You think you and your better-half got chemistry? With a 3.90 GPA in Medicinal Chemistry, Matt Pile has GOT chemistry in ways you have never dreamed of! After being named the 2017 Barry Sanders Male Athlete of the Year at Eisenhower High School, he traveled 5 hours north to college in Omaha and has played in each of his team’s 63 games during the past 2 years. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Matt about facing several NCAA tourney teams earlier this season and his Final 4 prediction.
You went to high school in Kansas: what made you choose the Mavericks? It was close to home and I wanted to be within driving distance of my family. I loved all of the coaches I met during my campus visit and the family environment here with all of the players felt like a good fit for me.
You play for 2019 Summit COY Derrin Hansen: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him? He always encourages us and stays calm during game situations. There were countless games we won down the stretch which can be credited to him for drawing up a play that was successful.
You played in all 31 games as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? It is always hard as a freshman: the jump from high school to college is big but playing those games helped me get my feet under me and gave me confidence going into my sophomore year.
Your team was top-10 in the nation this year with 39.3 3P%: what role does the 3-PT shot play in your team’s offensive philosophy, and how do you fit into the equation when you have yet to attempt a 3 yourself? It is definitely big but it is not the only thing we rely on. We were good from the 3-PT line this year but were not dependent on it. If people find me inside and I get double-teamed then I can kick it out to 1 of our open shooters.
You played several NCAA tourney-caliber teams this year in non-conference play (including ASU/Iowa State/Minnesota/Oregon): which of them impressed you the most, and why? I think Iowa State was the toughest team we played. They are lengthy/athletic and can really shoot the ball well so they were hard to guard.
In the Summit tourney title game you had 12 PTS/14 REB in a 10-PT loss to North Dakota State: how close did you come to winning the title, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward? It was a really tough time in the locker room. We just became stagnant toward the end of the game and played too much 1-on-1. We were able to tie it up after a big 1st half deficit but just could not get out of the hole that we had dug ourselves into.
How do you think that your team will do next year after losing some great seniors including Zach Jackson/Mitch Hahn? Not only were they great players but also great leaders so it will be important for our rising seniors to step up and learn from the 2 guys who we are losing.
Last month you were named Academic All-American: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? It is definitely tough and there are some long nights but I just try to get my schoolwork done beforehand so that I can focus on basketball. Sometimes I have to play catch-up if I miss a class but it is manageable.
You have a 3.90 GPA as a Medicinal Chemistry major: why did you choose that major, and what is the post-college plan? I want to go to med school so that is the plan. Chemistry is my favorite science and I know that it will look good on my application. I enjoy chemistry more than the average person does!
You turned 20 last month: what did you do for the big day? I went out to eat with my teammates: there was nothing too crazy since it was during the week.
Any predictions for the Final 4? I really like Texas Tech: they play defense but can also score. I think that the Michigan State-Texas Tech winner will end up winning it all. It is cool to see Matt Mooney doing so well for the Red Raiders after he spent a couple of year in the Summit League.