SAN DIEGO (AP) — Darrion Peterson hit four 3-pointers and scored 28 points, and fourth-seeded Kansas squandered most of a 26-point lead before beating scrappy NCAA tournament newcomer Cal Baptist 68-60 on Friday night.
Kansas (24-10) will advance to a second-round game on Sunday against St. John’s, a matchup between Hall of Fame coach Bill Self of the Jayhawks and Rick Pitino of the Red Storm. In the East Division, the fifth-seeded Red Storm defeated Northern Iowa 79-53. Kansas hasn’t survived an opening weekend since winning the national title in 2022.
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The Jayhawks jumped out to a 48-22 lead just four minutes into the second half, but the 13th-seeded Lancers, backed by a small group of students, never gave up as the Jayhawks went cold for much of the final six minutes.
Dominique Daniels Jr. scored 25 points for the Lancers (25-9), including two 3-pointers in the final minutes that electrified the Viejas Arena crowd as the Lancers went on an 18-2 run. With 1 minute and 16 seconds left in the game, Martel Williams made a layup and the team chased the score to 66-60.
They got the ball back, but Daniels drained the game with a mid-range jumper with 22 seconds left. Kansas’ Trey White scored 12 points with a powerful dunk with 13 seconds left.
Cal Baptist, getting its first taste of the NCAA tournament after winning the Western Athletic Conference tournament final, will take the 100-mile bus ride back to Riverside.
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Peterson, a freshman who is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, scored the final seven points of the first half, including a three-pointer at the buzzer, to lead 38-18.
Peterson, who has had severe cramping issues this season, doubled down and pulled his jersey over his face early in the second half but remained in the game.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness