Michigan sophomore point guard Darius Morris was named Big Ten co-Player of the Week on Monday for his performances against Michigan State and Iowa. He shares the award with Penn State's Talor Battle.
↵Morris scored 17 points and dished out eight assists in helping the Wolverines to their first win in East Lansing since 1997 last Thursday. And on Sunday, he notched a triple-double (the third in school history) versus the Hawkeyes, with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.
↵It's the second time Morris has won conference player of the week honors this season.
↵As if being recognized for his efforts by the Big Ten wasn't enough, Morris was also featured in a Wall Street Journal article asking who was the most valuable player in college basketball. Based on who was involved in the highest percentage of his team's field goals, whether making the shot himself or assisting in the score, Morris accounts for more than half of Michigan's offense.
↵↵↵↵It wouldn't be accurate to say Mr. Morris is the Wolverines' entire offense, but he's more than half. The 6-foot-4 sophomore, who had a triple double Sunday against Iowa, has scored or assisted on 53% his team's made shots. No other player in the 10 aforementioned conferences tops 50%. When looking at all of Division I, the only player who accounts for a higher percentage of his team's baskets is Chris De La Rosa of Maryland-Baltimore County (54%).
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BYU's Jimmer Fredette and UConn's Kemba Walker might be getting the big headlines as the first- and third-ranked scorers in Division I. But where would Michigan be without Morris?
↵Leaving him off the list of Cousy Award candidates seems like an even more egregious omission now.