No. 8 Kansas controls its own destiny in a Big 12 Championship race that is shaping up to be an all-timer. The Jayhawks are 10-3 in conference play, just one game behind Arizona and Houston. Kansas gets to play both of the Big 12's top dawgs in the next eight days, but it can't afford to have any other hiccups starting Saturday against a Cincinnati club that has underwhelmed this year (14-12, 6-7 in Big 12 play) but has shown an ability to play up and beat an Iowa State team that is trending to be a No. 2 seed.

Of course, Darryn Peterson's status remains the biggest story. He scored 23 brilliant points in just 19 minutes against Oklahoma State before asking out with another cramping episode.

"I didn't anticipate that tonight at all," Kansas coach Bill Self told reporters. "I thought he was good to go, but obviously, we only got 18 minutes. That's disappointing 'cause he could have had a really good night."

Kansas' Bill Self gets candid on Darryn Peterson 'checking out': What's right, what's 'false', what's next

Isaac Trotter

The saga continues with no end in sight.

Let's dive into the X's and O's of this Big 12 tilt. 

Kansas vs. Cincinnati: Need to know

Who gets the Baba Miller assignment? Miller is having the best season of his career, even amidst a miserable 3-point shooting slump. The 6-foot-11 Cincinnati forward is firmly a post-hype sleeper who has blossomed into one of the best mismatch forwards in the Big 12. But Kansas has plenty of options. Flory Bidunga has been Kansas' problem-solver defensively this season. Against BYU, he pivoted to guarding dynamic wing AJ Dybantsa. Against Texas Tech, he got the JT Toppin assignment. But Cincinnati is a bit of a tougher matchup. Do you put Bidunga on 7-foot big man Moustapha Thiam and let freshman Bryson Tiller take a turn on Miller? Tiller has been a pleasant surprise for KU this year and has the frame and athleticism to handle Miller. Or do you let Bidunga, the frontrunner for Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, try to slow down Miller and trust Tiller to handle the Thiam assignment? 

The transition seesaw: When these two defenses get set, they can both be pretty nasty. That raises the stakes of each transition possession. You just have to take advantage because there won't be a ton of clean looks in the halfcourt. 

Role players in the spotlight: Kansas needs to get Tre White humming again. The well-traveled wing has been so good for the Jayhawks, but he's lost a bit of his steam lately. Part of that could be the after-effects from dealing with a painful root canal procedure. This could be a get-right spot for White. On paper, he has a tasty individual matchup with Cincinnati's Jalen Celestine, who is mainly on the floor to make 3-pointers, not strap up defensively. A good day for White could tilt the scales here. On the other hand, Cincinnati guard Sencire Harris is one of the best point-of-attack defenders in the sport. When he's on the floor, he will get right up into Melvin Council Jr. or Darryn Peterson. Kansas can't let Harris change the game with his energy. He is a total dawg who ain't afraid of anybody.

Where to watch Kansas vs. Cincinnati live

Date: Saturday, Feb. 21| Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Allen Fieldhouse -- Lawrence, Kansas
TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App
Streaming on Paramount+ Premium  

Kansas vs. Cincinnati prediction, pick

Kansas has plenty of schematic edges in this one, but Cincinnati could be a touch undervalued here in a game that could be a low-possession affair between two defenses that give each other problems. The double-big lineup of Miller and Thiam is mobile enough to hang with Bidunga and Tiller, and Cincinnati's guards won't give up straight-line drives to Council. Cincinnati will unquestionably flood the paint and force Kansas' low-volume 3-point shooters to bomb away over the top. That's the right strategy against everyone on this Kansas roster, except for Peterson. There's also the lookahead spot to Kansas' enormous Big Monday tilt with No. 4 Houston, and if Peterson misses a good chunk of the second half again — which feels inevitable — the door is open for a backdoor cover. Kansas wins but Cincinnati stays inside this number. Pick: Cincinnati +11.5

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