No. 11 Kansas men's basketball walked out with a gritty victory Monday night, stunning the Texas Tech Red Raiders behind a furious late push and clutch shooting. Here are five takeaways from the Big 12 thriller.
1. Darryn Peterson can flip a switch when needed
It had been a rough night for star freshman guard Darryn Peterson, who was just 3-for-12 before the final minute. None of that mattered when he buried back-to-back Three-pointers to put Kansas ahead for good with 44 seconds left. He finished with 19 points and delivered the best moment of the night inside United Supermarkets Arena.
2. Kansas won with defense and timely runs
The Jayhawks ended the game on a 14-2 run and held Tech scoreless over the final two plus minutes. After surrendering an 11-0 run early in the second half, the Jayhawks tightened up, forced turnovers and contested late looks that sealed the outcome.
3. Council Jr. and Bidunga carried the middle stretches
While Peterson closed, Melvin Council Jr. and Flory Bidunga kept Kansas afloat earlier. Council poured in 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds while Bidunga added 14 points, nine boards and a pair of key blocks. The duo combined for much of Kansas’ production when the offense sputtered in the second half.
4. Texas Tech lived and died by the three
The Red Raiders launched early and often, attempting 40 triples and hitting 12. LeJuan Watts led Tech with 19 points and 12 rebounds, but the home side shot just 32 percent overall and went cold late. Kansas, meanwhile, made five of its final seven field goals while Tech missed its last six.
5. Kansas survived the little things
Texas Tech owned the offensive glass and forced 15 turnovers, but Kansas countered with free throws, second-chance buckets and a clutch ending. The Jayhawks shot 10- for-13 at the line and held a 26-14 edge in points in the paint, small margins that loomed large in a three-point game.
Kansas now heads home to face the Utah Utes this weekend, carrying momentum from one of its biggest wins of the season.