For an Arizona team averaging just 61 points over its last three games, two of which were losses, maybe confidence comes from unexpected places.
Like the bench, where Devonaire Doutrive has spent most of his freshman season so far.
Doutrive sprouted to life again Wednesday in UA’s 61-42 win over Montana, with two points and flashes of defensive potential in an eight-minute appearance, prompting UA coach Sean Miller to again suggest his bouncy 10th man will get additional minutes beginning Saturday against UC Davis.
“We have to play Devonaire more,” Miller said. “He’s slowly but surely coming around every day in practice. What I love about Devonaire is he has an innate confidence. He’s not out there trying to not make a mistake.”
It might be hard to blame Doutrive if he was playing scared, considering how difficult it has been for him to get on the court so far.
But while facing the usual UA freshman obstacles of meeting Miller’s defensive standards — and finding a way to take minutes away from a more experience player — Doutrive has flashed confidence whenever Miller lets him crawl through that window.
Doutrive played a season-high 11 minutes Nov. 29 against Georgia Southern, but then sat the bench for the next three games.
By doing so, he’s forced Miller into thinking about Doutrive’s role, over and over. Doutrive has not been available for comment since UA’s Oct. 1 media day, but here’s how his season has played out so far, and how Miller has discussed it:
- Doutrive didn’t play at all in UA’s exhibition game against Division II Chaminade, the first public sign that his odds of cracking the rotation were slim.
But he took advantage when Miller finally inserted him once the Wildcats gained control of their season opener against Houston Baptist. During the final eight minutes, Doutrive had a 3-pointer, an assist to Brandon Randolph and a layup with two minutes to go that gave UA a 32-point lead.
“Physically, he’s like a young colt,” Miller said after that game. “He’s so young. His body, how much he weighs, how strong he is — the best is yet to come for him and you can almost see that. What we’re trying to do right now is get him better on defense and really try to get him to think about what role he can have.
“It’s too early to say this player is going to play and another guy’s not. He’s one of those guys we’re closely watching. I could certainly see him cracking the rotation, and helping us because he can do a lot of different things.”
- Doutrive played 14 minutes over UA’s next two games, easy wins over Cal Poly and UTEP. Miller said after the Cal Poly game that when he considered how depth could be his team’s strength, he “looked at Devonaire and he’s coming around as well.”
But after the UTEP game, the Wildcats went to the Maui Invitational … and played Doutrive only a minute over three games. Upon returning, Miller said Doutrive was “close” to being a contributor, saying that in order to play Doutrive he would be interrupting continuity and taking minutes away from another player.
“We want to put Devonaire in a good light,” Miller said on Nov. 27, in his first news conference after Maui. “You’ve seen when he’s gotten his opportunity here in McKale, that he’s made some good plays.
“But like any freshman, there’s a big learning curve on defense and I think he’s getting better every day. I think putting him in the game is something we need to find out because he can help us with some energy and playmaking we need off the bench.”
- Miller played Doutrive a season-high 11 minutes in the Wildcats’ next game, on Nov. 29 against Georgia Southern, and received a surprise highlight as a result.
Late in Arizona’s 100-70 win, Doutrive broke free to the basket, then tossed the ball behind his back to Alex Barcello.
“It wasn’t a surprise to me because I know he can play,” Barcello said. “He’s a great player and he reads situations really well. He’s just going to continue to improve.”
Miller said it was a clever play by Doutrive to take what the defense game him.
“But that’s part of what Devonaire brings to the table: He’s no dummy out there,” Miller said. “He knows what he’s doing.”
- But after that performance, Doutrive went back to the bench for the entirety of the Wildcats’ next three games: at UConn, Utah Valley at home and at Alabama.
Doutrive resurfaced Wednesday against Montana with what Miller called “a couple of great moments defensively” over his eight minutes.
So, by adding defense to that offensive flash, he had Miller reconsidering his role again.
Maybe this time for good.
“The better days are ahead for Devonaire, and he knows that,” Miller said. “But on this year’s team, I think we’re now at a point where allowing him to grow and play more minutes makes a lot of sense and it was good to get him in the game tonight.
“We’d planned on doing that; it’s just that we’ve been in a couple of tough games recently and sometimes when you’re that ninth or 10th guy, the window doesn’t open for you. Right now we’re better off to play him a segment because he’s going to give us energy and effort.
“I love his attitude. Confidence is a big deal. And he has it.”
