**Jesse Newell:** Welcome back to the GameDay Cram Session, as Kansas is taking on Iowa State on Saturday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse.
Tom, what impressed you about Iowa State guard Diante Garrett during his first game against KU this season?
**Tom Keegan:** He played with so much more confidence than in past years. I’ve always followed his career closely because I used to have his father’s basketball card. Dick Garrett had a good rookie season with the Lakers and then played for my Buffalo Braves. Watching Diante the past three years, I never thought he’d develop into such a good scorer.
**JN:** Garrett definitely was impressive in KU’s 84-79 victory over ISU on Jan. 12, scoring 27 points on 11-for-25 shooting. He actually started out 9-for-16 before making just 2 of his last 9 shots on tired legs.
The senior point guard has improved offensively this year, but his scoring numbers are a bit inflated because the high number of shots he takes. Garrett is fifth in the Big 12 in scoring at 17.9 points per game, but he’s already taken 404 field-goal attempts this year.
To put that in perspective, Marcus Morris leads KU in field-goal attempts this year, and he only has 246. That’s 158 fewer field goals attempted than Garrett, and Marcus’ scoring average is only a point lower (16.9 ppg).
Let’s switch over to KU. On Friday night, KU coach Bill Self announced that Josh Selby would likely not play against ISU because of his foot injury.
Tom, put yourself in Self’s shoes. The next time Selby is completely healthy, who would you start: Selby or Brady Morningstar?
**TK:** I’d start Morningstar and bring Selby off the bench. First bad mistake from Taylor, Morningstar or Reed and Selby checks in. As Self and so many other coaches are fond of saying, “It’s not who starts. It’s who finishes.” In the ISU game, look for Royce Woolridge to be on the court at the finish.
**JN:** That would certainly be what most people are expecting, especially considering Iowa State’s slide since the beginning of Big 12 play.
The Cyclones have collapsed defensively, going from 22nd in adjusted defensive efficiency at the start of Big 12 play to 57th now. ISU also has fallen from 44th to 110th in defensive turnover percentage and from ninth to 43rd in two-point defense.
One has to wonder if ISU coach Fred Hoiberg might be playing the wrong offensive style for his team. The Cyclones use the sixth-lowest amount of bench minutes in the NCAA, yet they play the 26th-fastest pace.
ISU might benefit from slowing it down just a bit, especially considering the Cyclones’ rotation is only going seven deep.
All right, Tom, what’s your prediction for this game?
**TK:** Kansas 90, Iowa State 68. The players are all talking about how they need to perform better defensively, so look for them to make points hard to come by for the Cyclones.
**JN:** I’ll go KU by 25. Even without Thomas Robinson (torn meniscus) and Selby, there’s no reason to think the Jayhawks won’t get great shots against the Cyclones’ defense. I don’t think ISU is going to slow the pace down, and the more possessions KU has, the greater the chance we see a blowout. I’ll go ahead and predict one here.
OK, Tom, who’s your Hawk to Rock?
**TK:** Markieff Morris.
Iowa State doesn’t have the bodies or physical mentality to hang with KU’s big men. Markieff has caught a lot of grief for his cheap shot from the last game, so look for him to be especially eager to please.
**JN:** I’ll go with Brady Morningstar.
In Iowa State’s last three games, opponents have made 35 of 77 three-pointers (45.5 percent). KU’s ball movement should open up the perimeter for plenty of open shots, and Morningstar has been the Jayhawks’ hottest long-range shooter as of late (57.1 percent from three in his last five games).
In the three games I’ve picked Morningstar this year for Hawk to Rock, he’s finished 10th, eighth and eighth in the Keegan ratings.
In other words, it’s time to break my Hawk to Rock jinx.
Tracking the picks
——————
**Predictions tally (through 24 games)**
Tom: 21-3 record, 273 points off (11.4 points off/game)
Jesse: 23-1 record, 286 points off (11.9 points off/game)
Hawk to Rock
————
**Tom Keegan**
Longwood: Tyrel Reed (6th in Keegan ratings)
Valparaiso: Marcus Morris (1st)
North Texas: Tyrel Reed (6th)
Texas A&M-CC: Marcus Morris (5th)
Ohio: Markieff Morris (3rd)
Arizona: Marcus Morris (1st)
UCLA: Tyshawn Taylor (1st)
Memphis: Markieff Morris (4th)
Colorado State: Tyshawn Taylor (2nd)
USC: Tyrel Reed (6th)
Cal: Marcus Morris (6th)
UT Arlington: Tyrel Reed (8th)
Miami: Marcus Morris (3rd)
UMKC: Markieff Morris (9th)
Michigan: Thomas Robinson (8th)
Iowa State: Tyshawn Taylor (7th)
Nebraska: Josh Selby (9th)
Baylor: Josh Selby (3rd)
Texas: Marcus Morris (3rd)
Colorado: Markieff Morris (5th)
Kansas State: Marcus Morris (4th)
Texas Tech: Markieff Morris (4th)
Nebraska: Mario Little (7th)
Missouri: Tyrel Reed (7th)
**Average Hawk to Rock: 4.9th in Keegan ratings**
**Jesse Newell**
Longwood: Markieff Morris (1st in Keegan ratings)
Valparaiso: Brady Morningstar (8th)
North Texas: Tyrel Reed (6th)
Texas A&M-CC: Thomas Robinson (2nd)
Ohio: Tyshawn Taylor (4th)
Arizona: Brady Morningstar (8th)
UCLA: Markieff Morris (6th)
Memphis: Thomas Robinson (1st)
Colorado State: Markieff Morris (1st)
USC: Thomas Robinson (2nd)
Cal: Markieff Morris (2nd)
UT Arlington: Brady Morningstar (10th)
Miami: Tyshawn Taylor (8th)
UMKC: Josh Selby (1st)
Michigan: Tyrel Reed (4th)
Iowa State: Marcus Morris (1st)
Nebraska: Thomas Robinson (3rd)
Baylor: Tyshawn Taylor (6th)
Texas: Josh Selby (8th)
Colorado: Jeff Withey (7th)
Kansas State: Tyrel Reed (8th)
Texas Tech: Thomas Robinson (1st)
Nebraska: Tyrel Reed (5th)
Missouri: Markieff Morris (3rd)
**Average Hawk to Rock: 4.4th in Keegan ratings**
Kansas guard Brady Morningstar leaps to pass up court against Missouri during the first half on Monday, Feb. 7, 2011 at Allen Fieldhouse.
