At 6:25 p.m. Monday night, the whole cute brother-vs.-brother storyline turned into straight business.
That was the last time Kansas University junior guard Rodrick Stewart exchanged pleasantries with his twin brother, Southern Cal senior sharpshooter Lodrick Stewart, prior to Monday’s KU-USC game.
While the two are identical in every possible way except for the body art on their arms, their stat lines couldn’t have been any different.
Lodrick played 31 minutes, hit five three-pointers – each of which seemed to come at perfect moments – and finished with a game-high 23 points.
Rodrick played only three minutes – all in the first half – and missed his lone shot attempt of the night, registering just one assist.
But Rodrick got the stat that mattered most to him – a 72-62 victory in Allen Fieldhouse.
“It was good to see my brother have the good game, but I’m glad we did get the win, because I didn’t want him to come in here and win in the fieldhouse,” Rodrick said. “Then he’d really have something to talk about.”
Lodrick’s actions spoke louder Monday than those of just about any other player to suit up for what was a gritty, foul-filled defensive battle.
“I knew he was gonna come out and play like that,” said Rodrick, who after exchanging a hug with his brother following the national anthem kept his eyes on No. 3 in maroon-and-gold most of the night from his bench seat. “I don’t want to say it in a way that he takes it personal, but he came in trying to prove he could play with anybody. He feels like he can’t miss anytime he steps on the court.”
Rodrick made him miss once – late in the first half when he got the opportunity to defend his mirror image. Rodrick stifled a Lodrick crossover move just outside the three-point arc, shutting down a potential drive down the paint before it began.
“I know every move he’s ever thought about doing before he even does it,” Rodrick said. “Like before halftime when I tried to steal the ball, I knew the move he was going to do.”
KU coach Bill Self said he wished he would have given Rodrick more minutes, especially with the twins’ father, Bull Stewart, in attendance from Seattle.
Self joked afterward that playing Rodrick more might not be a bad idea to have a shot down the road at recruiting Bull’s younger twin sons, Hikeem and Kadeem.
“I don’t know if you know this, but their father, Bull, I don’t know if he’s like a seven-time world-champion powerlifter,” Self said. “He’s got another set of twins who are in sixth or seventh grade that are better athletes than these two. Whatever he’s doing, I’d like to get some of it.”
