Richard Pitino said freshman Nate Mason will most likely start at point guard again, in place of senior DeAndre Mathieu, when Minnesota travels to Michigan State on Thursday (6 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network).
"DeAndre's just not having a great year," the coach said. "You've got to play the players that are playing well."
Mason started at Wisconsin on Saturday for the fourth time this season, and the first time in more than a month. After the Gophers came away with a 63-53 loss, Pitino commented that he didn't like Mathieu's attitude after the previous loss, vs. Northwestern at home.
Statistically, it seems to make sense as well. Heading into East Lansing, Mathieu is averaging 8.4 points and a 2.65-to-1 assist to turnover ratio while Mason is putting up 9.6 points a game with a 2.59-to-1 assist to turnover ratio.
"I don't really see much of a difference between the two," junior Joey King said. "Obviously they're both great point guards. Freshman, senior, I don't really see a difference."
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Debate over whether court storming should be allowed in college basketball has become an annual thing, and after Kansas State's 70-63 upset of Kansas-- and subsequent storming of the floor -- went less smoothly than it could have, with Jayhawks coach Bill Self pushed up against the scorers table, and a player receiving a running shove, the argument has hit once again. Proponents say it's fun. Critics say it's dangerous.
Pitino, while in favor of beefed up security measures, said he doesn't want the NCAA to get rid of the student-led tradition.
