Darryn Peterson dominates as Kansas wins exhibition vs. Louisville: 3 takeaways
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas beat Louisville 90-82 in an exhibition as Darryn Peterson scored 26.
- Kansas limited Louisville to 31% shooting and led 46-30 at halftime to control tempo.
- Freshman Peterson emergence and Bidunga interior play raise excitement for Kansas' 2025.
It’s unknown how good the Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team will be this season, but one thing is certain:
The 2025-26 KU squad will not be boring to watch.
Freshman phenom Darryn Peterson is already providing a breath of fresh air on the heels of the Jayhawks’ hard-to-digest 2024-25 campaign. On Friday night, No. 19-ranked KU defeated No. 11 Louisville 90-82 in an exhibition matchup at the Yum Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
Peterson led the way, scoring 26 points — 24 before halftime — and grabbing four rebounds. KU big man Flory Bidunga added 14 points and six rebounds before fouling out.
The Jayhawks started the game on a 9-0 run, but the Cardinals stormed back with a 12-0 run of their own. From there, it was back-and-forth until Kansas started to pull away.
The Jayhawks led 46-30 at halftime. KU held Louisville to 31% shooting from the field and the score didn't get much closer than that the rest of the way.
Up next: KU plays its second and final exhibition matchup against Fort Hays State on Tuesday at Allen Fieldhouse.
Until then, here are three takeaways from Friday’s game:
Darryn Peterson is special
Kansas coach Bill Self recently called Peterson an “18-year-old that plays like a 25-year-old.”
Well, Self seems to be correct. Peterson looks ready for the NBA today.
He played even better than expected against Louisville. He was in complete control from the start of the game. He made it look easy and outscored former prep rival Mikel Brown 24-2 in the first half.
The effortless nature of Peterson’s game Friday was reminiscent of NBA superstar Kevin Durant’s lone season at Texas. By halftime he’d shot 6-for-9 (66%) from 3-point range.
He had a much quieter second half, making just one shot in four attempts. But he still shot 9-for-15 from the field overall in his first (preseason) game as a collegian.
Shooting remains a concern
Heading into the season, one of the biggest questions about this KU team was where exactly the shooting would come from.
On paper, Peterson and Kohl Rosario are good shooters. Peterson delivered on Friday, going 6-for-10 (60%) on 3-pointers. Rosario, however, didn’t make a 3-pointer in three attempts. That’s not anything to worry about, as the freshman looked nervous.
But here’s where it gets interesting: Just one player on this season’s Jayhawks roster shot better than 33% last season — Jayden Dawson (36.3%).
If you take away Peterson’s shots Friday, the Jayhawks were an abysmal 2-for-11 (18%) from deep. That led to a couple of scoring lulls, especially in the first half. KU attempted just four 3-pointers in the second half, making one.
KU desperately needs consistent shooting around Peterson; the alternative places immense pressure on the freshman.
KU’s defense swarms the Cardinals
The Jayhawks put on a defensive clinic against Louisville. KU’s athleticism and size were on full display.
Kansas did an excellent job of pressuring the opposing ball-handlers, getting into shooters’ faces and making life miserable in general for the Cardinals.
The Jayhawks did an excellent job of getting back in transition, limiting Louisville’s fast-break opportunities. The visiting team also forced Louisville to take plenty of bad shots.
By night’s end, the Cardinals had shot a poor 21-for-63 (33.3%) from the field — 11-for-38 ( 28.9%) from 3-point range. And Louisville turned it over 20 times. KU coach Bill Self will like that stat.
This story was originally published October 24, 2025 at 9:24 PM with the headline "Darryn Peterson dominates as Kansas wins exhibition vs. Louisville: 3 takeaways."
