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Deshaun Morman Season in Review

It is with a heavy heart that we must say farewell to Morman, but first, let's take a look at his freshman season with the Bearcats.

By Phil Neuffer
Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports

The Numbers

  • 3.6 points, 14.3 per 40 minutes
  • 0.9 rebounds, 3.5 per 40 minutes
  • 0.7 assists, 2.8 per 40 minutes
  • 0.5 steals, 2 per 40 minutes
  • .378/.308/.650 shooting splits
Before we start, there will be no next year for Morman in Cincinnati. It was announced in April that he would transfer. So, to all the potential teams Morman may choose, here's a brief rundown of what you could be getting from the 6-foot-3 guard.

Morman is an excellent all-around player, who was recruited for his defensive chops. He has the size and energy to stop most players on the perimeter, which should have fit in nicely at Cincinnati, the connection just never came to fruition. Still, when a guy puts up only 0.6 win shares, and 0.5 come from defense, the picture becomes clear that his biggest value is on D. It also doesn't hurt that he would have averaged two steals per game if he played 40 minutes each time out.

But let's not completely overlook Morman's offense. He only scored 3.6 points per game, but that stretches out to 14.3 on a 40 minutes per game basis. Sustaining such a pace, or even expanding on it, will require Morman to improve his efficiency and overall offensive game. He had an offensive rating of 94.3 last season and also shot below 40 percent from the field overall.

The Best of the Best

Friday, November 28 vs. Middle Tennessee

This was the first game in which Morman played serious minutes. He was on the court for 23 spins of the second hand, and accumulated nine points, two assists and as many steals in a 69-51 victory. He would never play more than 20 minutes in a single game the rest of the season, but it was a big jump from the 13 total he played through the first four contests.

Thursday, January 15 2015 at Memphis

It is unfortunate but Morman's best game of the season came in a 63-50 loss. He did his best to keep the Bearcats in contention, sinking 3-of-4 shots, including a pair of triples, en route to matching a season-high of 11 points. He also scored 11 points against Mississippi, but that came in a loss as well.

For Next Year

Morman is still a raw talent, who showed flashes of star power in his only healthy season with Cincinnati. Whatever team ends up with him will have a strong defensive guard with offensive flare. It's just too bad Cincinnati won't be that team. With that said, Bearcat nation will have a player to root for outside of the Queen City.

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