Freshman Mason gives Gophers yet another go-to guard

The cocky grin spread over Nate Mason's face as quickly and relentlessly as the Gophers' press. Six minutes into its game against Western Kentucky, Minnesota was trying to seize an early lead against the scrappy Hilltoppers, a respectable nonconference opponent.

Swish.

Swish.

In a matter of 23 seconds, Mason had achieved that, hitting back-to-back three-pointers on consecutive possessions to give his team a 12-point lead. As the freshman guard wheeled back on his heels to fall into the defense, he made circles with his thumb and pointer fingers, holding both hands out to his sides to symbolize a pair of threes.

The smirk was unmistakable. New or not, Mason belongs, and he knows it.

And with the Gophers heading into their third game of the season Thursday night, the 6-1 Georgia native has already become a big part of Minnesota's plans.

"I think Nate is going to be a really good player," coach Richard Pitino said, drawing out the "really good" part. "He showed that [on Tuesday]."

Pitino saw it coming in fall practices. He told the media then that Mason was the most game-ready of the four newcomers. The freshman was clearly capable of scoring. But his biggest impact, the second-year coach said, could come on the other end of the floor. Pitino's system requires a great defending guard — a la senior point guard DeAndre Mathieu — speeding up the ball at the top of the press.

"Nate is that," Pitino said on media day. "[He] could be one of the best defenders on the team."

Mathieu, stretching out in front of his locker, chuckled after the 76-54 victory over WKU.

"I told y'all," he drawled. "He's game-ready, he's ready to get out there. … He's not a freshman in his mind. He's a sophomore or a junior out there, like he's been in it before."

Sharing roster space with veteran guards Mathieu and Andre Hollins can only help that act. On media day, Mason claimed the speed on the floor would be the biggest transition for him out of high school. So far, it hasn't seemed to affect him at all. Mason's quick rise gives the Gophers a legitimate combo guard to back up the senior pair — Mathieu is already calling for the freshman to set his sights on the Big Ten's Sixth Man of the Year award — and notable depth when combined with sophomore Daquein McNeil, who looks improved from a year ago.

After packing on 12 pounds — he went from 173 to 185 since arriving on campus — Mason looks the part. He talks in huddles. He calls plays. He reminds teammates to shake off frustration after fouls and turnovers. And he shoots a fair amount, so far averaging one attempt every four minutes he's on the court (and making 60 percent of them).

Prompted about his early successes, though, Mason simply shrugs and directs the focus to other players.

"I'm just trying to be out there doing the best I can do," he said in Williams Arena's basement locker room on Tuesday. "Anything I can do."

Mason belongs, and another way of proving that is checking any attitude upstairs, surrounded by the Barn's clamoring rafters of fans.