How an Underperforming Elmarko Jackson Sparked Kansas' Comeback Win

There have been some unexpected heroes for the Kansas Jayhawks since Darryn Peterson was sidelined with his injury, and last night against Tennessee, that hero was Elmarko Jackson.

To say the least, the redshirt sophomore had endured a rough start to the 2025-26 campaign. Through seven games, he was averaging just 2.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.0 assists on a dreadful 28.6% shooting from the field.

His minutes had even dropped to single digits in two of the previous three contests, despite being labeled the unofficial sixth man earlier this year by head coach Bill Self.

After missing the entire 2024-25 season due to a torn patellar tendon, many fans had lost faith in Jackson's ability to contribute. But on Wednesday, he reminded everyone why he was once a 5-star recruit and a McDonald's All-American, delivering perhaps the best performance of his Kansas career.

His first half looked similar to what he had shown all season, scoring only two points while missing several shot attempts. But midway through the second half, the switch flipped.

With the Jayhawks trailing by 12 points, Jackson sparked a solo 8-0 run, drilling a pair of threes and knocking down two free throws to pull KU within four. He scored 11 of his 17 points in an electric three-minute stretch that completely changed the momentum.

Elmarko Jackson. pic.twitter.com/45mMYNk32C
— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) November 27, 2025

He later converted an and-1 floater and sank the final free throws of the game to help Kansas secure the comeback victory. Jackson finished with a team and career-high 17 points, along with four rebounds, one assist, and one block on an efficient 4-for-7 shooting night (7-for-7 from the free throw line).

"It feels good," Jackson said about his performance. "Coach has just been harping on us to just keep playing no matter the circumstance. It’s just what we did. I’m just happy to have a group of guys around me that believe in me and trust me to make plays for themselves and me."

As Coach Self pointed out in his postgame press conference, Jackson went from ineffective in the first half to unstoppable after the break.

"He had about as bad a three-minute stretch the end of the first half as a guy can have,” Self said. “And he flipped it. To me, that shows some toughness."

Just a few days ago, Jackson was benched in favor of Jamari McDowell, a move many believed could be the final blow to his hopes of carving out a significant role this season. Now, Wednesday's performance should give fans newfound optimism.

Jackson proved that he still has plenty of untapped potential. If this game was the turning point he needed, Kansas may have just found another important contributor and a potential X-factor for this team.

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