A delightful family reunion breaks out at MSG

NEW YORK — Nearly 50 friends and family flooded the area near the concession stand in the concourse of Madison Square Garden.

Aged 10 to senior citizen, they were all there to see their boys (who have most certainly become men), Markieff (right) and Marcus.

And half the party had already left.

"Being an East Coast guy, coming home and playing in front my hometown fans, was great," Marcus Morris said. "Well, my Philly fans. I'm not from New York, but this definitely was special."

The Morris twins speculated nearly 100 familiar faces got ducats to watch them and the Jayhawks paste Memphis Tuesday night, an 81-68 Kansas victory.

Afterward, the two were happy to have gotten a win and gotten the game over with — again.

After all, there is a history with the Morris brothers and the Memphis Tigers. Back when John Calipari was coaching in the the River City, these two signed on to play as Tigers. Last season, the twins faced the same questions and anxiety heading into their game against Memphis, which took place in St. Louis and was a much closer affair. Kansas won, 57-55.

But in that game, the twins totaled 14 points and seven rebounds. Their subplot was exactly that.

Tuesday night, they were the story. Exposing Memphis' weakness around the rim in the process, the two combined to shoot 14-of-22 from the field, scored 30 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.

And had seven assists. And three steals. And three more blocks.

"It was a bit emotional coming into this game," Markieff Morris said. "And without Josh (Selby) we knew we'd have a physical challenge in front of us, too."

Kansas remained undefeated (8-0) thanks to the Morris twins' physical play in and around the paint. Kansas was the first elite team Memphis played this season, and the Jayhawks made the Tigers look second-class, from a physical standpoint.

"There was definitely anxiety," Marcus Morris said. "That's why I came out firing so much. I felt I had something to prove against this team. I was forcing it a little bit earlier, but I think I got better as the game went on."

Kansas coach Bill Self said he didn't address the Memphis situation with his players. Although he saw it as a motivation, most of those mental hurdles were cleared last year, he said.

Marcus Morris remained unsatisfied afterward. That was all due to his five turnovers, something that plagued KU all night. Because of that holiday charity, the game remained as close as it did, in fact.

"I had five turnovers, and any time I have five turnovers, that's a definite, primary concern for me," he said. "And you never want to turn the ball over 22 times in a game and show a team your weaknesses."

Although most who saw minutes for Josh Pastner's Tigers are too young to have been a part of Memphis when the twins originally committed to the program, that doesn't mean there wasn't plenty of chatter amongst the players about what could've been.

"Yeah, there was a little trash talk, but it was all fun," Marcus Morris said.

"That's a part of the game, of course there was trash talking," Markieff Morris said. "It wouldn't be a Memphis-Kansas game if there wasn't."

There is another emerging staple to a Memphis-Kansas game as well: Kansas always wins.

Photo: US PRESSWIRE.

Patricia Velásquez Jennifer Morrison Adrianne Palicki Amanda Righetti Michelle Branch