CINCY

KANSAS

Thiam scores career-high 28 to lead Cincinnati to an 84-68 upset of No. 8 Kansas

AP
Feb 21, 2026

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) Moustapha Thiam had a career-high 28 points and led Cincinnati Bearcats to an 84-68 upset of No. 8 Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday.

This was the second win of the season for Cincinnati (15-12, 7-7 Big 12) against a ranked team, having taken down then-No. 2 Iowa State 79-70 on Jan. 17.

The 7-footer Thiam made 11 of 17 shots from the field and had eight rebounds. Baba Miller added 18 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.

Jalen Celeste had 14 points and eight rebounds, shooting 4 of 8 on 3-pointers. Day Day Thomas scored 10.

Cincinnati held a 36-34 lead after a tumultuous first half that saw nine ties and 10 lead changes. The Bearcats kept the Jayhawks (20-7, 10-4) at arm’s length with timely shots to kill momentum throughout the second, only allowing Kansas to pull ahead for one possession before retaking the lead.

They delivered the final blows with a 20-8 run, surging ahead by double digits for the first time with less than five minutes to go.

The Bearcats were particularly effective from behind the 3-point line, where they made 12 of 21 attempts.

The Jayhawks were 4 of 18 on 3s.

Flory Bidunga led the Jayhawks with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman star Darryn Peterson had 17 points in 32 minutes after leaving Kansas’ last game against Oklahoma State early in the second half. Tre White scored 11.

Kansas: Hosts No. 2 Houston on Monday.

Cincinnati: Visits No. 13 Texas Tech on Tuesday.

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1st Half
CINCY
Bearcats
36
KAN
Jayhawks
34

