No. 19 Kansas Beats Kansas State 86-62 Without Peterson

MANHATTAN, Kan. No. 19 Kansas overcame the absence of leading scorer Darryn Peterson to defeat rival Kansas State 86-62 on Saturday night at Bramlage Coliseum, snapping a three-game losing streak in the venue and extending its winning streak to four games.

The Jayhawks, who entered the matchup on a three-game run, built a slim 37-35 halftime lead before dominating the second half with a 49-27 scoring edge. Kansas closed the game on a decisive 27-7 spurt, fueled by strong defense that limited the Wildcats to 34.4 percent shooting from the field on 21-for-61 attempts. The victory marked the return of coach Bill Self, who had missed the previous game due to a health-related issue.

Peterson, a standout freshman averaging high points after overcoming earlier cramping problems, sat out with an ankle sprain sustained in Tuesday's win over Colorado. Kansas State also played shorthanded, missing guard Abdi Bashir after foot surgery, along with forwards Khamari McGriff and Mobi Ikegwuruka, and guard Elias Rapieque, all due to injuries.

Flory Bidunga led Kansas with 21 points on 10-of-13 shooting, adding 10 rebounds and three blocks in a dominant performance. The sophomore center showcased...