Kansas vs K-State: Darryn Peterson’s Status in the Air for Sunflower Showdown

As if Kansas basketball fans had not already endured enough with Darryn Peterson's injury saga over the first few months of the season, his health concerns have now extended to a new ailment. Peterson suffered a severe ankle turn on Tuesday against Colorado, which clearly limited his mobility for the remainder of the game.

On Thursday, head coach Bill Self spoke with the media ahead of this weekend's Sunflower Showdown. At the moment, there is no definitive answer on whether Peterson will play.

"I don't know yet," Self said regarding whether DP would play. "He's getting treatment. He's got a pretty severe ankle sprain, but fortunately that's all it is, a sprain. So hopefully he will be able to go and play, but we are not at a point where we can make decision on that yet."

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A vague response like this leaves Jayhawk fans with plenty of unanswered questions. The Ohio native has appeared in all six conference games so far, and it would be a disappointment if he were unable to suit up for the Sunflower Showdown as KU looks to snap its three-game losing streak at Bramlage Coliseum.

Following Tuesday's contest, acting head coach Jacque Vaughn addressed Peterson's injury, saying he sprained it pretty badly but praising him for finishing the game.

"Yeah, he did [sprain it], but not to the extent where he didn't finish the game, which was great. So, he showed a lot of resilience in being out there and finishing with our group. It's good to see."

Self also referenced the ankle turn on Wednesday at his media presser, noting that 'he's going to have to learn to deal with that.' That phrasing suggests this could be an issue that lingers, but many players have competed through ankle sprains before.

It is also clear that Peterson is not going to risk his long-term health if he is not close to 100%, as evidenced by his frequent substitutions late in games. Kansas' best-case scenario is having Peterson available for at least 20 or so minutes to give the offense a much-needed boost and allow the supporting cast to close things out.

Kansas State is far from an impressive team this season, ranking No. 84 on KenPom and opening conference play with a 1-5 record. However, given KU's recent struggles in the Little Apple, Peterson's contributions could be crucial if this game follows a similar script.