LAWRENCE — As Kansas basketball navigated its non-conference schedule without, for much of it, freshman guard Darryn Peterson, the team’s largely been led by three guys.
That’s the group of senior guard Tre White, senior guard Melvin Council Jr. and sophomore forward Flory Bidunga. All three have started all of No. 17 KU’s 13 games to date and are averaging double-figures scoring. Among the three Jayhawks (10-3) fans can find the team’s leader in rebounding, assists, blocks and steals.
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But part of why Kansas was able to wrap up its non-conference slate with momentum Monday, and not just because it trounced Davidson for a 90-61 win, was because KU was able to win three games in three days during the Players Era event in Las Vegas. During that stretch, without Peterson each game, the Jayhawks defeated Notre Dame, Syracuse and now-No. 20 Tennessee. And it can’t be forgotten that they wouldn’t have done that without redshirt sophomore guard Jamari McDowell.
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“I’d say I’d just give myself a B-, maybe a C+, but there’s a little more in the tank,” McDowell told reporters Monday, as he reflected on his overall non-conference play. “A little more in the tank.”
Freshman guard Kohl Rosario, who smiled as McDowell gave himself that grade, added: “I think he’s great. I’d give him a little bit higher grade than that, but he’s a humble guy. He knows he’s good. We all know he’s good. We’ve all got great faith in him, and we’re all really happy that he stepped up.”
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McDowell, who gave Rosario a fist bump after that praise, entered the starting lineup midway through that Las Vegas trip and started both of Kansas’ wins against Syracuse and Tennessee. He’s then started three of the five games since, with the only two he didn’t being the Missouri and North Carolina State games for which Peterson was able to return. The Players Era event saw him emerge as a consistent member of coach Bill Self’s rotation, and he hasn’t left it since.
White, Bidunga and Council all thrived against Davidson, with White and Bidunga coming close to double-doubles and Council nearing a triple-double, but McDowell played well, too. He finished with 10 points and four assists, with both of those marks setting new career highs. He also shot 2-for-3 from behind the arc, as he continued to statistically be one of the team’s better 3-point shooters — currently shooting 14-for-33 (42.4%) for the season.
Looking ahead to Big 12 Conference play beginning in January, McDowell can also provide the perspective of someone who’s seen the gauntlet that league can be before. As a true freshman he was an option off of the bench, and last season he watched as a redshirt player. Whether he continues to start, or come off of the bench if Peterson returns, Self and company won’t have to worry about him going through the type of acclimation process against Big 12 opponents that a freshman finding their way might have to.
Jamari McDowell #11 of Kansas basketball drives with the ball as Jaquan Womack #24 of Towson defends during a game at Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 16, 2025 in Lawrence, Kansas.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Jamari McDowell grades his non-conference play for Kansas basketball
