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Bill Self reveals how playing without Darryn Peterson helped Kansas grow up
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- Bill Self reveals how playing without Darryn Peterson helped Kansas grow up
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Bill Self kept his impressive streak alive on Monday after leading Kansas past Houston, 69-56 , at Allen Fieldhouse.
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Self improved his record to 41-0 at home on Big Monday, underscoring the sheer dominance he has imposed at the famed venue since joining Kansas in 2003.
The No. 14 Jayhawks improved to 21-7, bouncing back from their embarrassing loss to Cincinnati on Saturday. They are 11-4 in the Big 12, tied with the No. 5 Cougars for second place.
While most of the talk about Kansas has been about Darryn Peterson, Self told ESPN that they are much better as a unit , with Florida Bidunga, Melvin Council Jr., Tre White, and Bryson Tiller also stepping up.
"I think our guys have gotten so much better since the start, and even playing without DP so much, I think in many ways, it has forced our other guys to grow up," said Self after beating Houston.
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The 63-year-old tactician also dropped a confident take, which should serve as a stern warning to the rest of the field heading into the NCAA Tournament.
"Our ceiling is still well in front of us. There are a lot of great teams out there playing really well. They can still improve and get better, but I think we got a big gap," added Self, who has guided Kansas to two national titles.
Many are predicting the 19-year-old Peterson to be the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NBA draft, but there have been concerns about his health, having already missed 11 games due to injuries and illnesses.
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While it has not been ideal, Self has never wavered in his belief in the dynamic guard, although he admitted that he wants Peterson, who had 14 points and four rebounds against Houston, to be more available.
Peterson is averaging 19.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals.
Kansas will meet No. 2 Arizona on Saturday.
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