© Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Kansas basketball team took down Big 12 rival Texas Tech in Monday night action. Darryn Peterson played a large role in that victory.
The freshman guard buried threes on back-to-back possessions late. The first tied the game. The second gave the Jayhawks the win.
The contest was competitive throughout, though the Red Raiders tried to pull away late. They led by nine with less than six minutes to play. From there, they’d be outscored 14-2.
Kansas turned a 59-50 deficit into a 64-61 with the late run, fueled by its star player.
Darryn Peterson quieted Texas Tech.
The guard scored a team-high 19 points. He was at his best in the biggest moments.
DARRYN PETERSON CLUTCH 🔥 pic.twitter.com/P9vjYijwNi
— ESPN (@espn) February 3, 2026
Peterson hit a three to tie the game at 61-61 with just over a minute left in regulation. He then gave his team its final lead on the next possession.
The clutch performance quieted the Texas Tech crowd, which was heard shouting an explicit chant in Peterson’s direction while at the free throw line earlier in the matchup.
Texas Tech fans chanting “he’s a p***y” at Darryn Peterson.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say they’ll end up regretting that. Peterson with a little nod at the free throw line.
— Sam Lance (@slancehoops) February 3, 2026
The Red Raiders would regret their decision. Peterson got the last word. He rejected narratives surrounding his lacking commitment in the process.
The freshman finished the game.
It’s not something the Kansas basketball team has become accustomed to with Darryn Peterson. He’s played in 12 of the team’s 22 games, averaging 26.6 minutes per appearance entering his latest contest.
Nagging leg injuries have been the issue. Bill Self confirmed he will not play extended minutes at less than 100% given his NBA outlook. His family has provided a load management plan.
On Saturday, Peterson played 20 minutes in a win over BYU. An odd conversation between a Kansas athletics administrator and Peterson’s agent led some to believe the decision was strategic.
Was the future first round draft pick protecting his NBA stock? Was he truly injured? Peterson did his best to put the narratives to bed on Monday.
He played 35 minutes in the win over Texas Tech to set a season high. He was strongest at the end of the game.
“This is the first game I got through to the end,” he said after the win. “I’ve been trying to all year, so to finally be able to do it, it’s a blessing.”
Peterson quieted the Red Raiders, and a number of his critics with the performance.