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
