Three Observations From Kansas’ Season-Ending Loss to St. John’s

Kansas' season came to a close on Sunday when Dylan Darling walked the Jayhawks off with a layup that fans will remember for years to come. Bill Self's group was unable to get it done even after a second-half rally all the way back from a 14-point deficit.

Although this was one of the more frustrating KU teams in recent memory, it does not take away from how painful the loss was. Losing in the tournament, let alone in walk-off fashion, is never a good feeling as a fan.

With the season now over, it's time to reflect on what went right and what went wrong in this game. Here are three of our instant observations from the contest.

Mar 22, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks center Paul Mbiya (34) shoots against St. John's Red Storm guard Joson Sanon (3) and St. John's Red Storm forward Zuby Ejiofor (24) in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

3. St. John’s Outhustled and Outmuscled the Jayhawks Down Low

Going into this game, it was well known that rebounding and paint play would be key factors in this contest. Although the Jayhawks wound up out-rebounding St. John's 44 to 36, they were bullied in the paint for the first 30 or so minutes of the game.

Aside from the offense being absolutely abysmal in the first half, KU could not guard Zuby Ejiofor or Dillon Mitchell down low. They grabbed nine offensive rebounds in the first 20 minutes, leading to easy second-chance buckets for the Johnnies.

2. Darryn Peterson’s Supporting Cast Was Highly Ineffective

Darryn Peterson may have shot 5-for-15 from the field, but anyone who watched the game knows that he was the only player creating anything on offense. For the better part of 30 minutes, Peterson was being hounded by every St. John's defender, and if he passed it to one of his teammates, they couldn't create their own shot.

Although Flory Bidunga and Kohl Rosario helped him out for a short stint in the second half, it was another ugly performance from Peterson's supporting cast. It took over 70 minutes of March Madness play for a Jayhawk not named Peterson to hit a 3-pointer, as he had made all six of them until midway through the second half.

As it has been the narrative for much of the year, Peterson was a one-man band and couldn't do enough to lead his team to victory single-handedly. He certainly did his best, but even with his four blocks and game-high 21 points, his supporting cast simply didn't do enough on either end to keep the team in it for most of the game.

1. Bill Self Did Not Have His Team Prepared for the Opponent

After watching the Jayhawks scramble against St. John's full-court press in the first few minutes, it was clear that Kansas was not ready going into this game. The coaches either didn't have the players watch enough film, or they were lackadaisical and didn't adjust to their opponent.

Countless times, the Jayhawks turned the ball over inexplicably and folded under pressure on inbounds passes. Yes, we're looking at you, Tre White, who had to be relieved of his inbounding duties after a stretch of rough turnovers.

At the beginning of the game, St. John's forward Bryce Hawkins had a hot hand from beyond the arc. All 18 of his points came from 3-point range today, yet Coach Self continued to have Bryson Tiller give him multiple feet of space whenever he looked to shoot. After he hit his first few, adjustments should have been made, but they weren't, and it ultimately dug the Jayhawks into a deficit that was too deep to overcome.

We're not saying it was a coaching masterclass by either sideline, given that Rick Pitino nearly had one of the biggest chokes of his career. Still, the team came out flat and lacked energy, which is something that ultimately falls on the coaching staff.