Peterson's late surge erased a deficit, but a buzzer-beater sealed Kansas' fate in a heartbreaking season finale.
Darryn Peterson delivers late, but Kansas falls short in likely finale
When Kansas needed a spark, Darryn Peterson delivered. It just wasn’t enough.
The freshman guard scored 21 points and took over late as the Jayhawks erased a double-digit second-half deficit, but St. John’s answered at the buzzer, handing Kansas a 67-65 loss Sunday and likely ending Peterson’s brief but impactful college career.
Peterson didn’t shoot it efficiently for his standards, 5-for-15 from the field, but found ways to impact the game when it mattered most. With Kansas trailing by 14 midway through the second half, he slowed the offense and helped ignite a push that turned Viejas Arena into a pro-Kansas crowd down the stretch.
He got to the free-throw line, attacked the rim and made plays in transition, all while taking on the defensive responsibility of guarding one of the most physical teams in the country.
“I thought he played well and I thought he competed hard,” head coach Bill Self said. “I was really proud of his effort.”
Peterson’s biggest moment came in the final minute. With Kansas trailing, he drew a foul and calmly knocked down two free throws to tie the game at 65, completing a comeback that once felt unlikely.
It was the kind of sequence that Kansas fans had been searching for all season, it jusr came too late. After the Jayhawks used fouls to manage the clock, St. John’s guard Dylan Darling broke free and converted a driving layup at the buzzer, ending Kansas’ season and silencing the late surge.
For Peterson, it was a harsh ending to a year that included stretches of dominance, moments of adversity and constant attention as a projected top NBA draft pick.
“He’s had moments where he’s looked great,” Self said. “I hope the year was enjoyable for him. I know I enjoyed being around him an awful lot.”
If it was his final game in a Kansas uniform, Peterson showed Jayhawk fans he cared when it mattered most. Although it likely wasn't the season he or his team imagined, they didn't give up, even after being down 14 points in the round of 32, at the end of a season filled with adversity.
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