Kansas survives Cal Baptist after furious finish, will play St. John's on Sunday

Mark Zeigler, The San Diego Union-Tribune on Mar 21, 2026

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SAN DIEGO — It was gold, white and blue against crimson and blue.

But really, it was green vs. blue.

Green, as in inexperienced. Blue, as in blue blood.

Cal Baptist made its first appearance in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament on Friday night at Viejas Arena. Kansas made its record 28th in a row.

The program with 163 games of NCAA Tournament pedigree was predictably blowing out the program with zero until it suddenly wasn’t, leading by 26 before weathering a furious rally by the 13-seeded Lancers and their 5-foot-10 dynamo to escape with a 68-60 victory that capped a marathon day of basketball.

It set up arguably the most delectable entrée of the second round here Sunday afternoon: No. 4-seeded Kansas and coach Bill Self against No. 5 St. John’s and Rick Pitino.

Only one Hall of Fame coach can advance.

Cal Baptist amounted to that lovable Cinderella that everyone at Viejas not in crimson and blue was pulling for — the WAC program from just up Interstate 15 that went Division I only seven years ago and is fueled by an electric guard who ranks fifth nationally in scoring at 23.2 points (and did not disappoint).

Four busloads of CBU students made the trip and filled a section across from the Lancers’ bench. Fans left over from St. John’s 79-53 destruction of Northern Iowa joined them for an enormous, hopeful roar at the opening tip.

The Jayhawks methodically and mercilessly quieted them in the first half, and that was before projected No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick Darryn Peterson got cooking.

Peterson misfired on his first six shots and didn’t make a basket until midway through the first half, when he missed a bank shot, followed it and acrobatically tipped in the rebound. By halftime, he had 15 points, nine coming in the final 3½ minutes and three coming on a step-back jumper at the buzzer with a defender hanging on it.

Peterson finished with 28 points. Dominique Daniels Jr., the WAC player of the year, missed 12 of his first 14 shots and had five points at halftime … and finished with 25.

Kansas’ defensive game plan was simple: We’re not letting the 5-10 guy beat us.

His primary defender was 6-3 Melvin Council Jr., a rare blend of size, length, athleticism and raw speed, and his instructions were to never leave the WAC Player of the Year, even if he stood at midcourt.

Whenever Daniels rubbed off a ball screen, he was instantly double-teamed until he passed it. Whenever Daniels tried to get it back, the wiry Council extended an arm into the passing lane. Whenever Daniels went back door, a 6-11 or 7-0 post from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kansas has two) was there to contest it.

That worked … for a while.

It was only a matter of time, though, before Daniels showed why CBU coach Rick Croy insists he will play in the NBA, proving to be basically unguardable over the game’s closing minutes as the Lancers drew within six points and had the ball with 30 seconds left.

But Daniels missed a floater in the lane, the Jayhawks got the rebound and breathed out a huge sigh of relief.