Q&A: Gopher PG DeAndre Mathieu on Path to Minnesota, and 3-Inch Height Discrepancy

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Q&A: Gopher PG DeAndre Mathieu on Path to Minnesota, and 3-Inch Height Discrepancy

Q&A: Gopher PG DeAndre Mathieu on Path to Minnesota, and 3-Inch Height Discrepancy
By Nadine Babu

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/306946?referrer_id=388419

When Coach Richard Pitino arrived on campus, he immediately began recruiting guards that could help this season. One of his first calls was to junior college point guard DeAndre Mathieu. The Tennessee native not only answered that call, but signed with the Gophers and now finds himself as the likely starting point guard for the next two seasons.

GopherHole’s Nadine Babu caught up with Mathieu to learn more about his path to Minnesota, his acclimation to the Midwest and a three inch height discrepancy that he’s having to deal with!

GopherHole: Can you talk about your role with this team?
DeAndre Mathieu: I think I can be a really good point guard for this team, get the ball to the right guys at the right spots and score a little bit.

GopherHole: How did you end up with Minnesota?
DeAndre Mathieu: Coach Pitino and Coach Kimani recruited me really hard. I felt good about them and the style of play here and decided it was the best fit.

GopherHole: What were the big selling points about Minnesota?
DeAndre Mathieu: The style of play was a big selling point. Playing in the Big Ten which is probably the best conference.

GopherHole: What have you learned from Andre and Austin?
DeAndre Mathieu: I learned that I have to have a toboggan here since it’s going to be really bold (laughs). No, I’ve learned that people here are really nice and they showed me what to do, they’ve really helped. With the new coach, we’re all learning, but it’s been fun hanging with the guys.

GopherHole: Who’s your roommate?
DeAndre Mathieu: Malik Smith.

GopherHole: What can you tell me about Malik Smith that we may not know?
DeAndre Mathieu: He’s out of his mind. He and McNeil are the two funniest on the team. We’re always together. Malik is crazy, he listens to crazy music. Every morning he’s got crazy music. It’s all fun, and I’m just loving it.

GopherHole: What are you working on the most with your game?
DeAndre Mathieu: My jump shot and putting a little more weight.

GopherHole: How big are you now?
DeAndre Mathieu: I think I’m 6-foot, but they say I’m 5-9. I really think I’m 5-11, 6-foot. I weigh 166 and I want to get to 170-172.
 

>"I think I’m 6-foot, but they say I’m 5-9. I really think I’m 5-11, 6-foot."

What the heck...what does this mean? It's not like height is subjective. You are what you are .... unless he thinks his height is with shoes and his official is without. (Though in college usually everyone's listed height is with shoes).

I will say, he looks taller than 5'9" on the court.
 

From what I've seen of Mathieu so far, am comfortbale saying 5-9 looks right, but he plays bigger than that.

Long way to go. Need to see how everyone looks when the competition is ratcheded up in Maui, on back-to-back-to-back days.
 

SelectionSunday said:
From what I've seen of Mathieu so far, am comfortbale saying 5-9 looks right, but he plays bigger than that.

Long way to go. Need to see how everyone looks when the competition is ratcheded up in Maui, on back-to-back-to-back days.
Click to expand...

probably what dre means when he says he thinks he's 6 foot
 

He's 5-9, but no need to cover that up! We assume he'll be a good player and he can use his size and speed to his advantage.
 


I really wish they'd measure by reach and wingspan rather than height.
 







Was he measured after a cold shower?
 

GameDay said:
He's 5-9, but no need to cover that up! We assume he'll be a good player and he can use his size and speed to his advantage.
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I have met Mathieu on campus and 5-9 seems small. I know I met him during the first game day, not one of my better days, but I know that he is for sure taller than that even if it is just 2 inches.
 

Thugunin said:
I have met Mathieu on campus and 5-9 seems small. I know I met him during the first game day, not one of my better days, but I know that he is for sure taller than that even if it is just 2 inches.
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Keep in mind that the majority of men lie about their heights. The average American man in 2013 is 5-9 1/2. If he looks 2 inches taller than the common man you see every day, than you're probably right. He certainly doesn't look that way to me. I'm [honestly] 6-0, and I'm willing to bet if I stood next to him, I'd have him by several inches.
I personally know a football player who is listed a 6-2, but when he is actually measured, stands in at 5-9. Also, Trevor Mbakwe is NOT 6-8. Just pointing that out. I know 6'8, Trev was exactly the same height as my 6'6 1/2 friend when we ran into him on campus once. Besides the point, but 5'11 is taller than you'd imagine.
 



