Matthew Mayer giving Illinois impact despite early shooting slump | Local Sports
It was late in a blowout win, but that didn’t matter to Matthew Mayer. A loose ball was on the floor and he was going after it.
He dove between a couple Syracuse bodies and knocked a loose ball out and eventually into the hands of Skyy Clark, who found RJ Melendez for a layup that was nearly an and-one that would have set off the State Farm Center crowd.
“Winner,” coach Brad Underwood said. “He is a winner. He knows all about winning, it doesn’t matter the score; it doesn’t matter.”
It was the latest example of the fact that Mayer is still making an impact even though his shot isn’t falling. He’ll look to take that floor game on the road when the team opens Big Ten play at Maryland (8 p.m. Friday on Big Ten Network).
He’s moving the ball and getting on the glass well. He had nine rebounds against Lindenwood on Friday and eight against Syracuse on Tuesday. Before that stretch he only had three games with eight rebounds or more in his career. He also has two steals in each of the past two contests despite playing a combined 38 minutes in them.
That’s made him a fixture in the starting lineup and given him over 20 minutes in four of the past five games despite a shot that hasn’t quite come yet.
He’s shooting 32.6% from the field and 25% from the 3-point range, but thinks that’ll improve in time. There’s still a small sample size — he was a 39.5% shooter at Baylor two seasons ago.
“I know I’m a good 3-point shooter,” Mayer said. “I know at some point they’re going to fall in droves and I’ll be back to hopefully around 40 percent. I’m going to keep shooting and I still personally think I make a big impact on defense and rebounding so that’s all that really matters to me.”
It was a little bit of a slow start for Mayer this season. He didn’t play in the final stretches of the team’s first two games, but after continuing his progression of getting into game shape from a lingering back injury in the offseason and learning the Illini’s system, he’s shown high activity on defense and the glass.
Underwood’s sold on the fact that the shooting will come around with the rest of his game soon.
“Good things are coming,” Underwood said. “I told him he may have to get his mullet back to get that jump shot to fall because he’s getting great looks. He’s making them in practice and he’s working at it. But you know that’s what we brought Matt in here for. I mean, Matt knows how to win. He knows what it takes and he’s done that since high school.”
Mayer said he won’t revert to the mullet — he likes his clean cut look now. He’s also not too focused on a slow start shooting the ball.
“We’ve been winning most of our games so it doesn’t really matter to me,” Mayer said. “Of course, I’m trying to go to the NBA so shooting bad weighs a little bit on me sometimes, but at the same time, I know what I can bring. You can’t control whether you make it or miss it. You’ve just got to go try to make an impact somehow.”
Because of the accompanying floor game, he’s settled into what is a nine-man rotation so far for the Illini, and has impressed Underwood with his energy and work.
As one of only three players in that rotation with significant starting experience, he’ll also be looked at for guidance when the team gets into Big Ten play.
“We’re gonna lean on him,” Underwood said. “He makes winning plays all the time. He knows what it takes to win, but now his conditioning is getting out there. He’s a guy we’re going to have to lean on here as we get into league play.”
Harris OK
Sencire Harris has also got praise for high energy this season. He went out in the first half against Syracuse and didn’t return, but Underwood said after the game and on Thursday that the injury isn’t’ serious. Harris was fully dressed and has practiced with the team this week.
“He was good in practice,” Underwood said.