The Kansas Jayhawks gave UConn everything they could handle - until the offense ran out of gas.
In front of a raucous Allen Fieldhouse crowd, No. 21 Kansas pushed No.
5 UConn to the brink in a gritty, defensive battle. But when the Jayhawks hit a cold stretch late, the Huskies pounced.
Behind 17-point performances from Solo Ball and freshman Braylon Mullins, UConn clawed back and escaped Lawrence with a 61-56 win.
Kansas’ defense did its job. For much of the night, it frustrated a high-powered UConn offense, forcing tough shots and keeping the Huskies out of rhythm. But the Jayhawks’ own scoring droughts proved costly - and that’s becoming a familiar theme for this team.
Before the loss, CBS Sports’ Isaac Trotter slotted Kansas into his second-tier of national title contenders - the “On the Doorstep” group. The reason?
Defense and star power are there. But the offensive ceiling remains a question mark.
“Defense and a superstar like Peterson can take you far,” Trotter wrote, “especially if role players like Elmarko Jackson, Tre White and Bryson Tiller roll strong Vegas winnings into more. But I question if this offense ever has a special gear, no matter how brilliant Peterson is.”
That’s a fair concern - and the numbers back it up.
Kansas has been elite on the defensive end. Just ask Notre Dame’s Markus Burton (24 points on 18 shots), Syracuse’s JJ Starling (10 points on 17 shots), or Tennessee’s Ja’Kobi Gillespie (11 points on 19 shots).
The Jayhawks have made life difficult for opposing scorers all season long, and the metrics reflect that. Kansas ranks 20th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 64.1 points per game.
Opponents are shooting only 37.9% from the field - good for 18th in the country.
But on the other end of the floor, it’s been a different story. Kansas is currently 188th in scoring offense, averaging 74.0 points per game. That’s a steep drop for a program used to lighting up the scoreboard - and a clear signal that something’s missing.
That “something” is Peterson.
The former five-star has been sidelined for most of the season, and his absence has been felt. In limited action, he’s looked every bit the offensive anchor Kansas needs - averaging 21.5 points on a scorching 60% shooting clip. Add in 3.5 rebounds and 3 assists per game, and you’ve got a player who can tilt the floor in multiple ways.
With Peterson’s return on the horizon, there’s reason to believe Kansas can start to balance the scales. The defense is already there.
The role players - Jackson, White, Tiller - have shown flashes. What this team needs is a go-to scorer who can get a bucket when the offense bogs down.
Peterson fits that mold.
If he can stay healthy and find rhythm, Kansas has the pieces to climb out of Tier 2 and into the championship conversation. But that’s a big “if” - and until the offense finds its stride, the Jayhawks will be leaning hard on their defense to keep them in games.
Next up? A rivalry showdown with Missouri on December 7th.
Tipoff is set for 12 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
Expect another test - and another chance to see if Kansas can start turning potential into production.