After each KU basketball game this season, this is where you can find out the hardwood equivalent of The Nielsen Ratings from Journal-World sports editor Tom Keegan. He’ll rate the Jayhawk scholarship players’ individual performances, telling you who was worth tuning in to watch. If you agree or maybe even differ, make sure to comment and tell Tom how you really feel. (Scoring: Each week, the top player in the ratings will be awarded 10 points. Second best gets nine points. Third best gets eight points, and so on and so on. The season standings are at the bottom.)
1. Sherron Collins: Played 37 minutes, scored 17 points and pushed his streak of consecutive made free throws to 27.
2. Brady Morningstar: The team needed somebody to take some of the scoring burden off of Collins in the first half and Morningstar responded with nine of his 11 points. He’s making 46 percent of his three-point shots.
3. Tyrel Reed: Hit two huge three-pointers late, enhancing his reputation as a guy who makes the big shot.
4. Travis Releford: Didn’t get off the bench in the second half but gave the team a big spark offensively, scoring five points in six minutes. Also picked up three defensive rebounds. Still having trouble fighting through picks on defense.
5. Mario Little: Not his best performance, but he played a season-high 30 minutes and totaled four points, seven rebounds and two assists.
6. Cole Aldrich: Scoreless without a rebound in 11 first-half minutes, Aldrich came alive in the second half, finishing with eight points and eight rebounds against the undersized Cornhuskers. Three of his four turnovers came in the first half.
7. Markieff Morris: Had five points, five rebounds, a block, a steal and just one personal foul in seven minutes.
8. Tyshawn Taylor: Two months and three days after playing like a veteran against Syracuse, Taylor played very much like a freshman. Poor decision after poor decision led to six turnovers. Has hit just 25 percent of three-pointers in past seven games.
9. Marcus Morris: Started but played just seven minutes. Did a poor job of getting back on defense and made ill-advised passes.
10. Quintrell Thomas: Played just two minutes.
The Keegan Ratings: Season Standings (total points)
1. Sherron Collins (178 points)
2. Cole Aldrich (171 points)
3. Tyshawn Taylor (135 points)
4. Brady Morningstar (127 points)
5. Tyrel Reed (110 points)
6. Marcus Morris (103 points)
7. Markieff Morris (91 points)
8. Travis Releford (71 points)
9. Quintrell Thomas (48 points)
10. Mario Little (41 points)
11. Tyrone Appleton (22 points)
