Houston Vs Kansas — Kansas rebounds to stun No. 5 Houston, 69-56
In a Monday-night showdown that framed the houston vs kansas storyline this week, No. 14 Kansas pulled away in the second half for a 69-56 victory over No. 5 Houston in Lawrence, Kan., handing the Cougars their third straight loss.
Tre White’s season-high sparks second-half pullaway
Tre White scored a season-high 23 points as Kansas closed the game strong. The Jayhawks used a 12-0 run early in the second half to turn a two-point lead into a 49-35 advantage at the under-12 timeout, and the margin later stretched to 20 before Houston mounted a 7-0 response. Houston never got closer than 10 for the remainder of the game.
Houston Vs Kansas: box score and team lines
Kansas improved to 21-7, 11-4 in Big 12 play; Houston fell to 23-5, 11-4. Bryson Tiller finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks for the Jayhawks, while Melvin Council Jr. added 11 points, six rebounds and four assists. For Houston, Kingston Flemings scored 16 on 6-of-18 shooting. The Cougars shot 32% from the field and went 5 of 24 (21%) from beyond the arc.
Darryn Peterson answers questions on and off the court
Freshman Darryn Peterson contributed 14 points on 5-of-14 shooting in 30 minutes, with four rebounds, an assist and two turnovers. Peterson’s availability has been a recurring topic this season after missed time with cramps, a hamstring strain, an ankle sprain and flu-like symptoms, and after games in which he has sometimes left in the first half and not returned. Kansas coach Bill Self had defended Peterson this season and delivered a message last week intended to silence the doubters; Peterson has since produced in back-to-back games.
Peterson pushes back after a coach’s comment
After the win, Peterson challenged a line from Houston coach Kelvin Sampson that “Kansas is one of those teams that you just never know, but they’re pretty good. ” Standing in the Allen Fieldhouse media room, Peterson asked, “What do you mean by Kansas ‘never know’?” and later said, “Dang. I don’t like that. ” The exchange followed a night in which Peterson said he still prepares intensely: he has logged onto a Zoom with trainer Phil Beckner the night before every game to game-plan how opponents will guard him, and lately has done so while hooked up to an IV to receive fluids to try to prevent cramps.
How the game unfolded in Allen Fieldhouse
Kansas missed nine of its first 10 shots and went 8: 28 without a field goal before closing the first half on an 11-0 run to take a 31-27 lead into the break. The Jayhawks’ second-half run turned a tight contest into a decisive advantage, and the Cougars were unable to chip away enough despite the late spur. The result dropped Houston to its third straight defeat, all coming against top-15 opponents; Houston hadn’t lost three straight games since January 2017.
Where this leaves Kansas’ recent form and streaks
Kansas fell six spots in this week’s Top 25 poll after an 84-68 home loss Saturday to unranked Cincinnati, but the Jayhawks also remain historically strong at Allen Fieldhouse: they have been 52-1 on ’s Big Monday there, including 41-0 under coach Bill Self. Two weeks earlier, Kansas defeated top-ranked Arizona at The Phog.
Darryn Peterson and Tre White celebrated together on the court after the Jayhawks toppled Houston Monday night. Ed Zurga / Getty Images
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