Kansas men’s basketball heads into Sunday’s Border Showdown with a boost, as freshman standout Darryn Peterson is expected to return after missing seven straight games with a hamstring injury. Head coach Bill Self said the staff is preparing as if he will be available.

“He’s practiced the last two days, so he should be available unless he has a setback,” Self said. “We wouldn’t put him out there unless he was full speed.”

Peterson’s return adds much-needed offensive firepower for a Kansas team still searching for a sustained offensive rhythm. Self made it clear the freshman won’t be the player he’ll be a month from now, but his presence matters.

“He hasn’t played in a while… but I still believe he can be pretty effective,” Self said.

Missouri enters the Border Showdown with a positive 8-1 record. The Tigers started the season 8-0, but have since lost to Notre Dame on Dec. 2. Combine the rivalry and a strong Missouri squad, and Self is ready for the challenge. 

“I like their team,” Self said. “They’ve beaten everybody pretty handily… that kid from Notre Dame just made a 30-foot shot to beat them.”

While many Kansas players are new to the rivalry, Self said the meaning of the Border Showdown has been made clear. The Kansas–Missouri rivalry runs deep because the fan bases have spent generations fueling a border that divided the two states during the Civil War. 

“We’ve addressed it as a group,” he said. “This is always one of the most looked-forward-to games on our schedule.”

Kansas was run off the floor in Columbia last season, and Self hasn’t forgotten it.

“They kicked our ass last year. I haven’t forgotten that, nor have our guys,” he said.

Beyond the rivalry’s emotion, Self expects Sunday’s game to draw more attention than any matchup his team has played so far, even ranked meetings with Duke, UConn and Tennessee.

“The attention this one game will get will be more than all those combined,” Self said to the media. 

Peterson’s Return, Rivalry Stakes Fuel Kansas Ahead of High-Intensity Border Showdown. With star freshman Peterson likely back and revenge on the mind, Kansas is ready for the Border Showdown tomorrow. Tipoff at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City is set for noon CST on Sunday, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN2.