As the No. 8 Jayhawks welcome No. 2 Houston on a blockbuster Monday night at Allen Fieldhouse, they will be monitoring the status of Kansas star Darryn Peterson.

KU is 20-7 overall and 10-4 in Big 12 play, which puts them in a tie for third place in the conference standings with Texas Tech and Iowa State. Houston is in second place with an 11-3 record, behind Arizona, which has a 12-2 record in the conference.

Kansas lost a tough game to Cincinnati on Saturday and really can’t afford to lose two home games in a row for the first time since 1988-89. Houston, on the other hand, has lost two in a row and is trying to avoid a three-game losing streak, which the program hasn’t had since 2007.

Is Darryn Peterson playing against Houston tonight?

Darryn Peterson is expected to play on Monday night when the Houston Cougars travel to Lawrence for a big Monday game against the Kansas Jayhawks on February 23, 2026. Peterson’s name is not on the latest injury report, so the Kansas star is likely to play after playing a full game in Saturday’s loss to Cincinnati.

But reports say that caution is still needed. Just two weeks ago, Peterson wasn’t on the injury report. Then, out of nowhere, he missed Big Monday against Arizona due to the flu. Peterson is expected to play based on the most recent reports, but because of recent last-minute changes, his status should be closely watched until tip-off on Monday night.

Kansas vs Houston injury report

The Kansas Jayhawks have a clean injury report. The Houston Cougars are missing Kordell Jefferson and Bryce Jackson, but neither absence is considered significant. Jefferson, a sophomore, hasn’t played since November, and Jackson, a freshman, hasn’t played a single minute all season. Essentially, both teams will be at full strength for this pivotal Big Monday showdown at Allen Fieldhouse.

Jayhawks: NA

Houston: Kordell Jefferson and Bryce Jackson

Kansas vs Houston: Probable Lineups

Houston: Chris Cenac Jr., Joseph Tugler, Emanuel Sharp, Milos Uzan, Kingston Flemings

Kansas: Flory Bidunga, Bryson Tiller, Tre White, Melvin Council Jr., Darryn Peterson