Kansas freshman guard Darryn Peterson is making his mark in Big 12 play.

Peterson was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Monday after powering the Jayhawks to back-to-back conference wins at Allen Fieldhouse, highlighted by victories over then-No. 2 Iowa State and Baylor.

Peterson scored 16 points with five rebounds and two steals in an 84-63 win over Iowa State on Tuesday, then followed with a breakout performance against Baylor on Friday night. He poured in 26 points on 11-of-13 shooting in an 80-62 victory over the Bears, showcasing the efficiency and poise that made him the preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year.

The honor marked Peterson’s first Newcomer of the Week award this season.

The two wins helped Kansas return to the Associated Press Top 25 at No. 19 and improved the Jayhawks to 13-5 overall. Kansas is one of six Big 12 teams ranked this week, joining No. 1 Arizona, No. 6 Houston, No. 9 Iowa State, No. 12 Texas Tech and No. 13 BYU.

Kansas heads back on the road this week for conference games at Colorado and Kansas State.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768396344970.jpeg" alt="Kansas guard Darryn Peterson (22) shoots over Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas guard Darryn Peterson (22) shoots over Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas freshman guard Darryn Peterson is making his mark in Big 12 play.Peterson was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Monday after powering the Jayhawks to back-to-back conference wins at Allen Fieldhouse, highlighted by victories over then-No. 2 Iowa State and Baylor.Peterson scored 16 points with five rebounds and two steals in an 84-63 win over Iowa State on Tuesday, then followed with a breakout performance against Baylor on Friday night. He poured in 26 points on 11-of-13 shooting in an 80-62 victory over the Bears, showcasing the efficiency and poise that made him the preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year.The honor marked Peterson’s first Newcomer of the Week award this season.The two wins helped Kansas return to the Associated Press Top 25 at No. 19 and improved the Jayhawks to 13-5 overall. Kansas is one of six Big 12 teams ranked this week, joining No. 1 Arizona, No. 6 Houston, No. 9 Iowa State, No. 12 Texas Tech and No. 13 BYU.Kansas heads back on the road this week for conference games at Colorado and Kansas State.

🏀 KU’s Peterson named Big 12 Player of the Week