Boston University Terriers wary of KU’s Morris twins

By Matt Tait     Mar 18, 2011

Nick Krug
Kansas forward Marcus Morris watches the Kentucky Princeton game as his brother Markieff Morris takes questions from media members in the locker room during a day of practices and press conferences for teams playing second and third round games in Tulsa on Thursday, March 17, 2011 at the BOK Center.

? It’s a simple task in terms of instruction and far more difficult in its execution.

This week in practice, Boston University forwards Chris Kurz and Jeff Pelage were asked to emulate Kansas University’s Morris twins, Marcus and Markieff, in preparation for tonight’s meeting with Kansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The reports on how they looked varied, but both took the challenge of impersonating the potential first-round NBA Draft picks with equal doses of intensity and pleasure.

“It’s a great challenge to try to simulate the Morris twins in practice,” BU coach Patrick Chambers said. “They did the best they could, though. I give them a lot of credit. They had some fun with it, but they definitely competed.”

Though playing like KU’s All-Big 12 twins was tough, it came easier for Kurz, a 6-foot-8, 210-pound forward, because of where he grew up.

“I played against them all throughout high school and AAU,” said Kurz, one of four Philly natives on BU’s roster. “Actually, a bunch of us went out to this camp in Atlanta, Ga., and I got to know Marcus and Markieff a little bit there. We had a great time.”

Knowing them is one thing. Playing like them is another. So how did Kurz draw the assignment of spinning and soaring, shooting and scoring like Marcus Morris, his potential All-American counterpart?

“Well, because I’m big and I have a few guard skills, too,” he said. “Obviously, I’m not the player that he is, but I just tried to do as much as I could in the high post, with the high-lows, just tried to do all I could to help this team get ready.”

According to teammates, Kurz handled the chore admirably.

“He doesn’t give himself much credit, but I thought he did a great job of imitating the types of things we’ll be exposed to, what types of moves he might make, his tendencies,” said junior center Jeff Pelage, who played the role of Markieff. “He really studied him and looked at his game, and I think he did a great job.”

That’s the consensus opinion of BU’s Philly guys — which includes Chambers — when talking about the Morris twins.

When not matched up with them in the NCAA Tournament, Kurz said he found himself cheering for Kansas often, just the way he does with the dozen or so other college players he knows who call Philadelphia home.

“I think us Philly guys, we really try to root for each other,” he said.

Added forward Travis Robinson, a freshman from Friends Central High in Philly: “All the guys in Philly pretty much played together at one point or another. Everyone that plays basketball knows each other. It’s a big city, but, basketball-wise, it feels small.”

Like Kurz and the rest of the Terriers’ locker room, BU’s “T-Rob” had nothing but praise for his hometown brethren.

“I always knew the twins from rec leagues, other leagues, AAU tournaments, so I’m pretty familiar with them,” Robinson said. “I must say they’ve gotten a lot better. And they’ve definitely done a great job of representing Philly. Toughness, heart and loyalty to the city.”

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.