No. 8 Kansas' Darryn Peterson Faces Oklahoma State After Early Exit

Jayhawks star freshman guard has battled injuries this season, missed 11 games

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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Kansas coach Bill Self pulled leading scorer Darryn Peterson from the lineup during the Jayhawks' 74-56 loss to Iowa State on Saturday, citing Peterson's lack of practice time due to illness. Self said he made the decision to save Peterson for Wednesday's game at Oklahoma State, where Kansas will look to improve on its 4-4 road record. Peterson has missed 11 games this season due to various leg and ankle issues.

Why it matters

Peterson's health and availability have been a major storyline for the No. 8 Jayhawks this season. His absence has impacted the team's performance, and Self's decision to sit him against Iowa State highlights the challenges Kansas faces in keeping their star freshman guard on the court.

The details

In the loss to Iowa State, Peterson played 24 minutes, making 3 of 10 field goals and scoring 10 points. Self said Peterson's lack of practice time due to illness contributed to the decision to pull him from the game. The Jayhawks will now turn their attention to a matchup with Oklahoma State, where they hope to improve on their 4-4 road record this season.

  • On February 11, Kansas handed then-No. 1 Arizona its first loss of the season, 82-78, while Peterson was out due to flu-like symptoms.
  • On February 14, Peterson returned for 24 minutes against Iowa State, making 3 of 10 field-goal attempts and scoring 10 points.
  • On February 15, Kansas coach Bill Self decided to pull Peterson from the lineup against Iowa State, citing his lack of practice time due to illness.

The players

Darryn Peterson

A star freshman guard for the Kansas Jayhawks who has battled myriad leg and ankle issues this season, missing 11 games.

Bill Self

The veteran head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks, who made the decision to pull Peterson from the lineup against Iowa State.

Melvin Council Jr.

A Kansas player who paced the Jayhawks with 15 points in the loss to Iowa State.

Parsa Fallah

An Oklahoma State player who scored a game-high 27 points in the Cowboys' overtime loss to TCU.

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What they’re saying

“It was probably game flow and conditioning because he was sick. When he came out at the end it was probably me thinking, 'What can we do to give us the best chance to have success on Wednesday?' That was me making that decision. I didn't think he was great, but he hadn't practiced much. He wasn't bad, but he hadn't practiced much.”

— Bill Self, Kansas Head Coach

“It's hard to lose games like (the one against TCU) that we really need to win. But I refuse to give up on this team and all the coaches, all the players. We cannot give up now. We understand some fans might be mad and they have the right to be mad. But we have a game Wednesday, we have (six) more games and the Big 12 tournament. We've got a good team. We are right there. We are just a step short. We are not going to give up, but it's tough.”

— Parsa Fallah, Oklahoma State Player

What’s next

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The takeaway

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