Not only did no. 12 seed Murray State beat the no. 5 seed Marquette Golden Eagles, but they pounded them into oblivion. The Racers lived up to their namesake by getting out and making plays in transition, with star point guard Ja Morant piling up eight assists in the first half and 16 for the game.
Morant also displayed his the absurd athleticism and scoring ability that should make him a lock to be a top-three pick in the upcoming NBA Draft this summer.
For many college basketball fans, Morant was simply another highlight-reel player from a mid-major.
But after a spectacular triple-double performance, the hype has exploded. Ja Morant, however, seems to have more in store this March:
RELAX ‼️ i’m not done yet 😏 pic.twitter.com/IQPAhmgmLs
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) March 22, 2019
With 17 points and 12 rebounds to go along with the 16 assists, Morant notched the first triple-double in the NCAA Tournament since Draymond Green in 2012. It was also the ninth triple-double in Tournament history.
Morant out dueled Marquette's standout point guard Markus Howard, who scored 26 points but shot just 9 of 27 from the field, including 4 of 14 from beyond the arc.
In all, three Racers scored in double figures, and they will need that same kind of balanced attack against a stingy Florida State team that has plenty of size and length.
Multiple NBA teams at the bottom of the standings could use a multi-faceted guard like Morant. The Knicks just acquired Dennis Smith Jr., but the Suns would be a perfect landing spot for Morant, who would compliment the abilities of Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton very well.
The Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers could take Morant in the Draft, as the Bulls look to be moving on from Kris Dunn while Collin Sexton may be better served as a two guard for the Cavs.
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