When Darryn Peterson arrived at Kansas, he was expected to be a nightmare for opponents. After all, he was one of the best offensive weapons in his recruiting class. But things haven’t gone as planned. He has now missed the last six games with a hamstring issue.

And getting him back is the need of the hour as Kansas prepares to face the UConn Huskies. Peterson’s return could make Kansas significantly stronger on offense. But the real question is—will he be back in time?

Is Darryn Peterson playing against UConn?

Peterson has played only two games this season. And that number will stay the same for at least one more night. At the beginning of the season, he was limited by what was first called cramping. Later, doctors diagnosed it as a hamstring strain.

So far, Peterson had already missed Kansas’ impressive three-game run at the Players Era in Las Vegas. Still, there was optimism that he would be available for the game against Dan Hurley and his fifth-ranked Huskies at Allen Fieldhouse. Even Bill Self added to that hope, saying Peterson had been practicing and “looking good.”

However, Self also made it clear that his return depended on how Peterson felt physically. And it seems he still isn’t back to 100 percent. That’s why he has been ruled out for another game. Right now, he’s listed as day-to-day, and the team hasn’t provided a return timeline.

It’s undeniably a loss for Kansas. In the two games he did play, Peterson looked phenomenal, averaging 21.5 points on 50 percent shooting. He was efficient across all three areas on the floor: 60 percent from the field, 50 percent from three, and 77.8 percent from the free-throw line. But his biggest weapon was his controlled speed. He changes pace, shifts direction, and explodes again before defenders can react.

That kind of aggression consistently gets him two feet in the paint. So, having him available would absolutely boost Kansas’ chances of winning. But his health remains the top priority.

What Would Kansas Do Without Peterson?

Peterson’s absence has been a learning curve for Kansas. Without him, the team has relied on the rest of the roster to generate offense. 

As Bill Self explained it during his weekly news conference, “He’s a scoring threat when he has the ball… All of our guys have done great, so I’m not going to take away from how hard they’ve tried. We’ve had guys step up…..It could be a blessing. We’ve forced other guys to be aggressive, and when he comes back, we may be more apt to play off him from an aggressive standpoint instead of passing and watching him make plays.”

And yes, during Peterson’s absence, guards Elmarko Jackson and Jamari McDowell have stepped up. Forwards Flory Bidunga and Bryson Tiller have also increased their production. Together, they are all helping the Jayhawks reach a 6–2 record. The team has leaned more on its defense.

They even managed to beat Notre Dame last week by locking in on that end. Coming off a disappointing 2024–25 season, where it was eliminated in the first round of the NCAA tournament, the Kansas team has responded encouragingly. So the roster has adapted. And once Peterson returns, they’ll become more efficient on both ends of the floor. But until that happens, the rest of the roster will continue carrying the load.