Q&A: In-Coming Gopher, Carlos Morris, Hoping for JUCO Title, Will Be at U in June

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Q&A: In-Coming Gopher, Carlos Morris, Hoping for JUCO National Title, Will Be at U in June
By Chris Monter

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/364756?referrer_id=388419

Carlos Morris, a 6-5 sophomore guard from Chipola (FL) Junior College who committed to Minnesota last fall, has helped lead the Indians to the NJCAA Tournament. Chipola is the third seed and will open play Wednesday against 19th seed State Fair at 6:00.

Morris is averaging 14.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game this season. He is shooting 42.8% from the field, 27.6% from three-point range and 69.3% from the charity stripe.

Gopher Hole caught up with Morris to learn the latest on his sophomore season and the NJCAA Tournament

Gopher Hole: You guys are a third seed and got a first round bye (the top eight seeds got byes). How do you feel the team is playing going into the national tournament?

Carlos Morris: We are playing our best basketball. We can still play better, but we are on a roll. We won six straight and we are definitely playing our best basketball now.

Gopher Hole: How about the season? You got off to a great start and then lost to Indian Hills, who is the number one seed and a team you would love to play again and then had a distraction when three of your top players were suspended after being arrested and then re-instated. What was that adjustment like in losing three of your best players and then getting them back?

Carlos Morris: I just felt that it made us just that much tougher. It made us closer together and come together as a team through the adversity. Adversity builds character and we showed a lot with those guys being gone.

Gopher Hole: How pleased have you been with your own individual play this year?

Carlos Morris: I am very pleased. I have got room for improvement, of course, but I picked it up since last year scoring and trying to be the best player that I can be and just help my team win. If my team needs me to not score and just play defense all day, I would be good with that. I just want to win.

Gopher Hole: You play on a team that has plenty of talent in Sam Cassell Jr,. who is headed to Connecticut, Cinmeon Bowers, who signed with Florida State and Torian Graham, who is one of the top available players in the country, so you are not asked to be "the man." Is that ever tough in a way because if you were on a different team you could probably put up 20 or more points a night?

Carlos Morris: It is all about sacrifice. LeBron went over with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and that was all about sacrifice. They just wanted rings and if you want to win, you are willing to sacrifice a couple of points.

Gopher Hole: Have you had a chance to watch much of Minnesota this year?

Carlos Morris: I watched them any time I could. Back at Chipola, we only get ESPN or ESPN2, but I watched them every chance I got.

Gopher Hole: What has your impressions been of the team?

Carlos Morris: It is what I have been thinking the whole year. They just play my style. It is up and down. I fit their system. I feel that I can go in there and make a name for myself.

Gopher Hole: They lost a couple of games during the midseason when Andre Hollins was out with an injury that probably cost them a chance to make the NCAA Tournament. They lose a couple of seniors, but I think that the expectations are with you, Nate Mason and Josh Martin coming in that they will have a much improved team since some of the current players maybe do not fit Coach Pitino's style as well as the newcomers might. Is that something you are looking forward to playing with those guys next season?

Carlos Morris: It is something that I am looking forward to. We didn't make the NCAA Tournament this year, which was not wanted I wanted to see, but we just have to come together and win.

Gopher Hole: Have you been in contact much with those two guys on Twitter or Facebook?

Carlos Morris: I talked to them after I meet them. I talk to Josh maybe more than Nate. We don't really talk like that. We are all trying to do our own thing. I am trying to win a national championship.

Gopher Hole: The team that won the national title last year was from Florida, a team that you beat in first round of the state tournament. What would it mean to you to win the national title this year?

Carlos Morris: It would mean everything, like you said. Central Florida won it last year and they won it for Florida, so it is only right if we came back and won it for Florida and would be national champs. That is big and that would be the first national championship for Chipola. That is huge.

Gopher Hole: When will you graduate from Chipola?

Carlos Morris: I want to say May 1st.

Gopher Hole: Will you come up to Minnesota in June for summer school?

Carlos Morris: Yes. I think that I am coming up June 16th.

Gopher Hole: You visited Minnesota the weekend of the Gopher-Iowa football game. Was that the first time you had ever been to Minnesota?

Carlos Morris: Yes. That was the only time.

Gopher Hole: What did you think of Minnesota?

Carlos Morris: Big time. I was impressed about the culture. I loved it. I loved the situation. The only thing that I didn't like was the cold weather (laughing). That is from being from Florida. I love it, though. Big Ten. You just got to do you. You have got to make a name for yourself, basically. You have got all the tools that you need. You are on a big stage. Playing with great players against great players. Whatever I can do.
 

I love his attitude about sacrifice (apart from mentioning LeBron lol), and he genuinely seems excited to be coming here. I think he will fit in very well.
 

scher215 said:
I love his attitude about sacrifice (apart from mentioning LeBron lol), and he genuinely seems excited to be coming here. I think he will fit in very well.
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He really is excited. Some kids we talk with their enthusiasm is tempered, but with all three guys in-coming, they really seem pumped to play for Pitino and to get to Minnesota this summer to get to work.
 

GopherHole Staff said:
He really is excited. Some kids we talk with their enthusiasm is tempered, but with all three guys in-coming, they really seem pumped to play for Pitino and to get to Minnesota this summer to get to work.
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Genuine kid. We are lucky to have him.
 

