Morris Twins Steal Show in Exhibition Opener
Nov. 3, 2010
Tuesday night’s exhibition game against Washburn was a family affair for Jayhawk juniors Marcus and Markieff Morris. The twins from Philadelphia accounted for 40 of the team’s 92 total points. Although only Marcus started the contest, his twin wasn’t far behind, equaling his brother in minutes played with 22 by the night’s end. The tandem finished the contest leading the team in scoring with Marcus’ 28 points and Markieff’s 12, which tied him for second with junior Tyshawn Taylor.
“My brother was finding me a lot and I was finding him” said Marcus following the team’s 30-point victory over the Ichabods.
The two would play off each other a lot during the first half, including one stretch when the duo went on a 6-0 run. The first four of those points would be scored off of a dunk and two free throws from Marcus, which put the Jayhawks up 20 halfway through the first period. Markieff would cap off his brother’s scoring streak just a minute later with a bucket of his own to make it 32-14.
“He (Markieff) and Marcus are our two best passers,” said head Coach Bill Self, backed up by the twins’ six total assists with all three of Markieff’s going to his brother.
Markieff wasn’t just passing the ball Tuesday night; the junior finished the opener perfect from beyond the arc, hitting two treys in as many touches from three-point land.
“If he heats up like that later on in the season teams will be in trouble,” said Marcus. “”He (Markieff) is shooting deeper and it looks good every time he shoots it, so if teams let him get hot like that, they’re going to be in for a rude awakening.”
When the final buzzer sounded on the Jayhawks’ 92-62 victory, Marcus could claim a perfect night from the charity stripe, going 11-for-11 and was just two off that pace from the field at 8-for-10. Markieff’s two blocks went along with his team leading eight rebounds and two three’s.
After the game Coach Self indicated that tonight’s performance was just a taste of what the duo is capable of, especially with more time out on the court.
“They’re not going to play 22 minutes very often unless they’re in foul trouble.” He said. “They need to be guys for us that play 30-plus.”
The Morris twins will look to equal that 30-minute mark their coach set for them as they and the rest of the six-time defending Big 12 champion Jayhawks will wrap up the exhibition season next Tuesday, Nov. 9 against Emporia State at Allen Fieldhouse.
