All eyes were on Lawrence, Kansas on Monday night for one of the most anticipated games of the college basketball season, as the red-hot Kansas Jayhawks hosted the No. 1 ranked and unbeaten Arizona Wildcats.
A Late Scratch That Shocked Allen Fieldhouse
The matchup was set to feature the sport’s top player in Darryn Peterson going against the sport’s top team, but just minutes before tipoff it was announced that Peterson would not play due to flu-like symptoms.
The Ongoing Peterson Availability Question
This marked the 11th game Peterson has missed this season as he missed time earlier in the year due to cramping and other lower-body injuries. Many have questioned the legitimacy and severity of those injuries, with some suggesting a load-management approach as Peterson is set to be a top pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
Flory Bidunga Steps Into The Spotlight
In the end, Peterson’s absence didn’t matter as Kansas used a gritty second-half defensive performance and got a standout game from big man Flory Bidunga to secure the win, handing Arizona its first loss of the season in front of a raucous Allen Fieldhouse crowd.
A Statement Win Nobody Saw Coming
Kansas entered Monday night playing its best basketball of the season, which was in large part due to the play of Peterson, and had begun to look like a legitimate national title contender with him on the floor. But without him it seemed like no one was taking this team seriously. The Jayhawks made a statement in terms of this by picking up their biggest win of the season without him, and despite struggling at times when he hasn’t been on the court, Kansas has generally performed well.
The Numbers Without Their Star
In the 11 games Peterson has missed, Kansas is 9-2. While all of those wins have not come against top-tier competition, five have been against power-conference opponents, including Tennessee and now top-ranked Arizona. In addition, the two losses came against UConn and Duke, who are two of the best teams in the country.
Moments Of Chaos, Moments Of Clarity
We certainly have seen Kansas struggle without Peterson though, as the Jayhawks almost blew a 20-point lead against BYU when he missed the second half of that game. However, there have also been moments where his absence seemed to provide a spark, most notably when Kansas came back from an eight-point deficit in the final two minutes against TCU. With the game appearing out of reach, Peterson seemingly subbed himself out due to cramping, and the Jayhawks would then go on a late run to force overtime and eventually win in OT.
Not Better Without Him, But Different
Now, suggesting Kansas is better without Darryn Peterson would be silly. However, there seems to be something notable about how they performed Monday night without their primary ball handler and scorer on the floor. Perhaps the Jayhawks have become more comfortable or used to playing without Peterson, or maybe his absence serves as some sort of rallying point for the team. Especially in situations like Monday’s, when they lost their best player just minutes before tipoff against the best team in the country.
Regardless, coming into the week, it felt like no one believed in Kansas if Peterson was not on the floor. On Monday night, Bill Self’s team showed something different. It will be fascinating to see how much Peterson we see down the stretch of the season, particularly in the Big 12 Tournament, and ultimately how committed he is to winning a national title when March Madness arrives.