Fans are watching games for the 1st time in years and in some cases, only equate impact to shooting and scoring.
If you remove Montez from the defensive equation, teams would be getting into the 60s with ease, now they are struggling to get to the 50's.
He makes timely plays and has improved his shot from distance, with a little more rotation.....and hit a timely 3 vs Penn State, which regained momentum. He has to develop a slower paced offensive game, but that is going back into the lab this spring and summer and working on his game and adding to the elements of what he does well already.
I don't envision a path without this type of guard on the RU roster going forward and why I was very happy to have another player (Mawot Mag), coming into the fold, that embraces defense, rebounding, pestering opponents and being able to guard 1-3 or 4. If scoring was difficult now for some opponents we play, wait until we add another plus defender off the bench and don't even let me think about another shot blocking Center added to the fold (Cliff or Shema Osborn).
You don't rise to the top 10 in a national ranking defensively without Mathis on the court, smothering opponents for 15 to 25 minutes a game. Watch Penn State's guards and they are all able to get their own shot off with ease, can get to the paint, make running shots and everything else from 3, they jack up shots without hesitation.....and on the other end of the court, they have no defensive care in the world, and allow Marcus Carr of Minnesota to ring up 27 PTS, 9 ASTS and 6 REBS and people are wondering how Penn State has dropped 3 in a row.
You cannot lose Josh Reaves, 1st team all defense off your roster last year if you are PSU and have Rasir Bolton transfer, who was also a willing defender last year, and have guards only interested in trading baskets and have Carr go bananas on the offensive end....At some point, stops on defense are more important than points on offense. PSU would kill for Montez Mathis on the defensive end, there's a reason RU is winning games and it's defense, not how many times does Mathis make a perfect play every time on offense.
Mathis by this time next season, with more work on some of his offense, has all B1G potential by his senior season, but he has to put that work in on the details (footwork is the number #1 determination of scoring/shooting). Caleb is limited physically, but despite having that, has worked or been taught better footwork at a younger age....in the Illinois game, Mathis contributed because he's just more athletic and gifted than most sophomores and Caleb didn't have a strong offensive game and missed a lot of makeable shots, but Caleb's footwork on a pivot baseline turnaround jumper, was a high 4* move and shot, because he has excellent fundamentals and footwork.
Montez is another offseason away of putting those aspects together from having big junior and senior seasons. Don;t forget the baseline move and dunk vs Nebraska, which would have been a travel or missed opportunity last year. he has flashes of huge upside, it's going to happen with the development of the entire team together.
