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PETE YOUNGThe senior and first-year starter's shot-blocking artistry is leading Conference USA.
Gerrick Morris envisions the ultimate rejection.
He sees himself rising up for the block, as he did 10 times in South Florida's last game, and swatting it right back between the beady eyes of ...
"Shaq," Morris said. "Hopefully he doesn't break my neck or something. But in the right situation, I think I could block (his shot)."
Whoa. The 6-foot-10 Morris gives up 3 inches and roughly 100 pounds to the Diesel, but he gives up nothing to anyone in shot-blocking talent. He has 45 in the past seven games, an average of 6.5.
"He's just had an air about him unlike anything previously," USF coach Robert McCullum said. "He erases a lot of mistakes."
Morris, who cites Alonzo Mourning and Ben Wallace as role models, accrues blocks in bunches (eight in a little more than eight minutes Feb. 13 against Southern Miss) and in every manner. He routinely sends it back at the opposing big man, helps on dribble penetration, slides out on the shooter and dashes back in transition for the out-of-nowhere, hustle swat.
"Sometimes he rejects the ball so forcefully he knocks it into the backcourt, or into the third or fourth row," McCullum said. "It's so natural with him. We just leave him alone and let him do what he does."
Morris, a senior from West Palm Beach who graduated in 31/2 years in December, is averaging a Conference USA-leading 4.5 blocks in league play and 4.0 overall, fourth nationally. UConn's Emeka Okafor leads with 4.8.
Morris' 92 blocks this season surpass the USF record of 89 by Curtis Kitchen. He needs 11 in the final four games to pass Kitchen's career mark of 257 despite averaging 13.5 minutes a game his first three seasons.
USF forward Terrence Leather said it took a lengthy adjustment period to cope with Morris in practice.
"My freshman year I came in here and he was throwing my (shots) all over the gym," Leather said.
Though he inherited the starting position from Will McDonald this season, Morris' performance was lackluster until late January, when he showed up to practice one day with a slightly lower haircut. The mild-mannered Morris has been a force ever since.
"I don't think the haircut has anything to do with it, but it was about the same time I picked it up," Morris said.
Said Leather: "I guess it's hit him that his time is almost over, and he wants to leave his mark on South Florida."
TONIGHT: USF VS. MARQUETTEWHEN/WHERE: 7; Sun Dome, Tampa.
TV/RADIO: ESPN2; WTBN-AM 570 and 910.
RECORDS: Marquette 13-9, 5-7 C-USA; USF 7-16, 1-11.
COACHES: Marquette - Tom Crean (96-50, fifth season); USF - Robert McCullum (first season; 51-61).
KEY PLAYERS: Marquette - Travis Diener, PG, 6-1 Jr. (18.2 ppg, 6 apg, 46.4 3-point percentage); Steve Novak, F, 6-10 So. (12.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 67 3-pointers); Scott Merritt, F, 6-10 Sr. (11.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg). USF - Terrence Leather, F, 6-9 Jr. (15 ppg, 8.8 rpg); Bradley Mosley, G, 6-2 Jr. (14 ppg, 3.5 apg); Brian Swift, PG, 5-10 Jr. (10.1 ppg, 4 apg).
NOTES: With four games to go, USF is two wins behind Tulane, Houston and East Carolina in the C-USA standings. The bottom two teams don't qualify for the conference tournament. The Bulls lost their 13th consecutive C-USA road game Saturday 53-52 at Houston, blowing a late six-point lead. The Golden Eagles lost Dwyane Wade, the No. 5 pick in the NBA draft by the Heat, off last season's Final Four team and have dropped seven of their past 10. Diener leads the league in scoring (19.2) and assists (5.6) in C-USA games. Diener (37), Novak (37) and Swift (36) are the top three in 3-pointers in C-USA play. USF's starting five of Leather, Mosley, Swift, Gerrick Morris and walk-on Brian Graham is averaging 38 minutes each the past two games.