Fans of the Kansas Jayhawks found themselves sitting with both good and bad news following the team’s Big 12 game Saturday afternoon.
On the bright side, Jayhawks star and projected first overall pick Darryn Peterson played the entire game in what could be a good sign of things to come as March approaches. Unfortunately, Jayhawks fans left Allen Fieldhouse far from content, with more bad news than good.
Jayhawks Star Darryn Peterson Struggles in Shocking Home Loss
When the Cincinnati Bearcats came to town, few expected them to go into one of the loudest college stadiums in the country and leave victorious, but that is exactly what they did. The Bearcats pulled off a shocking upset, defeating the No.8-ranked Jayhawks 84-68.
Although Peterson played an impressive 32 minutes, his struggles were apparent: he shot 7-for-17, including 1-for-7 from beyond the arc. Peterson’s struggles from the field not only played a role in the Jayhawks’ inability to find any rhythm on offense, but also raised larger questions about the Jayhawks’ outlook as this roller-coaster season rolls on.
This season has been such a roller-coaster ride for Kansas fans.
But this team has no clue right now how to play with Darryn Peterson, and Bill Self has no clue how to use him while trying to keep him healthy.
He looked more passive than he has all season today despite takingā¦
ā Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) February 21, 2026
“This season has been such a roller-coaster ride for Kansas fans. But this team has no clue right now how to play with Darryn Peterson, and Bill Self has no clue how to use him while trying to keep him healthy. He looked more passive than he has all season today despite taking 17 shots.” basketball analyst Jeff Goodman said on X.
Peterson’s health and availability have been a major storyline for the Jayhawks this season, and that continues even when he plays an entire game, as he did Saturday. The Jayhawks appeared to be out of sync all game long, which has now raised questions about coach Bill Self’s game planning when Peterson is available.
Peterson’s availability continues to be a growing distraction for a Jayhawks team that hopes to be a true contender for a national championship come March. But if Self and the Jayhawks want to turn their hopes into reality, they must be able to get up for each and every game, no matter the opponent or Peterson’s availability.
Postgame, Self was asked if it was possible that the 20-win Jayhawks overlooked a Bearcats team that entered Saturday with a record of 14-12.
Bill Self on if he thinks Kansas overlooked Cincinnati š
“I’m not gonna buy that shit. We didn’t come with good energy today, but don’t make something out of nothing. No team is at 10 for every game. I’m not buying that. We played an NCAA tournament team today”
(š„ @KUsports) pic.twitter.com/7rMzFQ8a05
ā The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 21, 2026
“We didn’t come with good energy today, but don’t make something out of nothing. No team is at 10 for every game. I’m not buying that. We played an NCAA tournament team today,” Self told the media.
Self pointed to not bringing the energy necessary and his team not playing as a unit when speaking about the upset loss. He also took the time to respect the Bearcats, calling them an NCAA tournament team while rejecting the notion of overlooking them. The Bearcats could very well be a tournament team if they keep this play up, as this surprising win was the fourth consecutive victory head coach Wes Miller’s team has been able to rattle off.
Peterson and the Jayhawks struggled mightily in this shocking Big 12 loss, making it just their fourth conference defeat of the season.
Fortunately for them, they will get a quick turnaround, as the Jayhawks return to action at home Monday night.
The bad news, however, is that Self’s squad faces a frustrated Houston Cougars team following its home loss to fellow Big 12 contender Arizona. Peterson will get his chance at a statement game Monday night, hoping to put all the chatter about his play and availability to bed.
