KU basketball upsets No. 1 Arizona without Darryn Peterson. Here are 3 takeaways

Shreyas Laddha, The Kansas City Star on Feb 10, 2026

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It’s hard to fathom what happened Monday night in Allen Fieldhouse.

That’s become a theme for this Kansas men’s basketball team.

This squad doesn’t care if they’re the underdogs, they just find a way to win. The Jayhawks didn’t even have star freshman Darryn Peterson against undefeated and No. 1 Arizona in a game they were underdogs for at home.

Somehow, it didn’t matter.

The Jayhawks played their best game of the season. The Wildcats (23-1, 10-1 Big 12) are undefeated no more.

No. 9 Kansas upset No. 1 Arizona 82-78. The Jayhawks (19-5, 9-2 Big 12) have won eight straight games overall.

The postgame celebration was deserving of the big stage. Big man Flory Bidunga raised his hands in victory and basked in the cheers from a raucous crowd. Coach Bill Self hugged Bidunga and point guard Melvin Council Jr. Self gave a double fist pump to the crowd.

The Jayhawks learned shortly before the game, Self said, that Peterson would be out due to flu-like symptoms. It was his 11th missed contest, with guard Jamari McDowell starting in his place.

McDowell more than rose to the occasion, with 10 points, six rebounds and four steals. Bidunga was the star, scoring 23 points with 10 rebounds and three blocks. Council added 23 points, six rebounds and six assists. Bryson Tiller broke out for 18 points and eight rebounds.

The Jayhawks trailed for more than 28 minutes, but they stormed back to take the lead late, then clung to a narrow advantage with both teams visibly exhausted down the stretch.

KU’s lead was down to four, 75-71, with 1:35 left. The Wildcats missed a shot, and Council scored at the other end to give the Jayhawks a six-point lead.

But it wasn’t over.

Arizona’s Jaden Bradley hit a jumper to cut KU’s lead to four. KU turned the ball over, and Brayden Burries drilled a 3-pointer with 33 seconds left. The lead was down to one, 77-76.

The Jayhawks made the winning plays from there.

Council made two free throws, then Bidunga guarded Burries on a mismatch and rejected his shot at the rim. Council hit another free throw for the all-important two-possession lead.

Arizona scored again, but KU’s Tre White clinched the game by making two more free throws.

Up next for KU: The Jayhawks travel to Ames, Iowa, to play No. 5 Iowa State on Saturday.

Until then, here are three takeaways from Monday’s game.

Jamari McDowell played a huge role

With Peterson out, the Jayhawks desperately needed a player— or two — to step up and replace his 20 points per game.

His replacement, McDowell, answered the call. It was perhaps the best game of McDowell’s KU career. He made his presence felt from tipoff. He scored timely buckets when Kansas needed it and had active hands on defense.

He had 10 points with four rebounds and three steals ... in the first half alone.

Even with a quiet second half, McDowell scrapped for loose balls and helped give the Jayhawks a fighting chance.

He was aided by Tiller, Council and Bidunga, with all four players playing 30-plus minutes. Council logged a full 40 minutes. McDowell played 35.

KU played with intense effort

With the last-minute scratch of Peterson, many figured the Jayhawks might be on blowout watch against No. 1 Arizona. The betting line moved several points in that direction pregame.

Arizona led by as many as seven points in the first half and 11 early in the second. KU didn’t lead until the 9:32 mark of the second half.

But the Jayhawks never stopped scrapping. From diving on the floor for lose balls to getting key contributions from role players like McDowell and Tiller, it was a total team effort.

Four Jayhawks scored in double-figures. All five starters had at least five rebounds. Five players had at least one steal. Five players had at least one block.

Even without their star, the Jayhawks played their most complete game of the season.

Arizona tested KU’s defense — and the Jayhawks responded

KU’s defense had been a major contributor to the team’s seven-game win streak entering Monday. But this matchup was always going to be a huge test.

Arizona entered the day with KenPom’s No. 5 offense. Arizona also ranked second nationally in paint points per game, just shy of 46.

That matchup hurt the Jayhawks early. Arizona got into the paint at will, finishing the game with 42 paint points. Bidunga, who’s had an excellent last few weeks on defense — Self even called him the “best defender in America” — wasn’t able to deter the Wildcats.

But then came the second half, and the Jayhawks reached another level. At one point, they held the Wildcats scoreless for more than four minutes of game time.

That defense, along with Bidunga’s array of post moves and dunks inside, sparked the comeback. Arizona shot only 37.1% in the second half after shooting 51.4% in the first frame.

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