Trending Now - Darryn Peterson Shines With 28 Points in KU Tournament Win
WHO:
Darryn Peterson, projected top NBA Draft pick
Rick Pitino, head coach of St. John's
Darryn Peterson, freshman basketball player for Kansas
Bill Self, head coach of Kansas
Tre White, Kansas guard
Cal Baptist, opposing team
WHAT:
Peterson logged 32 minutes in the game, tying his season high.
Peterson has appeared in 16 of Kansas' 35 games this season.
Kansas will face St. John's on March 22nd, 2026, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Bill Self is seeking his 13th Sweet 16 appearance.
Darryn Peterson scored a game-high 28 points
Kansas won against Cal Baptist with a score of 68-60
Peterson missed his first six field goal attempts before scoring
Peterson's 28 points set a Kansas record for most in an NCAA Tournament debut since David Robisch scored 29 points in 1971
Peterson is the first Kansas freshman to score at least 20 points in a tournament debut
Kansas led by as much as 26 points during the game
Cal Baptist cut the deficit to six points with under a minute remaining
Peterson did not attempt a shot in the final 4 minutes and 18 seconds of the game
WHERE:
Viejas Arena, San Diego, California
WHEN:
The game took place on March 20th, 2026
Kansas is set to face St. John's on March 22nd, 2026
WHY:
Peterson's performance was influenced by encouragement from coaches and teammates, as he stated, "My coaches are telling me to keep shooting, my teammates were too, so their confidence helped me out."
Bill Self commented on the team's offensive struggles, stating, "I thought our offense the last four or five minutes was brutal. Offensively, we were so passive and complacent."
Peterson's performance was supported by encouragement from coaches and teammates
Kansas struggled offensively in the final minutes of the game
HOW:
Peterson did not take a shot in the final 4 minutes, 18 seconds of the game.
Bill Self briefly removed Peterson from the game with 12:41 left in the first half before reinserting him
Kansas attempted to run plays to get the ball to Peterson during the game
(UPDATED March 22, 2026 03:50 UTC)
In a thrilling matchup, projected top NBA Draft pick Darryn Peterson logged 32 minutes in the game, tying his season high, as Kansas prepares to face St. John's today in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Peterson, who has played in 16 of Kansas' 35 games this season, credited his performance to the encouragement from his coaches and teammates, saying their confidence helped him out. Meanwhile, head coach Bill Self expressed concern over the team's offensive struggles, noting that they were too passive and complacent in the final minutes of the game, where Peterson did not take a shot in the last four minutes and 18 seconds.
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(UPDATED March 22, 2026 01:41 UTC)
In a thrilling NCAA Tournament matchup on March 20, Kansas secured a victory over Cal Baptist with a score of 68 to 60, thanks in large part to freshman Darryn Peterson, who scored a game-high 28 points. Peterson's impressive performance not only set a Kansas record for the most points in an NCAA Tournament debut since 1971, but he also became the first Kansas freshman to score at least 20 points in such a debut. Despite missing his first six shots and not attempting a shot in the final minutes, Peterson's early scoring helped Kansas build a significant lead, although Cal Baptist managed to cut the deficit to just six points in the closing moments.