LUBBOCK, Texas — Darryn Peterson was happy to finally finish a game for No. 11 Kansas, and the Jayhawks certainly needed the standout freshman at the end against No. 13 Texas Tech.
“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.”
Peterson scored 19 points while playing a season-high 35 minutes, but his only two field goals in the second half were late 3-pointers. He made the tying basket on a contested shot from the right corner with 1:20 left, and hit again from the left wing with 44 seconds left in a 64-61 victory Monday night.
Two days earlier, Peterson scored 18 points in the first half but didn’t play the final 16:46 of a win over then-No. 13 BYU because of cramping. He is averaging 21.1 points.
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An expected top pick in the NBA draft in June, Peterson had sat out a win over Kansas State the previous game because of an ankle injury. The 6-foot-5 guard has also dealt with hamstring and calf issues this season while sitting out 10 games overall for Kansas (17-5, 7-2 Big 12).
Before hitting the late 3s, Peterson was only 3-of-12 shooting against the Red Raiders (16-6, 6-3).
“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,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “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, after a Tech turnover, was made over preseason AP All-America forward JT Toppin, who then had his shot blocked at the other end by Flory Bidunga before missing on a second chance. Peterson then made what proved to be the winner.
“Two crucial 3s … that was crazy,” Bidunga said.
“Coach Self told me to go make a play,” said Peterson, who was then asked where his confidence came from to finish that way. “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.”
And he did when they counted most for the Jayhawks in their sixth consecutive victory.
