We’ll never know if Tyshawn Taylor would have produced such a spectacular line in the box score Saturday (11 points, eight assists, four steals) if he had to chase Temple’s Dionte Christmas around all those screens.
We’ll never know because Kansas coach Bill Self trusted Brady Morningstar with the assignment, and the sophomore was up to it. Morningstar led a rotation that included Tyrel Reed and Travis Releford in checking Christmas, a quick, long-armed, 6-foot-5 shooter with NBA three-point range.
Reed struggled with the assignment, instinctively helping off of Christmas, inviting disaster. Releford did a solid job, but picked up two quick fouls and still didn’t display the feel for the offense to warrant more than six minutes of playing time.
Morningstar filled a duty that but for injuries would have fallen upon the bigger Mario Little. Morningstar also filled his role offensively as a player counted on to hit open three-point shots and otherwise keep the ball moving. He hit three of four three-pointers and finished with 11 points in 27 minutes, helping Kansas defeat Temple, 71-59.
Christmas, coming off of a 35-point performance in an upset victory against Tennessee, scored 18 of his 21 points against Kansas in the second half.
Morningstar went to former teammate Jeremy Case early in the week and asked him to cut up some highlights of Christmas. He learned the Christmas story is, if you’re not careful, he’ll shoot your eye out, kid.
“I noticed they brought him off a lot of screens, and if he creates any separation, he’s going to get his shot off, so you’ve got to sit on his hip,” Morningstar said. “That’s the main thing.”
Morningstar did a good job of not leaving Christmas to help out.
“I tried not to,” he said. “I knew if he caught it, he’s either going up with a shot or he’s going to drive. So I just tried to keep him from catching the ball, and if he did, put a hand over the ball so he couldn’t get a shot up.”
When Christmas did catch the ball on the perimeter, Morningstar often had the help of a trapping teammate.
“I thought Morningstar and the rest of the team did a good job of keying on me,” Christmas said.
Ideally, Kansas would have a small forward who rebounds better than Morningstar, who had one board and averages 2.2, but that’s not his strength, and small forward’s not his position. He’s the best option at the moment, and he’s making a valuable contribution.
The best measure of Morningstar’s value to this point is that he ranks third on the team with 27.3 minutes per game. His .484 three-point percentage is tops among regulars, and he has an .824 free-throw accuracy rate.
Morningstar also brings value in that he’s been around long enough to know this team can’t show up and win on reputation and needs to start quickly, as it did Saturday.
“I don’t think we’re talented enough in late-game situations as we were a year ago to come back from 10 down with two minutes left,” Morningstar said. “I think we’re talented, but we’re not as talented as we were a year ago. I think everyone would agree with that. From the get-go, we need to play D, score on offense, not have many turnovers.”
That’s what he does consistently to the best of his ability.