GopherHole Staff said:
He really is excited. Some kids we talk with their enthusiasm is tempered, but with all three guys in-coming, they really seem pumped to play for Pitino and to get to Minnesota this summer to get to work.
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Agreed. I get the impression that confidence is a huge factor for Pitino in the recruits he chooses to pursue. Mathieu, Malik, and King all play with a lot of confidence. Reading interviews / seeing tweets from Martin and now Morris, it seems like they'll be the same way. Not sure about Mason, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's the same way.
 


Gophers definitely need a guy that can shoot it from the outside other than Andre. That's Morris' forte, right?

If there's one thing I learn & that becomes crystal clear at the Big Ten Tournament every year it's that the Gophers lack the high-end talent to compete with the truly elite teams (this season it was Sparty, Michigan, and Bucky) in the Big Ten. We're good enough to compete with and beat the elite on occasion, but not on a night-in, night-out basis. There's a signiciant gap there, Michigan State, especially. When they walk out on the court they look like men compared to everyone else. Hopefully that starts to change.
 

I don't think that's Morris' forte at all. His % from 3 was pretty low if I remember correctly. I think he's just a solid overall player. Good on D, decent handle, good passer, can slash (from the little video I've seen on him), and decent mid-range game. I agree though, we need some 3 point shooters. I hope McNeil works hard on that in the offseason - he has a pretty decent looking jumper, just not consistent.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Gophers definitely need a guy that can shoot it from the outside other than Andre. That's Morris' forte, right?

If there's one thing I learn & that becomes crystal clear at the Big Ten Tournament every year it's that the Gophers lack the high-end talent to compete with the truly elite teams (this season it was Sparty, Michigan, and Bucky) in the Big Ten. We're good enough to compete with and beat the elite on occasion, but not on a night-in, night-out basis. There's a signiciant gap there, Michigan State, especially. When they walk out on the court they look like men compared to everyone else. Hopefully that starts to change.
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He can shoot the three when needed, but is somewhat streaky. Very good defender and transition player. Plays on the perimeter on offense, but is not a catch and shoot player. Tends to put the ball on the floor quickly, which can be good and bad in the B1G. Likes to move towards the hoop and is always looking for an easier basket for himself, or via the pass
 

Tommy Flanagan said:
He can shoot the three when needed, but is somewhat streaky. Very good defender and transition player. Plays on the perimeter on offense, but is not a catch and shoot player. Tends to put the ball on the floor quickly, which can be good and bad in the B1G. Likes to move towards the hoop and is always looking for an easier basket for himself, or via the pass
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So like Austin, except no catch and shoot preference. I preferred the Austin that was going to the hole vs the one that settled for outside jump-shots, however, he's on a streak right now and I cannot say I don't love that.
 



Winasota Gopher said:
So like Austin, except no catch and shoot preference. I preferred the Austin that was going to the hole vs the one that settled for outside jump-shots, however, he's on a streak right now and I cannot say I don't love that.
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I think Morris is a little taller and longer than Austin as well. He is also quite clearly a better ball handler. If he can play good D then I think it will be a clear upgrade.
 

Winasota Gopher said:
So like Austin, except no catch and shoot preference. I preferred the Austin that was going to the hole vs the one that settled for outside jump-shots, however, he's on a streak right now and I cannot say I don't love that.
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I hate to say this, but he reminds me of Austin Hollins. I am a Hollins supporter, but he can be frustrating at times. Morris has many of the same tendancies. Loose the dribble, take a bad three, etc..., but I hope, think he is more or a gamer. I think his mistakes tend to happen in the middle of the game, instead of when the game is on the line. I cant count how many times Hollins has produced key errors.
 

Unless we pickup 2 April signees, this is a marginal recruiting class. I watched Mason a couple of times and he doesn't impress me. Martin will be a player, but he needs a year from the strength coach. There are some transfers and other kids available to sign. I hope Pitino nabs them
 

MadtownGopher said:
I think Morris is a little taller and longer than Austin as well. He is also quite clearly a better ball handler. If he can play good D then I think it will be a clear upgrade.
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You also thought our first year coach was the 4th best in the B1G.
 





howieramone said:
You also thought our first year coach was the 4th best in the B1G.
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Are you just dense or manipulating facts to support your agenda? The thread was about who you would want as a coach going forward, given age, results, etc. And yes, I'd still take him 4th.
 



SelectionSunday said:
Gophers definitely need a guy that can shoot it from the outside other than Andre. That's Morris' forte, right?

If there's one thing I learn & that becomes crystal clear at the Big Ten Tournament every year it's that the Gophers lack the high-end talent to compete with the truly elite teams (this season it was Sparty, Michigan, and Bucky) in the Big Ten. We're good enough to compete with and beat the elite on occasion, but not on a night-in, night-out basis. There's a signiciant gap there, Michigan State, especially. When they walk out on the court they look like men compared to everyone else. Hopefully that starts to change.
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Spot on.
 





howieramone said:
I learned never to judge first year Gopher coaches. The worst Gopher team I have ever seen was Clem the Gem's first year.
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Well, then where "for a fact" does he not rank (other than 4th, since you have already told us that. Which others are sure he is not)??
 


I think you're confused. He's saying he would take Pitino 4th as coach for the future due to those factors listed--age being a big one. He doesn't think that Pitino is a top 4 coach (yet).

howieramone said:
I know that for a fact.
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Golden_Sloth said:
Agreed. I get the impression that confidence is a huge factor for Pitino in the recruits he chooses to pursue. Mathieu, Malik, and King all play with a lot of confidence. Reading interviews / seeing tweets from Martin and now Morris, it seems like they'll be the same way. Not sure about Mason, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's the same way.
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Mason's nickname is the assassin, that's all I need to know about him.
 


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