No. 8 Kansas has learned to win without the presence of its leading scorer as it prepares to host suddenly surging Cincinnati in Big 12 Conference play on Saturday in Lawrence, Kan.
The Jayhawks (20-6, 10-3 Big 12) got the full Darryn Peterson experience on Wednesday in a commanding 81-69 road win over Oklahoma State. Peterson was electric in a 20-point first half, mixing sharp shooting from 3-point range, explosive drives to the basket and the ability to coax defenders into fouling him.
Peterson saw just three minutes of court time in the second half and finished with 23 points. His impromptu signal for a sub caught Kansas coach Bill Self off guard.
Later, Self said Peterson “was cramping,” and added the Jayhawks have learned how to play without the freshman phenom and presumptive NBA lottery pick.
“We’ve had to do it more than a couple times,” Self said. “I didn’t anticipate that at all tonight. I thought he was good to go. We only got 18 minutes out of him and that’s disappointing because he could have had a really big night.”
Kansas has found alternative ways to come out on top. The Jayhawks have won nine of their last 10 games to climb from 22nd to 13th in the NCAA NET rankings. Kansas has a strong resume, as all six of its losses are in Quad 1 games.
While Peterson (20.0 points in 26.9 minutes per game) leads Kansas in scoring, Flory Bidunga (14.5 points), Melvin Council Jr. (13.8) and Tre White (13.8) also score in double figures. In the 11 games Peterson has missed and the numerous times he’s been limited, redshirt sophomore Elmarko Jackson (5.2 points) has stepped up his game.
Against the Cowboys, Jackson provided 14 points, four assists and three rebounds off the bench.
“It’s happened often enough that our guys have learned to play without (Peterson),” Self said. “Even though that’s not the way we want to play, that’s certainly something we are accustomed to right now.
“Elmarko was our best player over 40 minutes (against Oklahoma State). He’s learned to not put himself in as many compromising positions offensively. When the ball moves, there’s not as much built-in help. When he makes a decision to go (to the rim), there aren’t as many guys there guarding him.”
Riding a three-game winning streak — their first since opening the season 4-0 — the Bearcats (14-12, 6-7) are on the outside looking in when it comes to being an NCAA Tournament qualifier, but they’re getting hot as the Big 12 tournament approaches.
The Bearcats are 63rd in the NET and are only 1-9 against Quad 1 competition. Their home upset of then-No. 2 Iowa State on Jan. 17 stacks up as their only win over a definite NCAA Tournament team.
Cincinnati topped Utah 69-65 Sunday at home with a late 9-0 run. Moustapha Thiam had 15 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks on what coach Wes Miller said was “a tweaked ankle.” Thiam had missed two of the Bearcats’ three previous games.
“It’s part of basketball sometimes,” Thiam said. “You hurt something sometimes. I’m just trying to get on it as much as I can. Whenever I feel bad and get down on myself, I ask myself why. Because I want to get back out on the court. I want to play.”