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Moustapha Thiam vs. Flory Bidunga (Melvin Council Jr. gains possession)
19:43		Bryson Tiller misses three point jump shot
19:41		Flory Bidunga offensive rebound
19:37		Darryn Peterson misses three point jump shot
19:35		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
19:22	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point jump shot (Baba Miller assists)	2-0
19:11		Melvin Council Jr. misses two point jump shot
19:09		Flory Bidunga offensive rebound
18:56	+2	Darryn Peterson makes two point jump shot (Flory Bidunga assists)	2-2
18:32	+2	Baba Miller makes two point layup	4-2
18:15	+2	Darryn Peterson makes two point jump shot	4-4
17:46		Moustapha Thiam misses three point jump shot
17:44		Darryn Peterson defensive rebound
17:28	+2	Flory Bidunga makes two point layup (Tre White assists)	4-6
17:13		Flory Bidunga personal foul (Baba Miller draws the foul)
17:13		Baba Miller misses regular free throw 1 of 2
17:13	+1	Baba Miller makes regular free throw 2 of 2	5-6
16:56	+2	Flory Bidunga makes two point dunk (Melvin Council Jr. assists)	5-8
16:37		Baba Miller misses two point jump shot
16:35		Moustapha Thiam offensive rebound
16:35		Moustapha Thiam misses two point layup
16:35		Bearcats offensive rebound
16:26		Moustapha Thiam misses three point jump shot
16:24		Melvin Council Jr. defensive rebound
16:15		Jamari McDowell turnover (Jalen Celestine steals)
16:14		Jamari McDowell personal foul (Jalen Celestine draws the foul)
15:52	+3	Jizzle James makes three point jump shot (Baba Miller assists)	8-8
15:31		Tre White misses two point dunk
15:29		Jizzle James defensive rebound
15:27		Bryson Tiller blocks Jizzle James's two point layup
15:25		Bearcats offensive rebound
15:25		TV timeout
15:18		Day Day Thomas misses three point jump shot
15:16		Tre White defensive rebound
14:50		Melvin Council Jr. misses two point jump shot
14:48		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
14:35		Day Day Thomas misses two point jump shot
14:33		Darryn Peterson defensive rebound
14:22	+2	Bryson Tiller makes two point jump shot	8-10
14:02		Moustapha Thiam misses two point jump shot
14:00		Jalen Celestine offensive rebound
13:54		Jizzle James misses three point jump shot
13:52		Tre White defensive rebound
13:47		Tre White misses two point jump shot
13:45		Jalen Celestine defensive rebound
13:31	+3	Baba Miller makes three point jump shot (Jizzle James assists)	11-10
13:13		Tre White misses two point layup
13:11		Tre White offensive rebound
13:11	+2	Tre White makes two point layup	11-12
13:11		Baba Miller shooting foul (Tre White draws the foul)
13:11	+1	Tre White makes regular free throw 1 of 1	11-13
12:56		Jizzle James misses three point jump shot
12:54		Jamari McDowell defensive rebound
12:47		Elmarko Jackson turnover (bad pass) (Baba Miller steals)
12:33	+2	Baba Miller makes two point layup	13-13
12:11		Jamari McDowell misses three point jump shot
12:09		Flory Bidunga offensive rebound
12:06	+2	Flory Bidunga makes two point layup	13-15
11:37		Jizzle James misses three point jump shot
11:35		Sencire Harris offensive rebound
11:34		TV timeout
11:15		Keyshuan Tillery turnover (bad pass) (Darryn Peterson steals)
11:08		Darryn Peterson misses three point jump shot
11:06		Sencire Harris defensive rebound
10:45	+2	Baba Miller makes two point jump shot	15-15
10:16		Melvin Council Jr. misses three point jump shot
10:14		Tyler McKinley defensive rebound
9:55	+2	Keyshuan Tillery makes two point layup	17-15
9:43	+2	Flory Bidunga makes two point dunk (Melvin Council Jr. assists)	17-17
9:18	+2	Baba Miller makes two point jump shot	19-17
8:56	+2	Flory Bidunga makes two point layup	19-19
8:38		Baba Miller turnover (lost ball) (Tre White steals)
8:32		Keyshuan Tillery shooting foul (Tre White draws the foul)
8:32	+1	Tre White makes regular free throw 1 of 2	19-20
8:32		Tre White misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:32		Jalen Celestine defensive rebound
8:15	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point jump shot	21-20
7:56	+3	Tre White makes three point jump shot (Elmarko Jackson assists)	21-23
7:32	+3	Jalen Celestine makes three point jump shot	24-23
7:13	+2	Melvin Council Jr. makes two point jump shot	24-25
7:13		Keyshuan Tillery shooting foul (Melvin Council Jr. draws the foul)
7:13		TV timeout
7:13	+1	Melvin Council Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1	24-26
6:55	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point layup (Baba Miller assists)	26-26
6:24		Melvin Council Jr. misses three point jump shot
6:22		Day Day Thomas defensive rebound
6:14		Jalen Celestine misses three point jump shot
6:12		Bryson Tiller defensive rebound
6:07		Jizzle James personal foul (Elmarko Jackson draws the foul)
6:00	+2	Flory Bidunga makes two point layup	26-28
5:41		Baba Miller turnover (lost ball) (Flory Bidunga steals)
5:24		Flory Bidunga misses two point jump shot
5:22		Flory Bidunga offensive rebound
5:20		Jump ball. Flory Bidunga vs. Jalen Celestine (Jalen Celestine gains possession)
5:20		Flory Bidunga turnover (lost ball) (Jalen Celestine steals)
5:04		Day Day Thomas misses two point layup
5:02		Moustapha Thiam offensive rebound
4:54		Moustapha Thiam misses two point layup
4:52		Darryn Peterson defensive rebound
4:48	+2	Darryn Peterson makes two point layup	26-30
4:29	+2	Jizzle James makes two point jump shot	28-30
4:11		Jizzle James shooting foul (Darryn Peterson draws the foul)
4:11	+1	Darryn Peterson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	28-31
4:11	+1	Darryn Peterson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	28-32
3:41		Day Day Thomas misses three point jump shot
3:40		Bearcats turnover (shot clock violation)
3:40		TV timeout
3:21		Tre White misses three point jump shot
3:19		Sencire Harris defensive rebound
2:58		Baba Miller misses two point jump shot
2:56		Tyler McKinley offensive rebound
2:45		Tyler McKinley misses two point jump shot
2:43		Flory Bidunga defensive rebound
2:24		Melvin Council Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Jalen Celestine steals)
2:19		Sencire Harris turnover (lost ball)
2:04		Darryn Peterson misses two point jump shot
2:02		Keyshuan Tillery defensive rebound
1:53	+3	Moustapha Thiam makes three point jump shot (Keyshuan Tillery assists)	31-32
1:37		Flory Bidunga turnover (bad pass) (Baba Miller steals)
1:30	+3	Jalen Celestine makes three point jump shot (Keyshuan Tillery assists)	34-32
1:28		Jayhawks 30 second timeout
1:28		TV timeout
1:08	+2	Darryn Peterson makes two point jump shot	34-34
0:47	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point jump shot	36-34
0:33		Melvin Council Jr. misses two point jump shot
0:31		Baba Miller defensive rebound
0:29		Baba Miller turnover (Melvin Council Jr. steals)
0:20		Darryn Peterson misses three point jump shot
0:18		Keyshuan Tillery defensive rebound
0:16		Bearcats 30 second timeout
0:16		TV timeout
0:06		Jamari McDowell personal foul (Jizzle James draws the foul)
0:05		Elmarko Jackson personal foul (Jizzle James draws the foul)
0:00		Flory Bidunga blocks Jizzle James's two point layup
0:00		Moustapha Thiam offensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
CINCY
Bearcats
48
KAN
Jayhawks
34

