Kansas guard Brady Morningstar is fouled on the shot in the second half against Coppin State Friday, Nov. 28, 2008 at Allen Fieldhouse. Morningstar finished with a career-high 21 points and connected on six of eight three-point attempts.

Bill Self delivered a simple, yet direct message to sophomore Brady Morningstar before Friday night’s nonconference clash against Coppin State.

“I told him I wanted him to shoot every time he was open,” said Self, Kansas University’s sixth-year coach.

Self had sensed some reluctance from Morningstar, a 6-foot-3 guard/forward who hit just one of five three-pointers in KU’s first four games.

“He did,” Self added, after Morningstar exploded for six makes in eight tries from beyond the arc on his way to scoring 21 points total in the Jayhawks’ 85-53 home rout of the Eagles.

“He and Tyrel (Reed) have to be guys who make shots. I told those guys, especially after the Syracuse game they have to step up and make shots. Tyrel made two (in eight tries) and Brady one (in one try in Tuesday’s loss to Syracuse). You will not win against the zone doing that, at least not often.”

Reed missed his only shot attempt — a two-pointer — against Coppin State after hitting two of eight threes versus Syracuse. Morningstar, however, fired away by hitting seven of nine shots overall en route to his career-high point total. He also had a career-best seven rebounds in 32 minutes.

“Brady was definitely the best performer in the game for us,” Self said, speaking on a night Cole Aldrich scored a career-high 23 points with 11 rebounds.

Morningstar was asked by three different reporters — arriving in different waves to interview the star of the game — if he could remember a game in which he’d hit six threes.

“Not to my recollection. Hopefully I did. Hopefully against Lawrence High,” the Free State High graduate cracked.

Morningstar, who entered the game with five baskets in 15 tries all season, tried to deflect the credit, especially to Sherron Collins. Collins had 11 points and eight assists.

“My teammates passed me the ball. I don’t know how many times Sherron passed it to me,” Morningstar said. “I’m glad my teammates were able to get me open looks and I was able to knock them down. Tonight I think I took a step forward.”

Morningstar hit his first four threes, while Tyshawn Taylor added eight points in helping KU race to a 31-5 lead with 7:55 left in the half. By intermission, Morningstar had 14 points off 4-of-6 three-point shooting.

“I wasn’t expecting Morningstar to deliver what he delivered today,” Coppin State coach Fang Mitchell said.

“The reality is, if he had played that way against Syracuse, they would be ranked, and they would continue to be ranked,” he added of the (4-1) No. 22-rated Jayhawks, who might drop out of the polls next week after an OT loss to the Orange.

Morningstar’s three-point barrage came despite the fact he has been wearing a wrap on his right thumb lately.

“I got it hit at practice. It’s OK,” Morningstar said.

His performance was more than OK. Just seven other KU players have hit more threes in a game.

“I think he played great. Of course he shot it terrific,” Self said. “He’s a glue guy who can shoot.”

Aldrich actually was KU’s leading scorer after hitting eight of 11 shots and seven of seven free throws. He also had three assists and two turnovers in 28 minutes.

Self wasn’t happy with the big guy’s play, however, during an early stretch of the second half when Coppin cut KU’s 31-point lead to 17 (59-42). At that point, Self called a timeout and lit into his squad.

“I think the biggest reason I was upset the second half is we didn’t ever stop them,” he said. “The first 15 minutes we really guarded them (as CSU hit 22.2 percent the first half). We didn’t guard them. We weren’t intense. It’s not the way to play. Young kids should be so excited to be out there.

“Cole and Sherron contributed to that. Our leaders contributed to that. They’d be the first to tell you that. Cole had Markieff (Morris) wide-open on the high/low, and he throws it out of bounds by trying to make a pass we never practice. We lost our focus awhile. We are young. Guys are not used to carrying out assignments under pressure.”

KU closed the game in fine fashion and outscored Coppin, 44-36, the second half.

“A lot of good things happened tonight,” Self said. “I’m glad we won, but we need to be tougher. These guys need to step up and be tough.”

KU will meet Kent State at 8 p.m. Monday in Allen Fieldhouse.