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: Didn’t have a hot hand but did a nice job of pushing the pace, distributing the ball and drawing fouls. Finished with 21 points, seven assists and two steals.
2. Brady Morningstar: Did a superb job of shadowing A.J. Abrams, who made just 2 of 11 field goals and 1 of 6 three-pointers. Also hit three huge three-pointers and finished with nine points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal without turning it over.
3. Cole Aldrich: Had trouble guarding and scoring on Dexter Pittman in the first half, but came through with a big second half and finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots.
4. Tyshawn Taylor: Poor first-half play (two points, three turnovers, poor defense) earned him a spot on the bench to start the second half. When he returned, he played aggressive, under control basketball and juiced the crowd with a hard one-hand slam on a pass from Collins on the break. Finished with 11 points and five assists.
5. Marcus Morris: Opened the second half with defensive intensity he lacked at the beginning of the game. Also showed determination scoring down low. Scored nine points.
6. Markieff Morris: Took an ill-advised three-pointer and had two turnovers but banked in a nice hook shot and contributed eight points in 14 minutes.
7. Travis Releford: Had four points and a steal in 10 minutes and gave the team a nice energy boost.
8. Mario Little: Had trouble defensively, but did such a good job of drawing fouls down low that he turned 10 minutes of playing time into six points.
9. Tyrel Reed: Took one shot and man was it a huge one. Again buried a three at the end of the first half to pull KU within seven at 44-37.
10. Quintrell Thomas: Checked in at the end so that Matt Kleinmann could check out and get an ovation on Senior Day.
The Keegan Ratings: Season Standings (total points)
1. Sherron Collins (269 points)
2. Cole Aldrich (264 points)
3. Tyshawn Taylor (205 points)
4. Brady Morningstar (188 points)
5. Marcus Morris (169 points)
6. Tyrel Reed (163 points)
7. Markieff Morris (149 points)
8. Travis Releford (110 points)
9. Mario Little (90 points)
10. Quintrell Thomas (64 points)
11. Tyrone Appleton (27 points)
The Keegan Ratings: Conference Standings (total points)
1. Sherron Collins (135 points)
2. Cole Aldrich (132 points)
3. Tyshawn Taylor (103 points)
4. Brady Morningstar (98 points)
5. Marcus Morris (89 points)
6. Mario Little (80 points)
7. Tyrel Reed (79 points)
8. Markieff Morris (77 points)
9. Travis Releford (53 points)
10. Quintrell Thomas (22 points)
11. Tyrone Appleton (8 points)
