Kansas recently saw its impressive eight-game winning streak halted following a 74-56 loss to No. 5 Iowa State on Saturday. Currently, KU trails Big 12 frontrunners Arizona and Houston by a single loss in the conference standings. Meanwhile, Oklahoma State is aiming to break a three-game skid, having most recently suffered a 95-92 overtime defeat to TCU on February 14. OSU holds a strong 13-3 home record this season.
Historically, Kansas holds a significant advantage over Oklahoma State with a 127-60 all-time series lead. The Jayhawks have also emerged victorious in their last eight encounters, which includes the previous three games played in Stillwater.
Under the guidance of coach Bill Self (since the 2003-04 season), Kansas boasts an outstanding 137-24 (85.1%) record in games immediately following a loss, a trend that includes a perfect 5-0 mark this season.
Kansas is positioned at No. 14 in the NET rankings, placing them fourth within the Big 12. Their total of seven Quad 1 (Q1) victories ties them with Houston and Texas Tech for the second-highest tally in the conference and fifth nationally, behind Arizona’s nine Q1 wins. Furthermore, KU’s strength of schedule ranks second overall, surpassed only by Auburn.
The Jayhawks maintain an average of 77.1 points per game, enjoying a positive scoring differential of 9.1 points. On the boards, KU collects 38.8 rebounds per contest, contributing to a plus-3.0 rebounding margin.
Kansas averages 14.7 assists, 5.4 steals, and 6.1 blocked shots each game. The team leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense at 38.5%, which is also fifth nationally, and in three-point field goal percentage defense at 29.9%, ranking 22nd nationally. Their 6.1 blocks per game also lead the Big 12 and stand as the third-best mark nationwide.
Freshman guard Darryn Peterson, who has been recognized on the Wooden Award Late Midseason Watch List (one of 20 players) and the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Midseason Top 10, is Kansas’s leading scorer with a 19.8 point per game average. He has notched six games with 20 or more points and has sunk a team-best 38 three-pointers across 14 appearances this season.
Sophomore center Flory Bidunga has recently garnered attention, being named to both the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year top 10. Bidunga contributes 14.8 points per game and paces KU with 9.1 rebounds per outing. He has recorded a double-double in each of his last three games, bringing his season total to 10. Named Big 12 Player of the Week on Feb. 9, Bidunga is the Big 12 leader in blocked shots with 70 (fourth nationally), averages 2.8 blocks per game (second nationally), and holds a 67.0 field goal percentage (fifth nationally). With averages of 14.8 ppg, 9.1 rpg, and 2.8 bpg, Bidunga stands as the sole player in NCAA Division I to surpass 14.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocked shots per game.
Senior guard Melvin Council Jr. is posting 15.4 points per game in conference play and 14.1 points per contest overall. He leads the Jayhawks with 127 assists and 22 steals. Council also ranks third in the Big 12 and 22nd nationally with an impressive 3.10 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Senior guard Tre White has compiled five double-doubles this season and is the team’s next top scorer at 13.7 points per contest. White is second on the squad with 37 made three-pointers and leads KU in both free throws made (99) and free throw percentage (86.1%), which places him second in the Big 12.
Redshirt-freshman forward Bryson Tiller (9.0 ppg) delivered 18 points and eight rebounds against Arizona (2/9) and achieved a career-high 21 points along with seven rebounds and three threes versus BYU (1/31). Tiller is second on the team with 35 blocked shots and grabs 6.0 rebounds per game, having started KU’s last 22 games.
Redshirt-sophomore guard Elmarko Jackson (4.8 ppg) has accumulated 19 steals. Redshirt-sophomore guard Jamari McDowell (3.9 ppg, 24 threes) has been in the starting lineup for seven games. Freshman Kohl Rosario (3.5 ppg) has connected on 13 three-pointers this season, while senior guard Jayden Dawson (2.1 ppg) has made nine.
UP NEXT
Kansas will return to its home court for a pair of games, beginning with Cincinnati on Saturday, February 21. The game from Allen Fieldhouse is scheduled for a 12 p.m. CT tip-off and will be televised on CBS.
Cincinnati holds a 6-4 advantage in the all-time series against Kansas. However, since joining the Big 12, Kansas leads 2-1, including a 54-50 road victory at Cincinnati on January 11, 2025, in their most recent matchup. This storied series dates back to 1949.