En route to an Adia Barnes press conference Wednesday, I came upon a very tall man in a red hoodie posing for a picture outside McKale Center.
It was Bill Walton standing with Bennedict Mathurin. It was a then-and-now picture of college basketball. Walton, the nation’s 1973 and 1974 player of the year, was shoulder-to-shoulder with Mathurin, a sudden but sure contender for the NCAA 2022 player of the year award.
Walton. the Pac-12 Networks analyst for ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s 101-76 victory over Northern Colorado, was pumped and ready to unload information on Bennedict’s back-to-back Pac-12 Player of the Week awards.
And then Mathurin didn’t make a field goal for the game’s first 25 minutes. Figures, doesn’t it? There goes the game’s top storyline.
Northern Colorado coach Steve Smiley arrived at McKale Center determined that Mathurin wouldn’t beat the Bears. He ordered his team to deploy an anybody-but-Bennedict defense that ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ coach Tommy Lloyd described as “they literally left everybody else open …. (he) was face-guarded all day.â€
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Smiley implemented the triangle-and-two defense, perhaps the most poisonous words in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ basketball history. Remember? At the 1998 Elite Eight, Utah coach Rick Majerus used that gimmick defense to disrupt ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s defending national championship offense in a humbling 76-51, this-game-will-hurt-forever upset.
“They threw something different at us,†said senior guard Justin Kier.
But this time it didn’t work for a lot of reasons, primarily because the Bears weren’t good enough inside to stop Christian Koloko and Azoulas Tubelis, who combined for what seemed like a gazillion points.
It also failed because Mathurin didn’t play with a sense of entitlement. He chipped in. Elite scorers don’t often willingly chip in. Mathurin did.
“Some guys might sulk,†said Kier. “But Benn’s a really good teammate. He was congratulating everybody on the team.â€
Mathurin quietly scored 11 points, reaching double figures only after he rebounded his teammate’s missed shots in the final minutes and turned them into two easy put-back buckets.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Justin Kier was among the players who stepped up when Northern Colorado decided to run a triangle-and-two defense on Bennedict Mathurin.
It was a victory within the victory for Lloyd, Mathurin and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
When you’ve got a player of Mathurin’s skill, you often have to tiptoe around his ego. But on Wednesday, Mathurin didn’t touch the ball in nine of the final 16 possessions he played.
Yet when he was subbed out with 1:33 remaining, Mathurin smiled to the crowd and raised his palms, as if to ask the 11,943 fans to rise from their seats and cheer for the greater good of the nation’s eighth-ranked team.
It doesn’t always work this way. In the 1999-2000 season, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ State’s Eddie House became the first player to be named Pac-10 Player of the Week three times in succession. House was a volume shooter, which is an accurate description only if you turn the volume to its highest level.
House preceeded his historic three-week run by shooting 16 times against BYU — and missing all of them, if that’s possible. ASU lost, but it didn’t stop House.
In the Sun Devils’ next game, against San Diego State, he attempted 29 shots. This time he scored 46 points and was named Pac-10 Player of the Week. After that, you weren’t going to get the ball out of House’s hands.
House attempted 87 shots the next four games. ASU didn’t contend for the Pac-10 title or get invited to the NCAA Tournament that season, but House scored so many points — 157, or 39 per game — in victories over so-so Bucknell, Penn State and Cal and a loss to Stanford that he won two more conference player of the week trophies.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s one victory over Illinois, with Mathurin scoring 30, had more meaning than all of those games.
This isn’t to pick on House. He went on to become a second-round draft pick and play 11 NBA seasons. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ State now displays his jersey in the school’s arena. But his college teams, the Sun Devils, went 26-46 in conference games and all of those shots didn’t lead to much,.
On Wednesday, Mathurin’s maturity and decision not to attempt to play hero basketball allowed his teammates to experience the role of go-to guys. Mathurin was 0 for 2 afield at halftime, but the rest of his teammates shot 19 for 31, which is 63% — which means it’s almost impossible to lose.
Off-the-bench players Kier, Oumar Ballo and Pelle Larsson combined to outscore the reigning national player of the week 16-2 in the first half. It was a coach’s dream.
Walton loved it. He couldn’t stop crowing to the TV audience about how Mathurin selflessly let the game come to him, rather than try to hijack Lloyd’s offense and, perhaps, mess up the continuity and togetherness that is a big reason the Wildcats are 10-0.
“I want to thank my teammates who fed me (the ball),†said Tubelis, who scored 16 points on just nine shots. “The way this offense is, if I see an open teammate, I just pass him the ball.â€
It was a way of saying “thanks, Benn.â€
For the previous two weeks, Mathurin was the open man. On Wednesday, he became a passer and a rebounder. He won’t win a third straight player-of-the-week award, but his teammates and coaches will appreciate him even more.
That’s how you win a Pac-12 championship.
Photos: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ holds off Northern Colorado after close first half
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats forward Azuolas Tubelis (10), Northern Colorado Bears guard Matt Johnson II (2) and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats guard Bennedict Mathurin (0) eye the loose ball in the first half during a game at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

Northern Colorado Bears center Theo Hughes (32) is defended by ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats guard Kerr Kriisa (25) and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats center Christian Koloko (35) in the first half during a game at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats guard Pelle Larsson (3) eyes the basket as he's challenged by Northern Colorado Bears forward Bryce Kennedy (21) in the first half during a game at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

Northern Colorado Bears guard Bodie Hume (13) and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats forward Azuolas Tubelis (10) try to grab the rebound in the first half during a game at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats forward Azuolas Tubelis (10) flashes his fingers towards the ZonaZoo crowd in the first half during a game at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

Northern Colorado Bears forward Jamel Melvin (10), ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats guard Dalen Terry (4), Northern Colorado Bears forward Bryce Kennedy (21) and other players watch the ball in the first half during a game at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats guard Kerr Kriisa (25) jumps for a three-pointer in the first half during a game at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

Jack Murphy, assistant head coach, yells out to his players in the first half during a game against Nothern Colorado at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats guard Justin Kier (5) eyes the basket as Northern Colorado Bears guard Dru Kuxhausen (0) falls backwards in the first half during a game at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats guard Kerr Kriisa (25) hooks the ball towards the basket in the first half during a game at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats center Christian Koloko (35) defends Northern Colorado Bears guard Bodie Hume (13) in the first half during a game at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats center Christian Koloko (35) blocks the shot of Northern Colorado Bears guard Daylen Kountz (1) in the first half during a game at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd fires up his players in the second half during a game against Northern Colorado at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ won 101-76.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats guard Dalen Terry (4) gestures towards the referee in the second half during a game at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ won 101-76.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats center Christian Koloko (35) eyes the backet over Northern Colorado Bears forward Kur Jongkuch (15) in the second half during a game at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ won 101-76.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

Northern Colorado Bears guard Matt Johnson II (2) makes a drive past ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats forward Azuolas Tubelis (10) in the second half during a game at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ won 101-76.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats guard Pelle Larsson (3) riles up the crowd in the second half during a game against Nothern Colorado at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ won 101-76.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats guard Kerr Kriisa (25) gets pumped as ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ pulls away from Northern Colorado in the second half during a game at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ won 101-76.
Northern Colorado at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Men's Basketball

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats guard Justin Kier (5) makes a drive past Northern Colorado Bears guard Bodie Hume (13) in the second half during a game at Mckale Center in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on December 15, 2021. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ won 101-76.