Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson had a stellar performance with 20 of his 23 points coming in the first half against Oklahoma State on Wednesday. but, he was limited to just the opening three minutes of the second half due to cramping, a situation that coach Bill Self expressed concern about.
Peterson stepped out of the No. 8 Jayhawks’ 81-69 victory over Oklahoma State shortly after sinking a 3-pointer, missing the remaining 17:22 of the game.
“It’s a concern,” Self remarked to reporters post-game. “I thought we had moved past it, but clearly we haven’t. It’s undeniably a concern.”
“Entering the NCAA tournament, you’re facing teams just as skilled, and it’s crucial to have all your top players available. Just one day like that can derail not only a game, but an entire season. It’s concerning, though I believe we are making progress.”
Peterson, a guard projected to be a top pick in the upcoming NBA draft, has endured an inconsistent season with the Jayhawks, missing multiple games due to a hamstring issue, and has dealt with an ankle injury and illness. He has a history of missing or leaving games early because of cramping.
“The reality is [cramping] has occurred enough that our players have adapted to playing without him, which isn’t ideal for us,” Self stated to reporters. “But we are not unfamiliar with this situation right now.”
In the matchup against the Cowboys, Peterson made 7 of 12 attempts from the field, including 6 of 10 from beyond the arc. This marked a turnaround from his prior three games, where he had combined for a 13-for-36 shooting record.
Tre White contributed 16 points, Elmarko Jackson added 14, and Bryson Tiller recorded 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists as Kansas (20-6, 10-3 Big 12) rebounded from a tough loss at Iowa State on Saturday.
For Oklahoma State (16-10, 4-9), Parsa Fallah scored 21 points and Anthony Roy had 16, marking their fourth consecutive loss.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
