Cards' Mathiang adds size, strength, confidence

"Look out, look out, a tank's coming through," a voice boomed from behind a slow-moving gaggle of cameramen and reporters.

The crowd parted. University of Louisville center Mangok Mathiang skipped through, his grin betraying how corny he knew he sounded. All teammate Montrezl Harrell could do was laugh and shake his head.

Up to 220 pounds, the 6-foot-10 Mathiang is more confident by the day. He feels stronger and quicker, and his offseason progress has U of L coach Rick Pitino excited about the redshirt sophomore's increased power.

"You'll notice it right away in his biceps," Pitino said. "He's much stronger."

Pitino and Mathiang hope the additional weight, even if just eight pounds more than his listed size last season, will help the Sudanese-born, Australian-raised big man push back in the paint against opposing centers.

That was the biggest concern about Mathiang last season. At 6-10, 212, he gave up ground to thicker post players. His legs, Pitino maintained, were too skinny to prevent giving away space.

Mathiang made up for it long arms and quickness, leading the team with 51 blocks and averaging 3.6 rebounds a game. By season's end, Mathiang's production started to match his potential, especially on the offensive end.

At times in Louisville's Sweet 16 loss to Kentucky, Mathiang was the Cardinals' most effective interior player. He had three points, four rebounds, two blocks and two steals before foul trouble limited his playing time to just 17 minutes.

He returned to Louisville, conducted his exit interview with Pitino and the coaching staff and sat down with U of L strength and conditioning coach Ray Ganong.

"We got together and said it's time to get big," Mathiang said. "It's time to go in there and work hard every day and put on as much weight as we can."

He didn't ditch the honey buns or the Kit-Kats that he loves so much. He still lists them as his favorite foods.

He's just added more intake, more lifting, more everything. His legs are still skinny, as they probably will always be, but his upper body is noticeably different.

"Everything seems easier than it was last year," he said. "I'm a little quicker, definitely a lot stronger. I'm confident and comfortable with the way my body's looking right now."

Comfortable enough to run through the hallways of the KFC Yum! Center before Sunday's Red-White intrasquad scrimmage and call himself a tank.

Mathiang, one of the team's most likely players to crack a joke, was only half-serious.

And with the 240-pound Harrell standing next to him and 6-10, 230-pound freshman Chinanu Onuaku looking bigger than his listed weight, Mathiang's perhaps a bit more of an armored car than a tank compared to them.

But the point was clear: Mathiang's increased muscle mass will help him – and Louisville – this season.

"He's a much better basketball player this year, as you would expect," Pitino said. "His goal is to be as good as (former Louisville center Gorgui Dieng) someday, and he always talks about that."

Reach U of L beat writer Jeff Greer at (502) 582-4044 and follow him on Twitter (@jeffgreer_cj).