No. 14 Kansas defeats No. 5 Houston 69-56

Tre White scores season-high 23 points to lead Jayhawks to bounce-back win

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Tre White scored a season-high 23 points and No. 14 Kansas bounced back from a surprising defeat with a 69-56 victory over No. 5 Houston on Monday night. Freshman star Darryn Peterson added 14 points for the Jayhawks, who handed the scuffling Cougars their third consecutive defeat against top-15 opponents.

Why it matters

This win helps Kansas rebound after a surprising loss to unranked Cincinnati, while Houston's three-game skid against ranked opponents raises questions about their ability to compete with the top teams in college basketball.

The details

Kansas used a 12-0 run early in the second half to turn a two-point lead into a 49-35 advantage and never looked back. The Jayhawks' defense held Houston to just 32% shooting from the field, including 21% from 3-point range. Bryson Tiller added a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds for Kansas.

  • The game was played on Monday, February 24, 2026.
  • Kansas hasn't lost consecutive home games since the 1988-89 season.

The players

Tre White

A Kansas player who scored a season-high 23 points in the win.

Darryn Peterson

A Kansas freshman who scored 14 points on 5-of-14 shooting.

Bryson Tiller

A Kansas player who recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Kingston Flemings

A Houston player who scored 16 points on 6-of-18 shooting.

Bill Self

The head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks, who is 41-0 on ESPN's Big Monday in Allen Fieldhouse.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

Kansas visits No. 2 Arizona on Saturday.

The takeaway

This win shows that Kansas can bounce back from a tough loss and compete with the top teams in the country, while Houston's recent struggles against ranked opponents raise concerns about their ability to make a deep tournament run.