Three Takeaways From Kansas Basketball's Bounce-Back Win Over Missouri

Kansas got back on the right side of history in the Border Showdown with a win on Sunday afternoon to avenge the Jayhawks' loss in Columbia last year.

While the first 15 minutes or so weren't too pretty, KU pulled away at the end of the first half and never looked back. It led by as many as 20 points and eventually defeated the Tigers 80-60.

This was the first game back for star freshman Darryn Peterson, who had missed the previous seven games up to that point. It was a much-needed victory after Tuesday's defeat to UConn and made KU 7-3 on the year. Here are three of our takeaways from the contest.

Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) dunks the ball during the first half against the Missouri Tigers at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

3. Flory Bidunga Must Get More Involved

While Bidunga finished with a modest stat line of 10 points and 11 rebounds, he only scored four points in the first half and looked overmatched.

The Tigers had 8 offensive rebounds at the break, largely due to poor positioning by Bidunga and Bryson Tiller. Last game against UConn, Bidunga did not show up offensively, and head coach Bill Self has said in the past that Bidunga needs to be this team's second scoring option for Kansas to be at its best.

Performances like this will not fly against more competitive opponents, as Missouri's big men weren't necessarily game changers.

2. Darryn Peterson Had to Shake Off Rust

In Peterson's first game back, he had a lot of good looks and didn't force most of his shots, but he only finished 6-for-14 from the field. This isn't a bad shooting line by any means, though he missed a few shots that you would expect him to make, or at least come closer on.

He only had one assist and clearly was affected a bit by his hamstring as he settled for jumpers rather than driving and looking to draw fouls. This will change over time, but it was clear that Peterson had to shake off some rust.

Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) shoots against Missouri Tigers forward Nicholas Randall (24) during the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

1. Elite Defensive Effort

The only reason KU stayed in it in the first half was due to its superb defense. The Jayhawks forced 10 turnovers and held Missouri to 21-for-61 shooting (34.4%).

Even with Peterson back on the court, KU was excellent on the defensive end. That answers the question of whether the Jayhawks would still be elite defensively after his return.

It isn't surprising that the Jayhawks are ranked eighth in the country in defense. The bigger question is whether they can unlock a better offense once Peterson gets going.