game exits this season.
Tiller, Council, and Bidunga Answered the Call When Kansas Needed It Most
With Peterson sidelined for the final 16-plus minutes, Kansas needed someone - anyone - to step up. BYU was surging, Richie Saunders was heating up, and the Jayhawks were in danger of letting a statement win slip away. That’s when Bryson Tiller, Melvin Council Jr., and Flory Bidunga took matters into their own hands.
Tiller got things rolling early in the half. He played big - using his size and athleticism to cut hard, roll strong, and finish around the rim. He scored nine of KU’s first 11 points after the break, helping the Jayhawks stave off BYU’s initial push.
Then came Council, who delivered a personal 7-0 run that served as a counterpunch to BYU’s own 7-0 burst. He wasn’t done there. With Kansas in the middle of a brutal scoring drought - nearly eight minutes without a field goal - Council buried a tough jumper that finally ended the dry spell and gave KU some breathing room.
And while KU couldn’t get shots to fall during that stretch, Bidunga kept the scoreboard moving by getting to the free throw line. He scored six straight points over nearly five minutes, all from the stripe - a quiet but crucial contribution that kept BYU from ever taking the lead.
By the final buzzer, that trio had combined for 30 of Kansas’ 37 second-half points. With their star on the bench, they were the difference-makers.
Kansas Struggled to Contain Richie Saunders, While Dybantsa Found His Rhythm Late
On the other side of the much-hyped matchup was AJ Dybantsa, who came into the night ranked No. 3 in KenPom’s National Player of the Year standings. Kansas threw multiple defenders at him - Flory Bidunga drew the primary assignment, with Tre White also spending extended time on the BYU wing.
Early on, KU’s game plan worked. Dybantsa didn’t even attempt a shot until the 11:24 mark of the first half.
But once he got going, he found a rhythm. He scored seven points before halftime and added 10 more after the break on 3-of-6 shooting.
One of his biggest moments came during a personal 5-0 run that helped BYU claw back into the game.
Self praised his team’s early effort on Dybantsa postgame but admitted things slipped late. Still, Dybantsa’s impact was mostly limited to scoring - he finished with just one rebound and one assist.
The real problem for Kansas was Richie Saunders.
Simply put, Saunders was electric. He hit tough shot after tough shot, including six threes, and finished with a career-high 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting.
Council admitted afterward that KU had no answer for him, and it showed. Kansas tried different looks, different defenders - nothing stuck.
When BYU needed a bucket, Saunders delivered. And if not for KU’s late push, he might’ve been the story of the night.
Final Word
Saturday’s game was a reminder of two things: how good Kansas can be when everything’s clicking - and how quickly things can unravel when they’re not. Peterson’s first half was a showcase of elite talent, but it was the grit and resilience of Tiller, Council, and Bidunga that sealed the win when it mattered most.
For BYU, the comeback effort was impressive, and the performances from Dybantsa and Saunders will give them plenty to build on. But in the end, Kansas did just enough to hold on - and in February, a win is a win, no matter how it looks.