Most LSU basketball fans probably aren’t familiar with Keith Hornsby.
A transfer from UNC-Asheville, the junior guard has yet to play a second in a Tigers’ uniform.
But when sophomore guard Malik Morgan went down Saturday night from a knee injury, Hornsby embodied everything LSU coach Johnny Jones wanted in his team through one simple act.
All it took was Hornsby telling Morgan everything would be OK.
“For Keith Hornsby to lean over and touch [Morgan] on the chest and tell him he was going to be all right and telling him that he loved him — that means something,” a visibly emotional Jones said. “That’s the family atmosphere and environment that you want and when you have young men like that able to tell somebody that they love them, they’re there for them and they care for them and they’re there for whatever they need, that meant something.”
On Monday, Jones announced that Morgan — a key spark off the bench for the Tigers (15-7, 6-4 Southeastern Conference) — will not only miss today’s crucial road game against Texas A&M (13-10, 4-6 SEC), but also the remainder of the season with a torn patellar tendon.
Late Monday evening, Jones announced via Twitter that Morgan’s knee surgery was a success.
“Successful surgery on Malik Morgan’s knee tonight,” Jones tweeted. “Please keep him in your prayers on his journey back to the hardwood. GEAUXTIGERS!”
Morgan’s injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Tigers, who are on the road for five of their remaining eight regular season games, including consecutive away contests this week against Texas A&M and Arkansas.
LSU struggled on the road this season, failing to secure a victory outside the confines of the PMAC in three straight attempts. The Tigers’ last road win came against South Carolina on Jan. 11.
“This is the most important week, right here,” said LSU junior guard Anthony Hickey. “We have two back-to-back away games. We’re still right there at the top; we just have to handle business.”
Hickey said Morgan’s absence puts more pressure on the bench — and anyone playing along the perimeter in particular — to step up and fill his shoes.
The Tigers’ bench typically accounts for nearly 30 percent of their total scoring with 22.4 points per game.
Morgan only averaged five points per game through his first two seasons in Baton Rouge, but senior guard and fellow bench sparkplug Andre Stringer didn’t undersell Morgan’s contributions to the team.
“Great teammate, great guy, great rebounder, does a lot of things extremely well,” Stringer said. “It’s going to take some guys to come off the bench to fill that void”
Jones listed sophomore forward Shane Hammink for his offensive rebounding abilities or freshman guard Tim Quarterman for his length and defense as the primary candidates to receive more minutes in Morgan’s absence, with particular attention to an ability to defend the wings against the quality, SEC talent at the position.
Jones added the position would most likely fall to a “by committee” rotation.
“Trying to work someone in to play valuable minutes this late, we’re hopeful that he’s ready, prepared and waiting for an opportunity to do that,” Jones said.
At more than 15 minutes per game, Morgan averaged the second most minutes of any non-regular starter. Quarterman is close behind with more than 12 minutes followed by Hammink averaging six minutes — down from nearly 11 last season.
“It’s an opportunity because somebody has to fill the role,” Quarterman said. “We all stand behind Malik 100 percent as he recovers. It was just a tragedy that he went down like that, but on the court, other people have to step up and it’s something we have to do as a team.”
But losing Morgan on the court doesn’t seem to be the biggest concern for players like Stringer, who corrected himself several times from calling Morgan a teammate. To Stringer, Morgan is a member of the family, a brother.
“We want to win it for him now more than anything,” Stringer said. “Especially with the type of guy he is, the character he brings, being there to be positive for our teammates. He came in and gave us positive minutes, never worried about playing time and all the great things he brings to the table.”
Hickey echoed Stringer, saying this is a time for the team to rally around Morgan and make sure he keeps a positive attitude.
But even Hickey can’t help but feel some remorse for his fallen brother.
“It hurts. I know it hurts for someone to say you can’t play,” Hickey said. “I could see it on his face when I walked into that training room. It was just a shock seeing tears come down his face.”
Morgan’s return to the hardwood is scheduled to take place in six to nine months.