Sophomore forward Marcus Morris scored a career-high 23 points and recorded 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season, lifting top-ranked Kansas past Michigan, 75-64, Saturday before a sold out crowd at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks improved to 10-0 for the third time under head coach Bill Self, while the Wolverines dropped to 5-5.
After Michigan led 11-10 early on, the Jayhawks went on a 28-7 run midway through the first half to take control. During the eight-minute stretch, Morris scored nine of his 23 points, including a three-point play to stretch the lead to eight with 8:14 remaining in the first half.
Michigan trailed by as much as 21 in the first half, but switched to a 1-3-1 zone defensively to cut the lead to 11 in the final two minutes of the first half. However, KU’s defense kept the advantage to double-digits the entire second half, holding the Wolverines to just 13-of-34 shooting from the field, including 2-of-15 from beyond the three-point line.
Morris was one of three Jayhawks in double-figures, while KU’s defense held the Wolverines to just 36 percent shooting from the field. Morris tallied 14 of his 23 points in the second half, finished 4-of-5 from the field and 5-for-5 from the free throw line following the intermission.
After a slow first half, Xavier Henry got more involved offensively, and scored 10 of his 15 points in the second 20-minute period. Senior Sherron Collins chipped in 19 points – his highest total since he recorded 23 against Hofstra in the first game of the season. Collins’ three-point field goal in the first half moved him into fifth-place on the Jayhawk career list with 182, surpassing Brandon Rush.
Junior center Cole Aldrich was held without a field goal for the first time this season, but contributed a game-high 11 rebounds, three blocks and five points, all of which were from the foul line. Junior Brady Morningstar played 22 minutes in his first action of the season, and chipped in two points, three assists and a steal off the bench.
The Jayhawks will face California on Tuesday evening at Allen Fieldhouse in a game that can be seen on ESPN2. Tip off is scheduled for 8 p.m.
