Murray State's Ja Morant became just the eighth player ever to record a triple-double in the NCAA tournament on Thursday.
CLOSE SportsPulse: The Ja Morant bandwagon is fully loaded and, according to USA TODAY's Scott Gleeson, there's no reason he can't lead Murray State on a deep run. USA TODAY
"If honestly don't know me by now," Morant said with a smile after the game, "I don't know what to say."More: Murray State's Ja Morant ready for star turn in NCAA tournamentA no-star recruit from South Carolina who is projected to be a top-five NBA draft pick, Morant recorded the first triple-double in the NCAA tournament since Draymond Green achieved the feat in 2012. He finished with 17 points, 16 assists and 11 rebounds.
The marquee Morant moment, though, was a dunk early in the second half. He collected a pass on a backdoor cut, dunked over Marquette forward Joey Hauser and scowled after he hit the ground. — NCAA March Madness March 21, 2019While Howard is a brilliant scorer — he dropped 16 in the first half and 26 total — Morant elevated the Racers with an array of impressive passes, including five assists in the first 5:50 of the game.
"I really don't pay too much attention to the hype," Morant said. "I just try to go out and play the same game every night."More: Father of Florida State's Phil Cofer, dies at 58 That's what allowed Howard and Marquette to hang around in the first half. It proved to be short-lived.
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