Time		Play	Score
19:43	+2	Flory Bidunga makes two point layup (Bryson Tiller assists)	36-36
19:28		Day Day Thomas misses three point jump shot
19:26		Bryson Tiller defensive rebound
19:20		Bryson Tiller turnover (lost ball) (Jizzle James steals)
19:20	+3	Baba Miller makes three point jump shot (Jizzle James assists)	39-36
19:03		Darryn Peterson misses two point layup
19:01		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
18:47		Moustapha Thiam misses three point jump shot
18:45		Melvin Council Jr. defensive rebound
18:37	+2	Tre White makes two point jump shot	39-38
18:17		Day Day Thomas misses two point jump shot
18:15		Day Day Thomas offensive rebound
18:02		Day Day Thomas misses three point jump shot
18:00		Jayhawks defensive rebound
17:41		Tre White misses three point jump shot
17:39		Baba Miller defensive rebound
17:32		Day Day Thomas misses three point jump shot
17:30		Melvin Council Jr. defensive rebound
17:25		Jizzle James personal foul (Melvin Council Jr. draws the foul)
17:25	+2	Darryn Peterson makes two point pullup jump shot (Flory Bidunga assists)	39-40
17:03		Baba Miller turnover (lost ball)
16:52		Flory Bidunga offensive foul (Day Day Thomas draws the foul)
16:52		Flory Bidunga turnover (offensive foul)
16:33	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point jump shot (Baba Miller assists)	41-40
16:33		Flory Bidunga personal foul (Moustapha Thiam draws the foul)
16:33		Moustapha Thiam misses regular free throw 1 of 1
16:33		Melvin Council Jr. defensive rebound
16:04		Darryn Peterson misses two point jump shot
16:02		Keyshuan Tillery defensive rebound
15:58	+2	Keyshuan Tillery makes two point driving layup	43-40
15:58		TV timeout
15:37		Sencire Harris personal foul (Melvin Council Jr. draws the foul)
15:30	+2	Darryn Peterson makes two point jump shot	43-42
15:13	+3	Sencire Harris makes three point jump shot (Baba Miller assists)	46-42
14:54		Keyshuan Tillery shooting foul (Tre White draws the foul)
14:54	+1	Tre White makes regular free throw 1 of 2	46-43
14:54	+1	Tre White makes regular free throw 2 of 2	46-44
14:32		Keyshuan Tillery misses three point jump shot
14:30		Baba Miller offensive rebound
14:25	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point layup (Baba Miller assists)	48-44
14:14	+2	Bryson Tiller makes two point driving layup	48-46
13:54		Bryson Tiller shooting foul (Moustapha Thiam draws the foul)
13:54		Moustapha Thiam misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:54	+1	Moustapha Thiam makes regular free throw 2 of 2	49-46
13:39		Sencire Harris personal foul (Darryn Peterson draws the foul)
13:33		Darryn Peterson misses three point jump shot
13:31		Jamari McDowell offensive rebound
13:30		Jizzle James shooting foul (Jamari McDowell draws the foul)
13:30		Jamari McDowell misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:30	+1	Jamari McDowell makes regular free throw 2 of 2	49-47
13:10		Keyshuan Tillery misses three point stepback jump shot
13:08		Baba Miller offensive rebound
13:06		Jalen Celestine misses three point jump shot
13:04		Flory Bidunga defensive rebound
12:58		Jalen Celestine personal foul (Elmarko Jackson draws the foul)
12:56		Jayhawks turnover (5-second violation)
12:37		Tyler McKinley misses two point turnaround jump shot
12:35		Bearcats offensive rebound
12:16		Keyshuan Tillery misses two point driving floating jump shot
12:14		Flory Bidunga defensive rebound
11:59		Melvin Council Jr. misses two point jump shot
11:57		Flory Bidunga offensive rebound
11:52	+2	Elmarko Jackson makes two point driving layup	49-49
11:41		Jalen Celestine misses three point jump shot
11:39		Flory Bidunga defensive rebound
11:33		Elmarko Jackson misses three point jump shot
11:31		Keyshuan Tillery defensive rebound
11:24		Keyshuan Tillery misses two point driving layup
11:22		Flory Bidunga defensive rebound
11:16		Elmarko Jackson misses two point layup
11:14		Day Day Thomas defensive rebound
10:54		Bryson Tiller shooting foul (Baba Miller draws the foul)
10:54		TV timeout
10:54	+1	Baba Miller makes regular free throw 1 of 2	50-49
10:54		Baba Miller misses regular free throw 2 of 2
10:54		Flory Bidunga defensive rebound
10:26		Keyshuan Tillery blocks Melvin Council Jr.'s two point jump shot
