ORLANDO –Darryn Peterson scored a game-high 26 points and Melvin Council Jr., added 20, but No. 17 Kansas fell to UCF, 81-75, Saturday afternoon at Addition Financial Arena in both teams’ conference openers.
The Jayhawks fell to 10-4 on the season and 0-1 in Big 12 Conference play, while the Knights improved to 12-1 and 1-0 the league.
Peterson, playing his first game for the Jayhawks since December at North Carolina State, scored 23 points in the first half, before finishing with 26 in just under 23 minutes. The freshman was 8-for-17 from the floor and added six rebounds as well. While Peterson did much of his damage in the first half, Council went to work in the second, scoring all 20 of his points in the second frame, going 8-for-10 from the floor in the half.
The game was a back-and-forth affair for nearly all 40 minutes and went down to the wire. The Jayhawks, who trailed by nine with less than five minutes left, came all the way back and tied the game at 70 apiece with just more than three minutes left when Council hit a layup. After a UCF bucket, Council scored again to knot the game at 72 with 1:16 left in the contest.
UCF’s Jordan Burks hit a 3-pointer and then Themus Fulks hit one of two free throws to go up four. Tre White was then fouled on a 3-point attempt the next time down and hit all three of his free throws to get it to a one-point game at 76-75. But Riley Kugel hit a layup, was fouled and converted his free throw for a three-point play to make it 79-75 and ice the game.
White finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Flory Bidunga finished with eight points and nine rebounds.
Kansas will play next on Tuesday back at home at Allen Fieldhouse against TCU. Tip is scheduled for 8 p.m., CT on ESPN.
