Honestly, if you’ve been watching the Phog lately, you know things felt a little shaky for a minute there. Losing at UCF and then getting handled by West Virginia in the same week? That’s not exactly the "Rock Chalk" standard we’re used to seeing in Lawrence. But man, what a difference a few days and a couple of home games make.
The latest kansas university basketball news isn't just about the wins, though beating No. 2 Iowa State and then stomping Baylor 80-62 back-to-back is plenty to talk about. It’s about the fact that Bill Self has finally fully handed the keys to the kids. And the kids are alright.
The Darryn Peterson and Flory Bidunga Show
We’ve been hearing the hype about Darryn Peterson since he stepped on campus. He’s averaging nearly 22 points a game, which is absurd for a freshman in this league. Against Baylor on Friday night, he was basically surgical. 26 points. 11-of-13 from the floor. He’s got this stepback jumper that looks like it belongs in the league already.
But let’s talk about Flory Bidunga.
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Coach Self said it himself after the Baylor game—that might have been the best Flory has looked all year. 23 points, 11 boards, and five blocks. There was this one sequence where he threw down an alley-oop while getting fouled, finished the three-point play, and you could just feel the air leave Baylor's bench. When those two are clicking, KU doesn't just look like a top-20 team; they look like a problem for whoever has to see them in March.
What’s Going On with the Big 12 Standings?
The conference is a absolute meat grinder this year. Arizona and Houston are sitting at the top looking nearly invincible, and KU is currently floating around that 3-2 mark in conference play (13-5 overall). It’s weird seeing Kansas unranked in a matchup against Baylor—the first time that’s happened since 1966—but the NET rankings still love them.
Why? Because the schedule has been brutal.
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- Strength of Schedule: KU is sitting at No. 2 nationally.
- Defense: They lead the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense (around 38%).
- The Veterans: Tre White is quietly averaging a near double-double, and Melvin Council Jr. is still that "break glass in case of emergency" scorer who can drop 30 on you if the defense over-rotates on Peterson.
It’s a weird mix. You have these hyper-talented freshmen doing the heavy lifting while seniors like Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White provide the floor. It’s not always pretty—see the 15-point lead they nearly coughed up in the first half against the Bears—but the ceiling is clearly much higher than it was in December.
Recruiting News: The 2026 Class is Loaded
If you think this year’s freshman class is good, wait until you see what’s coming. Bill Self is currently sitting on the No. 1 recruiting class for 2026. We’re talking about:
- Taylen Kinney: A five-star point guard from Overtime Elite who can flat-out create.
- Luke Barnett: Self compared his shooting to Gradey Dick. That's high praise.
- Bruce Branch: The big news recently is Branch reclassifying from 2027 to 2026. He’s a 6-foot-7 wing who plays like a guard.
There’s also a lot of chatter about Tyran Stokes, the No. 1 overall prospect. Kansas is firmly in the mix there, and if they land him, the talent gap between KU and the rest of the Big 12 might start looking like the mid-2000s again.
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The Road Ahead and the Colorado Trip
Next up is a trip to Boulder on Tuesday to face Colorado. It’s a 10 p.m. tip, so get your coffee ready. The Buffs haven't been great in conference play (2-3), but playing at altitude in the CU Events Center is never a walk in the park.
The Jayhawks have a chance here to prove they can win on the road. They’re 0-2 away from home in the Big 12 so far. If they want to stay in the hunt for a regular-season title, they basically have to take care of business against Colorado and then survive the Sunflower Showdown against K-State on Saturday.
Key Takeaways for Jayhawk Fans
- Trust the Freshmen: Peterson and Bidunga are the real deal. When they combine for 40+ points, KU is nearly impossible to beat.
- Watch the Perimeter: While the interior defense is elite (thanks to Bidunga’s 2.5 blocks per game), they still get "three-balled" occasionally. Baylor hit 11 threes on Friday; a better team might have made them pay for that.
- Bench Depth: Keep an eye on Jamari McDowell and Elmarko Jackson. They aren't scoring much lately, but their defensive energy is what keeps those second-half runs alive.
For the most immediate impact, keep an eye on the injury report for S'Mya Nichols on the women's side—she went down against Arizona State, and that team really needs her back to stop their four-game skid. On the men's side, it’s all about maintaining this 50% shooting clip as they head into the heart of the January schedule.
Check the tip-off times for the Colorado game on ESPN to make sure you don't miss the late start. You can also track the live NET rankings to see if this Baylor win pushes Kansas back toward the top 10 where they usually live.