The UConn Huskies have been phenomenal to start the season. They’ve posted a 6–1 record so far, including wins over Illinois and BYU. Now, they’re hungrier than ever to take down their next opponent, the Kansas Jayhawks. But it won’t be easy. Not just because the Jayhawks are tough competitors, but because they’ve got an incoming threat the Huskies weren’t hoping to see!

According to the latest insider update, Darryn Peterson is returning. As Jordan Allen put it best: “I was told Darryn Peterson is likely returning vs. UConn on Dec. 2, per source. Peterson has been sidelined with a hamstring injury which has kept him out for the past six games.”

Well, the Kansas freshman guard is in contention for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. But he has missed the last six games with a hamstring issue. But as per the latest update by head coach Bill Self, he was scheduled for an evaluation last Friday. And it looks like he’s good to go for the big matchup against UConn. 

Not really great news for Dan Hurley and his squad, though.

Before going down with the injury, Peterson was averaging 21.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 steals in the two games he suited up for. Not only that, he added efficient shooting across the board with 60% from the field, 50% from three, and 77.8% from the free-throw line.

Well, what makes him a real threat is his controlled speed. He changes pace, shifts direction, and then explodes again. That level of aggressiveness consistently gets him two feet in the paint. His rim pressure not only generates free-throw attempts but also forces defensive rotations. So overall, he’s an offensive threat who makes the game much harder for the Huskies. 

Without him, Kansas leans heavily on the rest of the roster to create offense. So they were playing a defensive game. But with Peterson returning, the Jayhawks become efficient on both ends of the floor. Not to forget that the Jayhawks have only improved their other pieces in Peterson’s absence. 

The Jayhawks only fell to Duke, had three strong wins, including a Tennessee team that had been unbeaten. Head coach Bill Self further said how this stretch pushed the team forward and that the Jayhawks would be even stronger once Peterson eventually returned.

With Peterson out, a bunch of guys had to carry more weight, and several of them really answered the call. Flory Bidunga took on the role of the go-to scorer, while Tre White finally had room to show what he can actually do when he’s creating with the ball, including a quiet but impressive knack for getting himself to the foul line.

In the third game of the tournament against Tennessee, Elmarko Jackson, who had been battling a tough stretch, suddenly caught fire. He dropped 15 points after the break and ended up steering KU’s comeback. So, just about everyone on the team has revealed something new, giving the Jayhawks flashes of potential that weren’t showing up earlier.

Who’s got the edge historically?

Kansas is 4–0 against UConn all-time. Their most recent meeting came in the 2023–24 season when the Jayhawks hosted the No. 1 team in the country at Allen Fieldhouse. There, the Jayhawks pulled off a 69–65 win. However, the most notable game between the two came in the 2016 NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32, where Kansas defeated UConn 73–61.

So, the upcoming game gives Dan Hurley a real chance to flip the script and finally secure a win. After all, UConn is off to a strong start this season. 

UConn comes into the matchup ranked No. 5 in the country. They’ve taken down BYU and, most recently, Illinois, and their only loss so far has been to Arizona, the No. 2 team in the nation.

Solo Ball, one of their main scoring options last season, is having a strong start to 2025–26 with averages of 14.3 points and 3.7 rebounds. They also brought back redshirt senior Alex Karaban, who was a key starter on both of their national championship squads and still plays a major role for them.

Running the offense now is Georgia transfer Silas Demary Jr., while freshman center Eric Reibe has made an immediate impression in the frontcourt. On top of that, UConn just got its leading scorer, Tarris Reed Jr., back in the lineup against Illinois after he missed three games because of an injury. Freshman guard Braylon Mullin is also back after dealing with an ankle injury.

With all of that talent and continuity, the Huskies were expected to be one of the best teams in the country from the very start, and they were ranked well ahead of Kansas in the preseason.

Kansas boosted confidence in Lawrence with their three wins at the Players Era Festival, but they still haven’t faced a team on UConn’s level. Playing at Allen Fieldhouse, though, will give KU a massive lift, as it’s one of the toughest environments in college basketball.

Right now, ESPN is favoring Kansas over UConn, with the former having a 52.7% chance of taking it home.