Mathis?
- Thread starter ClassOf02
- Start date
Pike put him back in with 40 seconds left so must be something he did. Guess Pike would rather him sit and watch Winston run circles around us than win the game. Need answers
Agree. But he came out under control in the second, scored quick points, then the hook. Confusing.
If I find strength I’ll watch DVR and try to see what may have happened. Not good that he has had quite a few doghouse trips. This one might have cost a chance of being in the game.
probably discipline and learning lesson
have no idea what is going on but possibly like most touted recruits who come in they probably want more playing time and shots and dont like to be yanked and reined in. I have full confidence in how Pikiell has handled these players growth for the most part. Mathis has already shown earlier this year that he can be a difference maker and put up major points. What Pike may need from him at this point in the season may be different so how Montez adjusts to that is up in the air
have no idea what is going on but possibly like most touted recruits who come in they probably want more playing time and shots and dont like to be yanked and reined in. I have full confidence in how Pikiell has handled these players growth for the most part. Mathis has already shown earlier this year that he can be a difference maker and put up major points. What Pike may need from him at this point in the season may be different so how Montez adjusts to that is up in the air
Mathis has been in a slump for a while. Earlier in the season, his drives to the basket and aggressiveness were effective, but not lately. He might be frustrated and letting it show to Coach and his teammates. To me, decision making has been the major thing he needs to work on for the rest of this season. Coach still has him in the starting lineup, but I don't think Pike trusts him in second half situations where scoring and good decision making is needed. Geo had a freshman slump also, so that may be all it is for Mathis.
This was one of his worst games, I think it was just a matter of shutting him down and watching from the side.
Yes, for the most part on Kiss.
He needs to SLOW DOWN on his free throws!!
It’s like he is rushing to get the shot off, then he fires a rocket at the back of the rim.
SLOW DOWN!!
Let it roll off your fingertips!
Nice and easy!!!
I was confused too. Even though Mathis was out of control in 1H, we were up 7 and held MSU to 25. He scores on two straight baskets to start 2h and disappears. In the meantime, Winston takes over the game. Mathis was so key for us in Iowa game. I didn't want to see him taken out of the game. Iwish I knew why he was stuck to the bench. He could of helped on Winston!!
Definitely could have used him on Winston in the second half. Offensively there is a fine line between fearlessness and recklessness. His drives to the basket contain a high degree of difficulty at times. His best opportunities come in transition.
Last edited:
Mathis has the athleticism to be a very good college player.His offense needs work in finishing drives to the basket and improvement in making foul shots.Mathis also must develop a jump shot off the dribble to expand his offensive skill set.Like other players on the team lots of work needed in the off season to improve individual and team skills.
It’s great to see a guy with so much athleticism. But for now, I don’t think the basketball IQ is there. Really wonder what instructions MM is getting from Pike, re: aggressiveness: just get to the basket and we’ll live with your decisions, or be more selective? Would be great if he could pull up, but once he gets moving towards the basket . . . It’s into traffic we go.
I would sacrifice a couple bad decisions from Mathis forcing it to the basket to allow him to blanket Winston on D... Especially when he started lighting it up. Hard to get why Pike didn't go back to him. He sat for a while. That's enough. This could have been a huge win. Not the time to bench him all half to teach a lesson
Exactlyyy. You also then unfairly punish the rest of the team that are busting their asses by not giving them the best chance to win
This is why FHJ and Eddie Jordan are unemployed....they thought like this.
I went back and watched on BTN2go.
13:21 he comes back in. He is guarding Henry and on that long possession Henry gets 3 Offensive rebounds and then on the same possession he gets switched to mcQuaid. Mathis half heartedly helped penetartion and McQuaid hit the 3.
Pike keeps him in.
12:03 after RU miss MSU is in transition and Mathis is in a position to help stop penetration and he doesn't move. By then Pike sends someone to the scorer's table.
This could all be the reason or there could be more from an off the court standpoint.
13:21 he comes back in. He is guarding Henry and on that long possession Henry gets 3 Offensive rebounds and then on the same possession he gets switched to mcQuaid. Mathis half heartedly helped penetartion and McQuaid hit the 3.
Pike keeps him in.
12:03 after RU miss MSU is in transition and Mathis is in a position to help stop penetration and he doesn't move. By then Pike sends someone to the scorer's table.
This could all be the reason or there could be more from an off the court standpoint.
I highly doubt it is anything off the court as he is a baller. A defensive lapse or an out of control drive might deserve being yanked for a minute or two but not to sit for over 10 minutes. This is especially puzzling from Coach considering how Winston was torching us on the ball screen and Mathis should have been tried on him . Also the offense was not moving or cutting in he second half and Mathis driving to the hoop would have improved our offensive slump and probably gotten us to the line more. Very curious decision by Coach that did not turn out well in a winnable game especially after the second half start he had.
Depends how he thought the replacement was doing. Kiss had a better game last night compared to the rest of his season.
We needed more effort on the boards and that is something Kiss did not do.
There is nothing wrong with yanking a player but get him out. Tell him why or the message you want to get across to him. Let him sit for a few. Get him back in the game. Winston was destroyingggg us and Mathis is our best perimeter defender. Pike should have sent him back into the game with one job. Shut down Winston.
We can all put the clues together and come up with different conclusions. I would guess it is more than what we saw on the court, but nothing to get too concerned about.
They're also unemployed because they're atrocious basketball coaches.
Pike doesn't owe us answers. LOL
Why would we speculate about OFF COURT? Does anyone have any real info? If not lets stop speculating please. geez. In my opinion if he did something OFF the court he wouldn't have played in the first half or game if serious enough. If not its nothing we should be speculating about...
It is a tiny bit concerning. I do not want Mathis one of our better players sitting for over 10-12 minutes ever. Coach is a tiny bit stubborn, like not doubling Giorgi who is having a career 35 point day, not hedging ball screens, in both second halves of the Michigan State games, playing Issa and Kiss together , etc.. let me be first to say that I love our coach, one of the best we have had, but that doesn’t mean I cannot point out some stubbornness and it doesn’t mean I cannot say it was a bad decision to bury Mathis and not even try him on Winston with the success they were having on the ball screen. I believe in Coach and most of the time 90% or more he does things in games that are awesome and brilliant and his ability to get this team that is less talented than the rest of the Big 10 to compete almost every night is amazing, but some things this year have caught him by surprise and there is a learning curve in this conference even for a coach as good as him.
I respect your opinion and can certainly see your arguments.....
1. Doubling vs. not doubling......can't make the assumption we are good with rotations while doubling AND we have placed huge emphasis on defending the 3 AND our guys are young AND I am OK with having an identity AND you had to think eventually he would miss, BUT I get tyring something new and changing rhythm. I don't know if I would call it stubborn
2. Hedging ball screens.....he could have gone smaller and actually switched, but we ended up getting beat on the boards with a bigger lineup.
3. Playing Issa and Kiss together......if they played OK together you would have gotten all of your rest done in 4 minutes as opposed to 2 guys resting 4 minutes and it being 8. I'll also say are Kiss and Issa that much worse than guys ahead of them. Now Baker sitting while this was going on.....you have me there
Mathis shot a terrible 3 with RU down 42-40...those kind of shots likely put him on the bench
If you are a member of media covering Rutgers or the Big Ten , you are not doing your job if you don't ask why a starter was on the bench the entire second half.
