Few teams in college hoops are hotter than Kansas right now, but the No. 9 Jayhawks may have to ramp up their game even more Saturday when they play No. 5 Iowa State in Ames, Iowa.

Kansas coach Bill Self’s club has spent all season trying to find its identity and somehow keep Darryn Peterson, a likely lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, healthy and on the court as well.

In their last outing on Monday in the finale of a two-game homestand, the Jayhawks (19-5, 9-2 Big 12) discovered they could still win a massive game with Peterson on the bench, as he was ruled out with flu-like symptoms for their big tilt with top-ranked Arizona.

Short-handed, Self’s group went out and did the seemingly impossible — knocking off the Wildcats, winners of their first 23 contests — in an 82-78 thriller to record its eighth consecutive victory.

Big man Flory Bidunga was a key contributor, notching a double-double in a 23-point, 10-rebound performance. He shot 8-for-11 from the floor.

The Wildcats were ahead by as many as 11 points and led 71% of the game between the Big 12 powers, but Kansas sank all but four of its 25 free throws while the visitors made just 8 of 14 — a 13-point margin.

Bidunga, who produces 14.9 points per game on 68.6% field-goal shooting and team highs in average rebounds (nine) and blocked shots (2.8), made up for the absence of Peterson (20.5 points, 41.9% from deep).

“They have size, they’re strong,” Bidunga said after preserving the win with a swat of Arizona freshman star Brayden Burries’ try in the final seconds. “They got us beat (in) you know, the first half, I would say so. But we came out in the second half and then fought even harder.”

The Cyclones (21-3, 8-3) will be licking their wounds a bit after dropping Tuesday night’s 62-55 decision at TCU, snapping their five-game winning streak and allowing Kansas to stand alone in third place by one game. Arizona and No. 3 Houston are both 10-1 in conference play.

Perhaps worse than the loss to the Horned Frogs was the way it unfolded.

Iowa State led 55-50 following Nate Heise’s layup with 2:38 left, but the visitors would not score again. A 7 1/2-point underdog, TCU finished the upset on a 12-0 run.

The Cyclones did not shoot well, draining just 5 of 23 (21.7%) from distance in their second-worst showing thus far.

Another glaring problem was ball security: They committed 17 turnovers, their second-highest total.

“For us, we take so much pride taking care of the basketball, but it’s got to be something that really matters to us,” said coach T.J. Otzelberger, whose team is 13-0 at home. “We can’t have turnovers at a key part in the game. You know with the veteran guys we have out there and again, our guys really care, they’re about the right things, they do the hard work.”

Milan Momcilovic leads Iowa State with 18.4 points, while Joshua Jefferson scores 17 and grabs 7.7 boards.

Jefferson, a senior forward, was productive all around in the loss, notching 12 points, nine assists, eight boards, three steals and two blocks in 38 minutes.

–Field Level Media

Seventh-ranked Nebraska clearly has commanded the fundamentals during a banner start, yet coach Fred Hoiberg still harps on the importance of pivoting.

That’s because he knows the Cornhuskers can’t focus on the past as they host slumping Northwestern on Saturday in Lincoln, Neb.

Tuesday’s 80-77 overtime loss to visiting No. 13 Purdue still gnawed at many Nebraska players as the week progressed. Hoiberg acknowledged the frustration as a former athlete before discussing the need to move forward.

“I told them … ‘We’ve done a really good job of putting big emotional wins behind us. Now here’s the flip side of it; you have to put the tough, emotional loss behind you now,’ ” Hoiberg said. “Really what will determine if you have success at the end of the year is how you handle those situations.”

Nebraska (21-3, 10-3 Big Ten) has seen its resolve tested more than ever since Jan. 27. After storming out of the gate with 20 straight wins, the Cornhuskers have lost to fellow ranked foes Michigan, Illinois and Purdue by a combined 15 points.

The Cornhuskers trailed Purdue by 22 points early in the second half and didn’t take their first lead until late in OT before falling 80-77.

One immediate area of focus: rebounding, especially the offensive glass. Nebraska finished minus-17 on the boards Tuesday while yielding 21 offensive rebounds.

“I know I’ve got to be better and more physical to not allow it,” said senior forward Rienk Mast, Nebraska’s co-leader in rebounds with 6.0 per game.

The Cornhuskers also hope to get a jolt from top scorer Pryce Sandfort (17.0 per game). After contributing at least 20 points in five straight games, Sandfort has scored 44 in his past three while shooting just 9-for-27 from deep.

Northwestern (10-15, 2-12) aims to stop a four-game losing streak, one off its season high.

Hosting second-ranked Michigan on Wednesday, the Wildcats built the largest lead against the Wolverines this season, 16 points, before fading during the final 14 minutes of an 87-75 defeat.

“I do feel like we’re getting better,” Northwestern coach Chris Collins said. “I feel like our spirit is still really good. … We’ve got guys diving for balls and battling. You saw the differential in size and athleticism. I mean, we’re competing. Man, we’re battling. So, I think there’s a lot of good stuff going on.”

While Big Ten leading scorer Nick Martinelli (22.5 ppg) regrouped with 18 points and eight rebounds, Jayden Reid paced all scorers with 20 points.

Reid provided just 25 points combined during the first three games of the skid.

Reid, a junior guard, has credited a growing chemistry with Jake West, a developing freshman guard, for helping to spark his game. Added athleticism also has sparked the defense, which forced 12 turnovers on Wednesday.

“Just having us both out there, it brings a different dimension to the game,” Reid said. “Because, obviously, we could both play off the ball and on the ball. We can guard both spots. It’s just fun being out there with Jake. It takes pressure off my hands.”

Nebraska has won three of the past four meetings with Northwestern, including a 77-58 road win on Jan. 17. Martinelli and Sandfort scored 22 points apiece for their respective squads.

–Field Level Media

MILAN — Italian short track skater Arianna Fontana had to settle for silver in the Olympic 500 meters on Thursday but was delighted to match the tally of Italy’s most decorated Olympian.

With 13 medals across six Games, Fontana is tied with fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti, who competed at five Olympics from 1936 to 1960, for the most Olympic medals by an Italian athlete.

Fontana, who has won the 500 meters at the last two Olympics, was upstaged Thursday by Dutchwoman Xandra Velzeboer.

“I’m very happy with this silver, it’s like a gold for me,” said Fontana, who suffered a torn quad last October.

She also said that she took inspiration from the victories of fellow Italians Federica Brignone in the Super-G and Francesca Lollobrigida in the 5,000 meters speed skating earlier Thursday.

“Federica (Brignone) moved me this morning, she was fantastic,” said Fontana.

“I saw Lollobrigida right before coming here and she gave me incredible energy, because when you see her — the grit she has in the final laps, what she did today, really, once again, hats off to her — so I had to keep up,” Fontana said.

Fontana is 35 and her Olympic career dates back to 2006, when Italy hosted the Games in Turin and she won her first medal.

“I try not to see my age as a number which defines me,” Fontana said, adding that her training is now tailored to ensure that she can keep up with younger rivals.

Fontana took gold with her Italian teammates in the mixed relay on Tuesday and will get a shot at another medal in the women’s relay next week.

–Reuters, special to Field Level Media