Kansas vs Kansas State: Darryn Peterson Ruled Out for Sunflower Showdown

The Kansas Jayhawks will be without their big star for today’s Sunflower Showdown.

Head coach Bill Self confirmed earlier today that Darryn Peterson would not be suiting up when KU tips off against Kansas State tonight inside Bramlage Coliseum. Peterson injured his ankle in the win over Colorado earlier this week and was ruled unable to go after testing it during today’s shootaround.

This will be the 10th game Peterson has missed this season due to injury. He’s battled nagging hamstring and quad injuries throughout the year and has now added an ankle injury to the list.

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The Jayhawks are 7-2 in games that Peterson has missed this year, with the two losses coming against top ranked Duke and UConn.

Peterson averages 21.6 points per game (ppg) this year, and when he’s been available KU averages nearly 84 points per game. But without him, the Jayhawks’ offensive performance has dropped to 72.2 points per game.

Jamari McDowell is expected to slide into the starting five in Peterson’s absence tonight. He averages 4.1 points and 1.5 assists per game this season while shooting 42.6% from the field. However, in games that Peterson has missed, McDowell is averaging 7.4 points and 2.0 assists per game in an average of 24.1 minutes of playing time.

KU’s chances

Despite the major absence of Peterson, KU still has the major talent edge – particularly down low with Flory Bidunga – and should be expected to win this game tonight.

The Wildcats have been dreadful this year. They’re 10-9 overall and 1-5 in Big 12 play, with the single win coming earlier this week in a narrow 81-78 victory over last-place Utah at home.

K-State owns zero Quad 1 or Quad 2 wins thus far, and their best win of the season was a road win over a mediocre Creighton team in mid-December.

The Wildcats will also be without one of their top scorers in Abdi Bashir (13.2 ppg) who had surgery this week to repair a stress fracture in his foot. And they may also be without starter Khamari McGriff who averages 10.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game this season.

Simply put, this is a must-win for KU. If the Jayhawks have any hopes of competing for a Big 12 title this year or seriously competing in the NCAA Tournament come March, they have to win these types of games.

Tipoff in Manhattan is set for 7 p.m. CT with the game airing live on FOX.