LAWRENCE, Kan. — Bill Self stood at the free-throw line and pumped his two fists in the air four times before he left the Allen Fieldhouse floor Monday night.
It was Monday, and the Jayhawks were playing at home, so of course they won. It’s been that way for 39 straight games under Self’s watch.
Without star freshman Darryn Peterson, who left pregame warmups with flu-like symptoms, with No. 1 and undefeated Arizona in town, No. 9 Kansas still found a way to win 82-78 in a game that meant something extra to the Hall of Famer head coach.
Melvin Council Jr., who has been become a star when Peterson has been out, started 3-of-15 from the field but attacked the rim relentlessly in the second half to finish with 23 points on 25 shots to go along with six assists.
Without Peterson, three of the other starters — Council, Flory Bidunga and Bryson Tiller — turned into a three-headed monster against one of the best defensive teams in the country.
Arizona’s 7-foot-2 center Motiejus Krivas tried to play flyswatter at the rim all night — and finished with six blocks — but Council and Bidunga just kept going to the rim and clawing for offensive rebounds when Krivas would block or change the first try.
The Jayhawks had 17 offensive rebounds and 19 second-chance points that allowed them to take control of the game in the second half. The Wildcats, who led 45-42 at halftime, settled for a lot of mid-range shots in the second half and struggled to get to the basket against KU, and when they did, Bidunga was there to contest.
The sophomore center finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Tiller scored 14 of his 18 points in the first half and kept KU within range.
Then the defense, Council and Bidunga took over.
Arizona (23-1, 10-1 Big 12) is tied for the Big 12 lead with Houston, and Kansas (19-5, 9-2) is just one game back and in the race.