Monday night in Lawrence, Kansas, was set for a college basketball showdown that had fans buzzing with anticipation. The No. 9 Kansas Jayhawks were preparing to host the undefeated No. 1 Arizona Wildcats at Allen Fieldhouse—a matchup that promised fireworks and national implications. But just as the arena’s energy reached a fever pitch, a stunning development threatened to shift the balance: Kansas’ star freshman guard Darryn Peterson, the team’s leading scorer and projected top NBA Draft pick, was ruled out less than an hour before tip-off due to flu-like symptoms.
Peterson’s absence, confirmed by a KU official shortly before the 8 p.m. CT tip, marked the 11th game he’d missed this season, a campaign already marred by a series of health setbacks. From hamstring tightness and persistent cramping to a recent sprained ankle, Peterson’s freshman year had been anything but smooth. Yet, the timing of this latest setback—right before the season’s biggest regular-season clash—couldn’t have been more dramatic. As fans scrambled for updates, the Jayhawks had to regroup, knowing their hopes of toppling the nation’s best team rested on the shoulders of their supporting cast.
Before Monday, Peterson had played in just 13 games, averaging an eye-popping 20.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per contest on 48.9% shooting. The Jayhawks had gone 10-3 in those games, with Peterson logging heavy minutes in recent outings: 35 against Texas Tech and 34 in a 71-59 win over Utah. It seemed he was finally nearing full health, but fate had other plans. Kansas coach Bill Self explained after the game, “He didn’t practice yesterday, but we were hoping he could play today. He came out to shootaround and wasn’t able to. We didn’t know probably until 7-7:30 that he wasn’t going to be able to go, but we knew he was 50/50 yesterday that he may not be able to play.”
As the news spread, speculation erupted on social media. A video posted by “Barstool Arizona” appeared to show a crew member texting courtside about Peterson’s absence, suggesting friction within the team. Kansas quickly moved to clarify: “The person texting in this video is a contracted crew worker who handles official stats during the game for ESPN. He does not work for KU and is not affiliated with the athletic department in any way. He has no inside information and was speculating. We are handling internally.” The drama only added to an already electric atmosphere.
With Peterson sidelined, freshman guard Jamari McDowell was thrust into the starting lineup. The stakes couldn’t have been higher, and McDowell rose to the occasion, delivering 10 points, six rebounds, and four steals. But it wasn’t just McDowell who stepped up. Flory Bidunga, Melvin Council Jr., and Tre White all knew they’d need near-flawless performances to keep Kansas in the fight against an Arizona team that had steamrolled its way to a 23-0 record, including impressive road wins at UConn and BYU.
The Wildcats, led by coach Tommy Lloyd, arrived in Lawrence as the consensus best team in the country, boasting a defense ranked 30th nationally by allowing just 67.6 points per game. But as the game unfolded, it was Kansas that seized the moment. Despite being short-handed, the Jayhawks executed a second-half surge that left the Wildcats reeling. Arizona’s offense, usually so potent at finishing at the rim, struggled in the face of Kansas’ physicality and Bidunga’s rim protection. “I wish he was guarding our guards. He really impacts the game at the rim,” Lloyd said postgame, acknowledging Bidunga’s defensive presence. “That game comes down to probably, if you have to start slicing and dicing and picking one or two things, and we didn’t finish at the rim well enough. And usually we’re really proficient at finishing at the rim.”
Arizona, for all its firepower, couldn’t overcome Kansas’ relentless attack or the raucous Allen Fieldhouse crowd. The Jayhawks went to the free-throw line 11 more times than the Wildcats, a discrepancy Lloyd refused to blame for the loss. “I honestly don’t care how the game is officiated,” he said. “We should be fine. We’re a physical team and we’re built for it.” Lloyd admitted his squad learned of Peterson’s absence only 10 minutes before the game, but he brushed aside any notion that it changed Arizona’s approach. “Kansas has a lot of good players and a great coach. Playing them here, we knew it was going to be a dogfight, no matter which guys were wearing the Kansas Jayhawk jerseys. Obviously I’m sure they’re better with Peterson, but we felt like they were pretty good without him tonight as well.”
The contest was a classic Big 12 slugfest, with momentum swinging back and forth. According to Lloyd, the difference came down to Kansas’ ability to “weather a few runs” and then “put their head down and really drive the ball, got a lot of free throws.” Bidunga’s timely jump hooks and the Jayhawks’ clutch free-throw shooting sealed the deal. “It wasn’t like they weren’t making jump shots. I didn’t have to use anything. And then just in these games, they’re possession by possession, and they kind of made a run at the right time to get a little bit of a lead, and they did a good job managing, and did a great job making their free throws down the stretch.”
For Arizona, the loss was their first of the season, dropping them to 23-1. But Lloyd kept his composure, crediting Kansas and looking ahead. “Well, if a guy is 38-0 on his home court on Big Mondays, it’s probably pretty hard to win here, no matter what our record coming in is. So we knew it’s going to be a tough game, and we’re okay with it. Like guys, I’m not mad we lost. I can’t wait to get on that plane, get back home, and I feel like our season just started.”
For Kansas, the 82-78 victory was a statement win, made all the more remarkable by the absence of their star. The Jayhawks proved they could rally in adversity, with their depth and grit on full display. As for Peterson, his health remains a concern, but his teammates showed they’re more than capable of rising to the challenge when the lights are brightest. The Allen Fieldhouse faithful certainly got their money’s worth, witnessing a top-10 upset that will reverberate through the college basketball landscape for weeks to come.