GameDay said:
Keep in mind that the majority of men lie about their heights. The average American man in 2013 is 5-9 1/2. If he looks 2 inches taller than the common man you see every day, than you're probably right. He certainly doesn't look that way to me. I'm [honestly] 6-0, and I'm willing to bet if I stood next to him, I'd have him by several inches.
I personally know a football player who is listed a 6-2, but when he is actually measured, stands in at 5-9. Also, Trevor Mbakwe is NOT 6-8. Just pointing that out. I know 6'8, Trev was exactly the same height as my 6'6 1/2 friend when we ran into him on campus once. Besides the point, but 5'11 is taller than you'd imagine.
Click to expand...

You made it awkward.
 

GameDay said:
Keep in mind that the majority of men lie about their heights. The average American man in 2013 is 5-9 1/2. If he looks 2 inches taller than the common man you see every day, than you're probably right. He certainly doesn't look that way to me. I'm [honestly] 6-0, and I'm willing to bet if I stood next to him, I'd have him by several inches.
I personally know a football player who is listed a 6-2, but when he is actually measured, stands in at 5-9. Also, Trevor Mbakwe is NOT 6-8. Just pointing that out. I know 6'8, Trev was exactly the same height as my 6'6 1/2 friend when we ran into him on campus once. Besides the point, but 5'11 is taller than you'd imagine.
Click to expand...

Damn
 


GameDay said:
Keep in mind that the majority of men lie about their heights. The average American man in 2013 is 5-9 1/2. If he looks 2 inches taller than the common man you see every day, than you're probably right. He certainly doesn't look that way to me. I'm [honestly] 6-0, and I'm willing to bet if I stood next to him, I'd have him by several inches.
I personally know a football player who is listed a 6-2, but when he is actually measured, stands in at 5-9. Also, Trevor Mbakwe is NOT 6-8. Just pointing that out. I know 6'8, Trev was exactly the same height as my 6'6 1/2 friend when we ran into him on campus once. Besides the point, but 5'11 is taller than you'd imagine.
Click to expand...
Trevor is a legit 6 ft 8 in "basketball height." Players are measured with shoes on which means their height is inflated by at least an inch.
 

After he said that he was closer to 6 feet, I asked him to stand up. I kind of eyed him (as I'm a little obsessed with height and can usually tell how tall people are if they are next to me) - he seemed closer to 5'11, IMO. Marcus thought the same. Certainly not 5'9.
 

This is my 1st post on this site. I'm an IU fan that lives in Knoxville, TN and I've seen Dre play several times and talked to him 2-3 times. First off, you guys got yourselves a quality person. He is very polite, looks you in the eye and smiles when he talks. He is also one of the quickest jumpers I've ever seen. He can get up, down and back up, again, where a lot of guys have to re-gather to jump. If I remember, he won the slam dunk contest in a pro-am summer league they have here. In hs, his shooting was streaky, but he is a very good floor leader and passer. I've not seen him in a couple of years, but I would think, not his height, but his strength would be his biggest issue. He was a pretty skinny guy.

Good luck to you guys this season. I know I'll try to catch a few more Gopher games than usual this season to see how Dre does, and to check out Pitino. Should be an interesting season.
 

Knoxindy said:
This is my 1st post on this site. I'm an IU fan that lives in Knoxville, TN and I've seen Dre play several times and talked to him 2-3 times. First off, you guys got yourselves a quality person. He is very polite, looks you in the eye and smiles when he talks. He is also one of the quickest jumpers I've ever seen. He can get up, down and back up, again, where a lot of guys have to re-gather to jump. If I remember, he won the slam dunk contest in a pro-am summer league they have here. In hs, his shooting was streaky, but he is a very good floor leader and passer. I've not seen him in a couple of years, but I would think, not his height, but his strength would be his biggest issue. He was a pretty skinny guy.

Good luck to you guys this season. I know I'll try to catch a few more Gopher games than usual this season to see how Dre does, and to check out Pitino. Should be an interesting season.
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Thanks for the comment, nice to hear some positive things on this board. Good luck to IU too! Although I can't say I'm a big fan of IU, the B1G is much more fun when IU is a contender. I think they'll be much better than most "experts" are predicting them to be this year.
 

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