The USF shot blocker needs one more to set the school record in his last game of college basketball.
By PETE YOUNG
Published March 6, 2004
TAMPA - For an exceedingly low-key fellow, Gerrick Morris knows how to make a loud entrance and departure. He started at South Florida with a school record and should go out the same way tonight.
Morris shattered the USF mark with 11 blocked shots in his first game at the Sun Dome in the fall of 2000. His first block tonight against DePaul, in his last game, sets a USF career record of 258.
"I know from reading the newspapers that I've been getting close to the record," said Morris, who will be honored before the game with senior walk-on Brian Graham. "I've looked at the record book. It's something that I was excited about."
Morris, who averages four blocks, 6.2 rebounds and 4.7 points, nearly got the record-setter Wednesday. On the final play against UAB, the 6-foot-10 Morris sprang out to challenge Morris Finley, who was poised to shoot. Instead, Finley passed to the corner, and Sidney Ball's 3-pointer with 0.3 to go defeated USF 61-59.
"I thought he was going to go up and shoot that," Morris said. "I was hoping to get a piece of it."
It was symbolic of USF's season. The Bulls have foundered to a 7-19 record, 1-14 in C-USA, in Morris' final season, but he said he will have only warm memories of his experience. His mother, sister, brother and high school coach will attend tonight.
"It went by fast," said Morris, who is from West Palm Beach. "I'm going to remember all of the people I've met, all the great teams I got to play against. I'm going to miss the atmosphere of college basketball. I'm just going to miss everything about it."
Morris said he isn't concerned about not setting the record. An injury, foul trouble or a statistical anomaly could thwart him. But even if he doesn't get one, he will have a share of the mark with Curtis Kitchen (1982-86) at 257. Morris' 102 blocks this season also are a USF record, surpassing Kitchen's 89 in 1985-86.
Graham, a 6-4 forward from Brandon, originally played for Central Florida and spent just this season with the Bulls. He became a fixture in the lineup when several players quit or were lost to injury. Graham didn't play before the conference season began but starts his 12th game tonight and has averaged nearly 30 minutes.
DePaul (18-8, 11-4) makes a quick turnaround after beating Cincinnati 68-65 Thursday night in Chicago. With a win the Blue Demons could finish in a five-way tie for first in the conference.
Whether or not USF pulls the upset, the Bulls generally will be glad to put this season behind them and look forward to better days - and bigger crowds.
Morris' record-setting block is likely to come before about 1,000. Attendance is down as attrition-ravaged USF has stumbled through coach Robert McCullum's first season.
The average announced attendance (tickets distributed) of 3,347 is the second lowest in the 24 years USF has been in the Sun Dome. The average actual attendance (ticket stubs counted) is 1,613. Three times in the past five games, actual attendance has failed to eclipse 1,000, including 964 Wednesday against UAB.
