Darryn Peterson delivers but Kansas Jayhawks’ defense falters at UNC Tar Heels

For one half of Friday night’s men’s basketball game against the North Carolina Tar Heels inside the Dean Smith Center, Bill Self’s Kansas Jayhawks played the sort of defense that would make any head coach proud.

The second half in Chapel Hill, North Carolina? Well, let’s just say Self’s voice might be hoarse after the Jayhawks review the film from this one.

The best word to describe KU’s second-half defense might be lazy. The Jayhawks were a step slow in rotations, didn’t get back on fast breaks and let UNC put up too many open shots.

All of that was reflected in the final score: No. 25 UNC defeated No. 19 KU 87-74, with the Tar Heels breaking a five-game losing streak against the Jayhawks (1-1).

In Kansas’ first game at UNC, freshman point guard Darryn Peterson scored 22 points and grabbed three rebounds. But just two other KU players recorded double-digit points: Tre White with 10 and Bryson Tiller with 12.

KU’s starting lineup for this blueblood hoops battle was Peterson, Kohl Rosario, Melvin Council Jr., White and Flory Bidunga.

The Jayhawks led 37-29 at halftime. KU’s defense held UNC to 33% shooting from the floor in the first half.

But it was all Tar Heels in the second half. UNC outscored Kansas 58-37 after the midpoint intermission.

Up next: KU plays host to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Tuesday at Allen Fieldhouse.

Until then, here are three takeaways from Friday’s game:

KU’s defense falls apart

It’s not often you see a Self-coached squad look as bad defensively as Kansas did in Friday’s second half.

KU’s defense was suffocating in the first half, limiting UNC to just 33% shooting from the floor. It was the exact opposite in the second, however: KU’s effort in limiting transition points and open shots was lackadaisical at best.

The Jayhawks’ calling card this season will be its defense, but it didn’t look that way in the final 20 minutes of game time in Chapel Hill.

UNC shot a blistering 66.7% from the floor, including 41.7% on 3-pointers, in the second half. From a KU perspective, the Heels got too many open looks in the paint (finishing with 36 paint points).

Battle of the freshmen didn’t disappoint

Ample hype preceded the matchup between Peterson and UNC freshman guard Caleb Wilson.

It did not take long to see why both are projected NBA lottery picks for the 2026 draft. It’s apparent that each is special.

Any time either young man touched the ball, it was hard to take your eyes off him. And there seemed to be some healthy rivalry at play all evening — when one of them did something well, the other would respond on the other end.

Peterson and Wilson stuffed the stat sheet. Wilson finished with 24 points, seven rebounds and four assists; Peterson had 22 points, three rebounds and three assists.

For at least one night, these two members of the “greatest freshman class ever” sure looked the part.

Bryson Tiller looks good early

Over the summer, KU freshman big man Bryson Tiller used one word to describe his game at its best: dominance.

In the first half, that term applied. KU needed it, too — needed a player not named Peterson to carry some of the scoring load.

The freshman Tiller was unconscious from deep, going a perfect 4-for-4 in the first half. Tiller, Peterson and White accounted for KU’s six made 3-pointers before halftime.

Tiller, who finished with 12 first-half points, didn’t make as much of an impact in the second half. He picked up his fourth foul with just under 14 minutes to play and fouled out with about 10 minutes left.

And KU missed his scoring prowess in the second half.

This story was originally published November 7, 2025 at 8:35 PM.

Shreyas Laddha

The Kansas City Star

Shreyas Laddha covers KU hoops and football for The Star. He’s a Georgia native and graduated from the University of Georgia.