Darryn Peterson expressed his relief at finally being able to finish a game, playing a pivotal role in the victory for No. 11 Kansas against No. 13 Texas Tech. His performance was instrumental as the Jayhawks secured a 64-61 win in Lubbock, Texas on Monday night.
“This is the first game I got through to the end,” Peterson said. “I”ve been trying to all year, so to finally be able to do it, it”s a blessing.” The standout freshman scored 19 points and played a season-high 35 minutes, with two key 3-pointers coming late in the game.
With the game tied, Peterson nailed a contested 3-pointer from the right corner with just 1:20 remaining. He followed that up with another shot from the left wing with 44 seconds left, sealing the victory for the Jayhawks. Earlier in the season, he had scored 18 points in the first half of a game against then-No. 13 BYU, but had not been able to play the final minutes due to cramping.
Averaging 21.1 points per game, Peterson had recently missed a game against Kansas State due to an ankle injury and has faced hamstring and calf issues this season, causing him to miss a total of 10 games for the Jayhawks, who now hold a record of 17-5 and 7-2 in the Big 12.
Before the late heroics, Peterson struggled against the Red Raiders, shooting 3-of-12 from the field. “He”s got something that I guess you”re born with and can”t teach. He”s got just an unbelievable ability to raise his level when it counts the most,” said Bill Self, head coach of the Jayhawks. “That”s what he did tonight. I mean, those two plays he made were obviously the two biggest plays of the game for us.”
The tying shot followed a turnover by Texas Tech, and Peterson made it over preseason AP All-America forward JT Toppin. A block by Flory Bidunga on Toppin”s subsequent attempt preserved the lead for Kansas. Peterson”s confidence in making those shots came from his preparation and support from his teammates. “The work I put in and then my teammates and coaches. I had a bad game … shots weren”t really going. They guarded me kind of well, but I just trusted the work, so those shots I feel like I should make,” he explained.
With this victory, Kansas has now won six consecutive games, solidifying their position in the rankings and showcasing the talent of their young star.
