It has been a bit of an odd start to the season for Kansas basketball, but Bill Self and company have steadied the ship and are firmly in the top 25 hading into the final stretch of non-conference play.
On Saturday, Self's squad got another very impressive win in a hostile environment. The Jayhawks survived yet another second-half injury to star guard Darryn Peterson to beat NC State in overtime, 77-76.
The Jayhawks were led by Melvin Council Jr., a St. Bonaventure transfer who put on one of the best performances you'll see all season. Council scored 36 points in 43 minutes, finishing 13-for-27 from the field and 9-for-15 from the 3-point line. He also added seven rebounds and four assists, carrying a Kansas offense that desperately needed it.
After the game. Self had high praise for Council after he dragged the Jayhawks to a big win, via ESPN.
“We had one guy that was probably the best performer that I think that I've had on the road in my 23 years at Kansas,” Self said. “He was unbelievable. Made hard shots. They dared him to shoot, and then when he made a couple, he started looking at a big basket.
“I'm happy for our team, but especially happy for him because he put us on his back tonight.”
Incredibly, Council came into the game 5-for-27 from beyond the arc, so his explosion against the Wolfpack completely came out of nowhere. He was getting every kind of bucket imaginable: off the dribble, off the catch, getting into the lane, pulling up from the midrange. You name it, he did it.
Council's explosion picked up the slack for Peterson, who left the game late in the second half with the same hamstring injury that has been lingering and nagging him all season long. He helped Kansas survive a late-game push from NC state star Darrion Williams, who caught fire in overtime and nearly led Will Wade and company to a big win.
Games like this won't come around too often, but it would be huge for Kansas if Council can become a consistent go-to option on the offensive end, especially if Peterson is going to continue to struggle with injuries. The Jayhawks have two lighter games to close out the month of December before Big 12 play gets underway.
