The No. 14 Kansas Jayhawks earned a big 90-82 win over the No. 13 BYU Cougars on Saturday. It's the 16th victory for the Jayhawks this season. However, much of the attention is on Darryn Peterson, as he put on an electric performance in the contest.
Despite only playing in the first half, Peterson finished the day with 18 points, three rebounds, and an assist while shooting 75.0% from the field and 60.0% from beyond the three-point line. The true freshman was unconscious, as it looked like nothing could stop him.
No. 14 Kansas over No. 13 BYU 90-82.
Darryn Peterson had a memorable first-half performance: 18 points in 20 minutes, shooting 6-for-8 overall, 3-for-5 from three-point range, and 3-for-4 from the free-throw line. @SCNext 🎥 pic.twitter.com/XRJIUXmbWy
— Paul Biancardi (@PaulBiancardi) January 31, 2026
Sports fans hopped on social media to share their excited reactions to Darryn Peterson's strong game against BYU. Some believe he may have just secured the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Meanwhile, others were just impressed with his play on the court.
“Peterson cooked [AJ] Dybantsa on both ends tonight. #1 pick locked up? Y’all convinced yet?” asked one fan.
This user claimed, “18 points on 7 shots [in the first half] is mathematically unfair.”
Yea I was definitely one of those guys who said AJ was better. I’m kinda starting think otherwise. pic.twitter.com/gTxL9D2CYy
— E Dolla (@BrodieDaGOAT) January 31, 2026
“That's not hooping, that's taking someone's ranking personally,” proclaimed another individual.
This person boldly stated, “He was gliding like MJ.”
It's been a big season for Peterson despite missing five games due to a string of lower-body injuries. But when he's healthy, the Kansas star has proven to be a reliable scorer for the Jayhawks. Through 11 games played, Peterson is averaging 21.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. He also owns a 51.2% field goal percentage and a 50.0% three-point percentage.
Darryn Peterson is certainly getting a ton of buzz for the 2026 NBA Draft. With 10 games remaining on the schedule, he has an opportunity to add to his already impressive stats. If he can lead Kansas to a deep run in the March Madness Tournament, he could supplant himself as the top NBA prospect this season.
