ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Darryn Peterson got back on the court for No. 17 Kansas, though couldn't stay long enough to help the Jayhawks get a win.
Still struggling with leg problems and with the Jayhawks limiting his minutes, Peterson left for good with more than 10 minutes remaining Saturday and UCF beat No. 17 Kansas 81-75.
Peterson scored 23 of his 26 points in the first half after missing the last two games. But after playing about 23 minutes, the freshman's legs started bothering him and the Jayhawks sat him as part of their recovery plan and as a precaution.
“I thought he looked pretty darn good,” coach Bill Self said. “That’s been a concern that his legs feel differently in the second half. A lot of that I think today is if I could have played him less in the first half, would he have been more available in the second half? And I think the answer is yes.”
Peterson missed seven games with a hamstring injury in November. He returned to play in four games before missing the last two with cramps.
He looked like a player who is expected to be one of the top picks in the NBA draft on Saturday, but the Jayhawks had to overuse him in the first half.
“He is one of the best basketball players in college basketball,” UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said. “When people are saying that, they are absolutely right. He is one of the best players I have seen in a number of years.”
Peterson has played in just five games this season, notably scoring 22 at North Carolina and then 17 each against Missouri and at NC State. He has played a total of 127 minutes in those five games.
The Jayhawks scored only three points in the next six minutes after Peterson departed Saturday, falling behind by nine. They rallied to tie the game before falling short while Peterson used a massage gun on his left leg on the bench throughout the second half.
Kansas knows how good it can be when Peterson is on the floor. That just hasn't been happening enough.
“He is definitely a killer,” teammate Tre White said. “He comes in and spaces the floor and makes our driving lanes easier. When he’s on the floor, we’re definitely scoring.”
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