Of all the problems Bennedict Mathurin worked through last weekend, one of them canât be fixed.
In fact, it will probably get worse the better he plays. And it could be particularly acute on Thursday, when Oregon State visits McKale Center.
Because the Beavers arenât likely to draw up the same defensive game plan they used when Mathurin dropped 31 points on them last month in Corvallis. Nor will any other Pac-12 opponent who has already faced the fast-rising wing from Montreal.
âBennâs played some excellent basketball, and when you get into conference play, coaches and players on the other team know that,â UA coach Sean Miller said. âHeâs no longer an unmarked freshman. So the scouting report (changes) and the defense will try to take away certain things that we do for him and that heâs very good at.
â(At that point), itâs kind of like game within the game, you know? You have to cut harder, you have to be on it, you have to be ready.â
That was a big part of the problem last Thursday at Utah, both Miller and Mathurin indicated during Zoom interviews Tuesday. Utahâs defense limited Mathurin to six shots; he made only one of them and appeared to carry his frustration over to the other end of the court.
Miller reacted with displeasure during a timeout conversation with Mathurin late in the first half of that game, then benched Mathurin at the beginning of the second half and saying afterward that he didnât like the freshmanâs attitude.
The two went on to have âtwo or three really hard talks,â Miller said, and the coach also did not start him at Colorado.
But then Mathurin went out and played one of his most efficient games of the season against the Buffaloes on Saturday, scoring 22 points on 7-for-9 shooting while hitting 4 of 5 3-pointers and almost giving the Wildcats enough to win after they fell into an early 19-2 hole.
âHis response was exactly what I think any coach or any team would love to see in a player,â Miller said. âHe not only made his shots but his disposition, his attitude, the way he practiced, all of that was just excellent. I think it really says a lot about Bennâs character, his future being really, really bright.
âThatâs why you come to a place like Arizona. You arenât just given everything. Youâre going to have to earn it. Thereâs going to be some tough moments. But thatâs how you grow.â
After those conversations with Miller, Mathurin spoke with nearly the same words. He said he was ânot really focusedâ coming into the Utah game but changed that after speaking with Miller.
âI took away from the (Utah) game that my defense needs to be consistent,â Mathurin said. âI need to have a great attitude and always be there for my team because I do have a big role now. âĻ He told me for sure I will make mistakes during the game but I canât let it affect my game. I have to stay focused even if the game isnât going my way.â
Mathurin has also had to keep focused despite increasing external NBA draft buzz. Canadian basketball scout Wesley Brown told SI.com last month that “the hottest guy probably of all (Canadian players) who I think might be a first-round pick this year is Bennedict Mathurin. … He’s got the potential to be way more than just a shooter and a role guy.”
But when asked on Tuesday if he wanted to return to Arizona next season and where he was at in the decision process, Mathurin carefully fielded the question.
âI have some aspects I have to work on my game in order to reach the next level,â Mathurin said. âAnd I feel like right now Iâm more Iâm more focused on finishing the season and having a good record.â
Miller said he hopes Mathurinâs attitude and performance can carry into this weekâs games against Oregon State and Oregon. While the Ducksâ COVID-19-related pause called off the UAâs scheduled Jan. 16 game at Eugene, Mathurin made the most of the single-game trip by scoring 31 points on 10-of-12 shooting, including 6 of 7 3s.
âI stayed a little extra time â I had to get used to the rims and balls â and it just felt like my night,â Mathurin said of the first OSU game. âMy shots were just going in so I canât complain. I just hope itâs gonna happen again.â
Even if the Beavers do everything they can to make sure it doesnât.
Batcho wonât play this year
Arizona freshman forward Daniel Batcho has recovered sufficiently from his preseason knee injury and a recent illness, but Miller said he still wonât play in a game this season.
Batcho wouldnât burn a redshirt year if he plays, since the NCAA has ruled all winter sports athletes participating this season wonât have a year of eligibility counted against them, but Miller said Batcho is too far behind. âHeâs just missed too much time,â Miller said Tuesday during his weekly news conference. âHe doesnât know our plays. He just hasnât been in practice long enough.â
Batcho had preseason knee surgery, and the UA said at the time he would be reevaluated at the end of January. But he then had what Miller said was an illness that resulted in him isolating from the team (Miller said that âhad nothing to doâ with COVID-19 protocols) and has not attended the past two weeks of UA games.
But Batcho returned to practice on Monday, Miller said.
âIt was good to see him,â Miller said. âHeâs somewhat limited just because heâs missed so much time but heâs healthy and able to practice and be with us.â
Akinjo gets relief
As much as Miller calls point guard James Akinjo the Wildcatsâ âheart and soulâ this season, that doesnât mean heâs indestructible.
So once freshman Kerr Kriisa became eligible last week, Miller dialed Akinjoâs minutes down slightly. Akinjo averaged 35.8 minutes in Pac-12 games entering last week, but played just 31 at Utah and 33 at Colorado despite the down-to-the-wire game with the Buffs.
Kriisa logged 18 minutes at Utah and 16 at Colorado.
Akinjo âreally utilizes a ton of energy on offense because he pushes the ball so hard throughout the game, and he uses a lot of ball screens, some of which lead to field goals by him, but a lot of which lead to fouls or shots for his teammates,â Miller said. âHeâs in the middle of a lot of things we do offensively.
âAs you know, usually the first thing that goes especially as you get later in the year and you log those heavy minutes is defense, and weâre looking for ways to maybe get him a break.â
Miller said dropping Akinjo from 36 to 30 minutes a game might be too much of a change for Akinjo and his teammates, but that going from 36 to 32 could give him a significant break.
âEspecially if we position his rest in a smart way â after a media timeout, maybe before a media timeout, and no doubt Kerr could be the person who allows him to get a little bit more rest,â Miller said. âI think that what you can get is maybe some better overall defense, maybe just him being a little bit fresher down the stretch. All those things are very good for both James and our team.â
Oregon tip time moved up
Saturdayâs home game against Oregon has been moved from 2 p.m. to noon and will be carried on ESPN2. In addition, Arizonaâs Feb. 25 home game with WSU will start at 9 p.m. and be televised on Fox Sports 1.
All remaining tipoff times on the UAâs schedule have now been set except Feb. 20 at USC, which will either start at 1:30 or 3 p.m. The UAâs postponed game at Oregon has yet to be rescheduled.
