Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Freshman forward Marcus Morris tried to explain Kansas’ 87-60 victory against Kent State.
Marcus Morris, who finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, attempted to make a sense of a game where 46 fouls were called on the two teams combined. The words weren’t coming to him.
Kent State forward Anthony Simpson fouls freshman center Markieff Morris.
He wanted to tell everyone exactly what happened in the scrum under the basket four minutes into the second half that resulted in a flagrant foul and ejection of his twin brother, Markieff. But he didn’t have a clear view of the altercation while it happened.
On this night, the scratch above Marcus’ right eye told the story of the game better than he — or anyone else — could.
“I got scratched,” Marcus said. “They were playing very physical, and I think we were playing very physical, too.”
That’s probably an understatement. The battle between the Jayhawks and the Golden Flashes turned nasty. It turned into a game devoid of any pace on the floor in the second half. The Jayhawks spent most of their time at the free-throw line.
It proved to be a friendly home for them. Kansas shot 32-for-36 from the charity stripe. Marcus, who went 8-for-12 on free throws, was the only Jayhawk who missed any.
He said he felt bad that he kept Kansas four away from a perfect percentage. Kansas coach Bill Self, on the other hand, wasn’t disappointed at all. He said it was the perfect victory for the Jayhawks.
The game lost its rhythm right after Markieff was ejected. Markieff retaliated when a Golden Flash player hit him while fighting for a lose ball after a rebound.
Junior guard Sherron Collins said a Kent State player punched Markieff, which prompted his response. Marcus thought Markieff might have caught an elbow, not a fist. Either way, Collins thought Markieff should have shrugged it off.
“He’s got to do a better job of keeping his head out there,” Collins said. “He’s young. It happens.”
Photo Gallery
Men's Basketball vs. Kent State
Photo gallery of Kansas men's basketball game against Kent State Monday night at Allen Fieldhouse.
Although the incident changed the nature of the game, the outcome was never in doubt. Kansas led 43-31 at the time and never let Kent State closer than that for the rest of the game. With six minutes remaining, the Golden Flashes once again cut their deficit to 12 with the score 67-55.
But Collins pulled the Jayhawks away. Collins started slow, scoring only three points in the first half. He saved all his energy for the end. The rest of the players on the court looked like they were in slow motion as Collins flew up and down the court at the end of the game.
He stole the ball from the Golden Flashes. He made a jump shot. He spun into the lane and finished by laying it in. Self said he was impressed by Collins’ late-game antics.
“Down the stretch,” Self said, “he showed why he’s one of the best guards around.”
Although the game was still close in the first half, the Jayhawks used a 16-2 run to pull away from the Golden Flashes.
Freshman guard Tyshawn Taylor — who finished with 12 points and three steals — contained MAC Preseason Player of the Year Al Fisher to five points. Sophomore guard Brady Morningstar, who finished with nine points and four steals, scored seven points during the run.
”Man, that second half was so long,” Taylor said. “I don’t remember much.”
Everyone, however, remembered the play at the end of the first half that didn’t count. With 0.2 seconds remaining, Marcus threw a midcourt in-bounds pass as an alley-oop to sophomore center Cole Aldrich.
Aldrich, who recorded 10 points and 13 rebounds, slammed it down, and the Jayhawks ran to the locker room celebrating the highlight. But after the referees reviewed the play, they decided the points didn’t count because time should have expired.
It served as the last pretty moment of the game, and it didn’t even count. From then on, the game wasn’t only physical. It was ugly.
— — Edited by Lauren Keith
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