Matthew Hurt: I Try To Be a Mismatch For Whoever Guards Me

Freshman's versatility makes him a weapon

For the first time, Matthew Hurt was not in the starting lineup for Duke.

After starting the first two games, the freshman forward was on the bench for the Central Arkansas game.

“Jack White’s been doing a great job,” he said afterward. White, a senior captain, replaced Hurt in the lineup. “I was very happy for him. It also helped me out. We have no jealousies here. I’m just happy that we got the win.”

Hurt ended up leading the team with 19 points, despite coming off the bench. He feels like he’s right on schedule in his development.

“It was hard (at times). There were some tough days,” he said. “I didn’t play well some of the games, and the coaches got on me. But that’s why I came here, just to get pushed, to get worked out every day and get pushed in everything. I think coming here was one of the best decisions of my life.”

Despite Hurt’s scoring, he knows the other side of the floor is what the coaches want to see.

“He emphasizes he wants guys to play defense,” Hurt said. “No weak links. I take that to heart. For me personally, I’ve had good couple of games. I want to compete hard, keep the guy in front, know the rotations, keep staying in the stance. I think he’s done a good job staying on me about that.”

Hurt’s versatility is also a big factor in his success.

“If I have a small guy, try to post him up. If I have a big guy, take him outside and try to drive on him. I try to be a mismatch for whoever’s guarding me.”