No. 2 Kansas Shuts Down Missouri 84-65
Jan. 25, 2010
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | Aldrich | Mc. Morris | Reed | Coach Self
Aldrich’s Love for Game Turns into Motivation for Improvement
Boxscore in PDF Format 
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Marcus Morris scored 11 of his team-high 17 points in the decisive first half to lead No. 2 Kansas to an 84-65 victory against rival Missouri in Big 12 basketball action late Monday night.
Cole Aldrich registered a double-double with 12 points and 16 rebounds, while also adding seven blocked shots for the Jayhawks. Tyrell Reed came off the bench to match his career scoring high with 14.
Missouri was led by Justin Stafford, who had 19 points, while Zaire Taylor added 11 for the visitors.
Kansas improved to 19-1 overall and 5-0 in the Big 12, while Missouri dropped to 15-5 and 3-2 in league play. The Jayhawks extended the nation’s longest home court winning streak to 54 consecutive games with the victory.
Kansas dominated the game defensively, as well as on the boards. KU held Missouri to just 28 percent shooting from the field and out-rebounded the Tigers 56-28. KU doubled the Tigers in points in the paint 36-18.
Missouri forced KU into a season-high 23 turnovers, while committing just five miscues and out-scored the Jayhawks 18-4 in points off turnovers. But while MU attempted 11 more shots in the game, KU made nine more shots than the Tigers did.
Morris continued his recent scoring barrage as he has averaged 18.8 points and scored at least 16 points in each of the last five games. The sophomore hit six of 10 shots, while making five of six free throws. He also added nine rebounds in 24 minutes of action.
Aldrich flirted with a triple double as his seven blocks tied for the fifth-most in a game in KU history. The junior became the 15th player in Kansas history to record 700 career rebounds as he entered the night with 695.
Reed came off the bench and hit four of four three-point attempts to go along with an alley-oop tip-in. His 14 points matched his previous best vs. Siena last year.
KU led by as many as 28 points in the second half en route to its 11th straight victory against Missouri in Allen Fieldhouse. KU now leads the all-time series with its rival 168-94.
An 11-2 Jayhawk run in the first half turned a 15-13 Kansas advantage into a 26-15 lead with eight minutes remaining. Safford hit a pair of free throws to pull Missouri within eight at 30-22 with 6:35 left in the period, but that would be as close as the Tigers would get the rest of the way.
KU closed the half on 15-5 run and took a 20-point margin (50-30) into the break. The Jayhawks dominated the first half statistically out-rebounding the Tigers 37-15 and shooting 51 percent from the floor while holding Missouri to just 25 percent shooting.
Aldrich grabbed 12 rebounds in the first half alone, while Morris had 11 points on five of eight shooting and added six rebounds in 10 minutes of action.
Kansas will return to action when it travels to Manhattan, Kan. to face intra-state rival Kansas State on Saturday at 6 p.m. That game will be televised on ESPN.
