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2008-2009 KANSAS BASKETBALL
Markieff starts season right
BY CASE KEEFER
ckeefer@kansan.com
"He probably got me confused with somebody else," Self said. "Probably some young lady on campus — he texted her and thought it was me probably. I don't remember getting any texts about that."
Markieff Morris was so nervous before his first game as a Jayhawk on Sunday that he sent a text message to Kansas coach Bill Self asking for help.
At least, Morris, freshman forward, thought he did. Self wasn't so sure.
Whoever received Morris' text message must have responded with something inspirational. Morris overcame his freshman anxiety in Kansas' 71-56 victory against UMKC and recorded 15 rebounds and seven points off the bench.
Morris said he didn't expect his case of the jitters to flare up as bad in tonight's game against Florida Gulf Coast. But if they do, he could always send a text message to somebody.
Weston White/KANSAN
Freshman Tyshawn Taylor drives the lane for a two-point basket. Taylor scored seven points and had four rebounds.
NOVEMBER 18,2008
Collins, defense dominate
BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
Sherron Collins missed more than five three-pointers in a row in the shootaround before the game against Florida Gulf Coast.
He rarely missed one again for the rest of the night. Collins shot 4-for-6 from three-point range and scored a careerhigh 25 points in the 85-45 Jayhawk victory against the Eagles.
"I just knew I was hot," Collins said. "Mostly everything I was putting up was going in. I felt pretty good shooting it."
Florida Gulf Coast reserved for themselves all the missed shots once the game began.
The Eagles converted on only 13 of their 55 shots from the field.
"They missed shots," Self said. "But any time a team shoots that percentage, you must have done some things defensively."
Jon Goering/KANSAN
Junior guard Sherron Collins works to get a shot around Florida Gulf Coast defender Derrick O'Neil during the first half. Collins drew a foul on the play, sank both free throws and scored a career-high 25 points in the victory.
Hawks slam sluggish Huskies
Sophomore center Cole Aldrich throws down a dunk during the second half against Washington.
Jon Goering/KANSAN
BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor and Washington guard Isaiah Thomas used to be friends.
Taylor, a freshman, played against Thomas a couple times over the years in AAU tournaments. But in the Jayhawks' 73-54 victory against the Huskies, Taylor may have severed their relationship permanently.
With four minutes to go in the first half, Thomas stole a Taylor pass and sprinted down the court all alone to attempt a layup. Only Taylor caught him and swatted the shot attempt toward the Jayhawk band behind the basket.
"I thought he was going to dunk it, so I kind of slowed down," Taylor said. "But when I saw that he was jumping up slow I said, 'I have to get that.'"
Sprint Center erupted in cheers and high fives.
And the game was never the same.
Cole Aldrich set off the first few explosions in the first half. He elevated over Washington senior forward Jon Brockman to throw down an easy dunk midway and held Brockman to seven points.
APRIL 27, 2009
THE UNIVERSITY DARY KANSAN