Adam Morrison - College Career

College Career

Morrison arrived at Gonzaga University to play for the Gonzaga Bulldogs in 2003. In his freshman year he averaged 11.4 points per game (ppg), with a season-high 22 points against St. Mary's. Gonzaga won the West Coast Conference (WCC) regular-season title. Morrison was named to the WCC All-Freshman Team.

In his sophomore year Morrison averaged 19.0 ppg. He scored a season-high 28 points at home against San Francisco, including the winning shot with 0.6 seconds to play in the game. Gonzaga again won the WCC regular-season title. Morrison made the All-WCC First Team, and in addition was selected to the Basketball Times All-West Coast Team as well as being named an honorable mention Associated Press All-American.

In his junior year during Gonzaga's first two games of the 2005–06 season at the Maui Invitational, Morrison played well against two of the sport's top programs. In the first round, Morrison scored 25 points in a Gonzaga win over Maryland. He followed up this performance with 43 points in a triple-overtime win over Michigan State in the semifinals. He matched that output against in-state rival Washington December 4, 2005, in a losing effort. However, Morrison and the Zags bounced back a week later, defeating Oklahoma State after he banked in a three-pointer with 2.5 seconds left to give Gonzaga a two point lead and eventually the win.

In the regular season, he had 13 games of 30-plus points, with five of them over 40. At 28.1 points per game, he was the nation's leading scorer in 2005–2006. His scoring totals against teams in the "major" conferences were no less impressive; he averaged 28.5 points in 11 such games. On February 18, Morrison recorded a career high 44 (including 37 in the second half alone) points against the Loyola Marymount Lions in a winning effort.

Morrison led the Zags with 24 points in a 2006 NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen match against UCLA, which the Zags lost in the final seconds after UCLA had eliminated a 17-point deficit coming out of the first half. With seconds left, the lead having slipped away, Morrison broke down in tears and collapsed to the court. He was eventually helped to his feet by UCLA player Aaron Afflalo. He has been both criticized and praised for this unbridled show of emotion. He later shared the national player of the year award with friendly rival J. J. Redick of Duke.

This turned out to be Morrison's final collegiate game, as he later decided to turn pro, forgoing his senior year of college.