Feb. 11, 2011

LAWRENCE, Kan. -

Marcus Morris was named to the Naismith midseason list of 30 men’s basketball players it was announced Friday by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.

Morris currently leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage at 61.0 percent, which also ranks 10th in the nation. A two-time Big 12 Player of the Week, Morris leads the Jayhawks with 16.9 points per game for the season. Morris’ 19.0 points per game in Big 12 contests ranks fourth in the conference.

The Naismith Trophy, presented by AT&T, will be awarded at the 2011 NCAA Men’s Final Four in Houston based on player performances for the season. Beginning this month, CBS’ coverage of college basketball will include the “AT&T at the Half” segment featuring a “Naismith Award” update highlighting the players in contention for the award. Fans can participate in the voting by text messaging for their favorite players. Fan voting will account for 25 percent of the final results.

Last year, Sherron Collins was one of four finalists for the prestigious honor. Current Kansas assistant coach Danny Manning won the Naismith Award in 1988.