10:24		Baba Miller defensive rebound
10:14		Elmarko Jackson shooting foul (Moustapha Thiam draws the foul)
10:14		Moustapha Thiam misses regular free throw 1 of 2
10:14	+1	Moustapha Thiam makes regular free throw 2 of 2	51-49
9:58		Darryn Peterson misses two point layup
9:32		Darryn Peterson shooting foul (Moustapha Thiam draws the foul)
9:32	+1	Moustapha Thiam makes regular free throw 1 of 2	52-49
9:32	+1	Moustapha Thiam makes regular free throw 2 of 2	53-49
9:10	+3	Darryn Peterson makes three point jump shot (Melvin Council Jr. assists)	53-52
8:47	+3	Day Day Thomas makes three point pullup jump shot	56-52
8:36		Darryn Peterson misses three point jump shot
8:34		Darryn Peterson offensive rebound
8:31	+2	Flory Bidunga makes two point layup (Darryn Peterson assists)	56-54
8:10	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point layup (Baba Miller assists)	58-54
7:51	+2	Melvin Council Jr. makes two point driving floating jump shot	58-56
7:35	+3	Moustapha Thiam makes three point jump shot (Jalen Celestine assists)	61-56
7:31		Jayhawks 30 second timeout
7:31		TV timeout
7:17		Jalen Celestine personal foul (Flory Bidunga draws the foul)
7:17		TV timeout
7:17	+1	Flory Bidunga makes regular free throw 1 of 2	61-57
7:17	+1	Flory Bidunga makes regular free throw 2 of 2	61-58
6:53		Baba Miller turnover (traveling)
6:28		Melvin Council Jr. misses two point driving layup
6:26		Day Day Thomas defensive rebound
6:23	+2	Day Day Thomas makes two point layup	63-58
6:08		Darryn Peterson misses three point jump shot
6:06		Jalen Celestine defensive rebound
6:03		Day Day Thomas misses three point jump shot
6:01		Jalen Celestine offensive rebound
5:57	+3	Jalen Celestine makes three point jump shot	66-58
5:56		Jayhawks 30 second timeout
5:31	+2	Melvin Council Jr. makes two point driving floating jump shot	66-60
5:15	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point turnaround jump shot (Baba Miller assists)	68-60
5:03		Melvin Council Jr. misses two point driving layup
5:01		Jalen Celestine defensive rebound
4:51	+2	Jalen Celestine makes two point pullup jump shot	70-60
4:41		Day Day Thomas personal foul (Darryn Peterson draws the foul)
4:41		Darryn Peterson misses regular free throw 1 of 1
4:41		Baba Miller defensive rebound
4:16		Jalen Celestine misses three point jump shot
4:14		Flory Bidunga defensive rebound
3:59		Elmarko Jackson misses two point driving layup
3:57		Jalen Celestine defensive rebound
3:40	+3	Day Day Thomas makes three point jump shot (Moustapha Thiam assists)	73-60
3:38		Jayhawks 60 second timeout
3:38		TV timeout
3:13		Flory Bidunga misses two point jump shot
3:11		Baba Miller defensive rebound
2:58		Day Day Thomas misses three point jump shot
2:56		Moustapha Thiam offensive rebound
2:54	+3	Jalen Celestine makes three point jump shot (Moustapha Thiam assists)	76-60
2:38		Melvin Council Jr. misses two point driving floating jump shot
2:36		Melvin Council Jr. offensive rebound
2:32		Tre White misses two point jump shot
2:30		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
2:17		Flory Bidunga personal foul (Baba Miller draws the foul)
2:17	+1	Baba Miller makes regular free throw 1 of 2	77-60
2:17	+1	Baba Miller makes regular free throw 2 of 2	78-60
2:09		Elmarko Jackson turnover (bad pass) (Jalen Celestine steals)
1:59		Keyshuan Tillery turnover (lost ball) (Melvin Council Jr. steals)
1:54	+2	Kohl Rosario makes two point layup (Melvin Council Jr. assists)	78-62
1:47		Kohl Rosario personal foul (Keyshuan Tillery draws the foul)
1:47	+1	Keyshuan Tillery makes regular free throw 1 of 2	79-62
1:47	+1	Keyshuan Tillery makes regular free throw 2 of 2	80-62
1:39	+3	Jayden Dawson makes three point jump shot (Flory Bidunga assists)	80-65
1:14	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point dunk (Jalen Celestine assists)	82-65
1:05		Flory Bidunga turnover (bad pass) (Day Day Thomas steals)
1:01	+2	Day Day Thomas makes two point layup	84-65
0:50	+3	Jamari McDowell makes three point jump shot	84-68
0:20		Bearcats turnover (shot clock violation)
0:14		Jamari McDowell misses three point jump shot
0:12		Jalen Celestine defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Jalen Celestine defensive rebound