Darryn Peterson scores 28 as No. 4 Kansas survives late collapse vs. No. 13 Cal Baptist No. 4 Kansas secured a hard-fought 68-60 victory over No. 13 Cal Baptist in the first round of the NCAA tournament, overcoming a dramatic late rally by the Lancers. Darryn Peterson led the Jayhawks with 28 points, outperforming Cal Baptist’s Dominique Daniels Jr., who scored 20 of his 25 points in the second half. The win advances Kansas to face Rick Pitino and No. 5 St. John’s on Sunday, with the winner potentially facing Duke in the Sweet 16 if the Blue Devils defeat TCU on Saturday. Peterson’s performance was pivotal in Kansas’ success. After a slow start, he took control of the game, finishing the first half with 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting. His contested step-back 3-pointer to beat the buzzer capped a seven-point scoring run for Kansas. He continued his dominance in the second half, extending his streak of 10 consecutive points with a 3-pointer. Despite Cal Baptist’s 10-0 run that cut Kansas’ lead to 64-42, Peterson answered with a floater in traffic to stabilize the Jayhawks’ advantage. The Lancers mounted an 18-4 run in the final two minutes, trimming the deficit to 66-60. However, Kansas’ lead proved sufficient to secure the win. The Jayhawks scored only one bucket in the game’s final 5:43, with a Tre White dunk with 13 seconds remaining. Peterson, who didn’t touch the ball on several critical possessions, contributed 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 2 steals but didn’t score in the final minutes. The game highlighted Kansas’ resilience and Peterson’s ability to rise to the occasion. Despite a slow start, Peterson’s clutch play ensured the Jayhawks avoided a potential upset. His performance also underscored the challenges he faced during the season. Initially projected as the No.#darryn_peterson #rick_pitino #dominique_daniels_jr #no_4_kansas #cal_baptist
California Baptist University's Men's and Women's Teams Advance to NCAA Tournament The California Baptist University (CBU) men’s and women’s basketball teams made history by securing their spots in the NCAA Tournament, marking a significant milestone for the school. Both teams advanced to the Big Dance after winning their respective Western Athletic Conference (WAC) tournament championships on March 14. The men’s team, seeded No. 14, will face No. 3 Kansas in San Diego on March 20, while the women’s team, a 16th seed, will take on No. 1 UCLA in Los Angeles on March 21. The women’s victory was their second tournament appearance, though they faced UCLA two years ago in a 84-55 loss. CBU Vice President for Athletics Micah Parker expressed pride in the achievement, noting that the university is one of only six schools with both men’s and women’s teams winning their conference tournaments. The men’s team secured their spot with a dramatic 63-61 win over Utah Valley, where sharpshooter Dominique Daniels Jr. delivered a clutch performance. After trailing by six points with two minutes left, Daniels hit three consecutive 3-pointers, including a game-winning shot after a dramatic slip and recovery. The women’s team dominated Abilene Christian, 76-54, showcasing their depth and resilience. The men’s victory was particularly notable as a No. 14 seed has defeated a No. 3 seed 26 times in NCAA Tournament history, a feat with roughly a 15% chance of occurring. Daniels’ heroics extended his season averages to 23.2 points per game, earning him chants of “DAH-mi-NAY-tion” from the student section. His journey to this point was marked by injuries, but he credited CBU’s support for his recovery.#california_baptist_university #western_athletic_conference #micah_parker #dominique_daniels_jr #jarrod_olson
