Overview
- Peterson returned from recent leg issues to post 26 points and six rebounds, with 23 coming before halftime.
- He exited for good with 10:55 remaining after about 23 minutes as his legs began bothering him under a precautionary plan.
- Bill Self said the target was roughly 24 minutes and wondered whether fewer first‑half minutes might have preserved him for the second half.
- After Peterson left, Kansas scored only three points over the next six minutes, fell behind by nine, rallied to tie, then lost 81-75 at UCF.
- The top draft prospect has missed seven games with a November hamstring injury and two more with cramps, totaling five appearances and 127 minutes this season.