It was Tuesday afternoon, and Michigan had one more practice to get through in Ann Arbor prior to leaving for Des Moines. For most of the starters and bench players, it was a light affair. John Beilein wanted to rest the guys who needed it ahead of the most important juncture of the season.
For Matthews, still recovering from the ankle injury that cost him the final three weeks of the regular season, the workout was much more intense. He played a game with the reserves.
“It’s basically like getting assigned to a G-League team,” said Matthews, meaning no disrespect to the other guys on the court. “I was able to play with them and just continue to work my way back into the scheme of things.”
The biggest benefit, Matthews said, was reestablishing his rhythm. Three weeks on the sideline is a long time. And as much as the three games he played in the Big Ten Tournament helped, Matthews admits he wasn’t really pushing it yet. He knew there were more important games ahead.
In his return from the G-League in Michigan's NCAA Tournament opener, Matthews scored the the first bucket of the night, six of his team’s first 12 points and a game-high 22 in a breezy win over Montana. And that’s to say nothing of his 10 rebounds, also a game-high.
“We understand one more mess-up, we’re done. I don’t want to end my season on that note, none of these guys do, either,” Matthews said. “After getting to where we got last year, we’ll really just feel empty if we don’t take it all this year.”
It was that understanding that gnawed at Matthews during his recovery. He wanted so badly to be back on the floor, to be back yesterday, and the angst increased each day the NCAA Tournament drew closer. His mind wandered, at times, to places he’d rather not revisit. He fought the constant impulse to expedite his rehab.
Matthews had never missed a game due to injury in his career. Not in high school, not in AAU, not in those rec leagues that now feel so distant. He shakes his head at the improbability of it all, and agrees he’s been blessed. When his run of good fortune finally came to an end, when Matthews was proven human and vulnerable, he admits, “I didn’t know how to respond.”
“It was great to see that,” said assistant coach DeAndre Haynes. “He’s back playing like himself on the offensive end and defensive end. When he’s playing that way, making his turnaround jumper, getting to the basket, rebounding, that’s a good flow for him.
“And we need him to play that way if we want to win a national championship.”
With Michigan up big in the second half, John Beilein began pulling some of his starters. He called Matthews to the bench with about 10 minutes to play. Matthews would never argue with Beilein’s decision, but, well, he wanted to stay in. He could feel his game coming back to him. When he sat down next to Haynes, he gently asked for a little more time on the court.
“He said, ‘Dre, I need to get back out there. I didn’t play as much, and I’m playing my game, I’m feeling it right now,’” Haynes said. “So I said, ‘Okay, we got you.’ When he’s got a flow like that, we’re a better team.”
Matthews was subbed back in about a minute later, and he was the last starter on the floor when he came out for good with under two minutes to play. With 35 minutes under his belt, his most in a month, Matthews felt better. He felt, at long last, normal.
“Not thinking about taking the wrong step, not thinking, ‘Am I athletic like I want to be right now?’ or, ‘Am I cutting and moving how I want to be?’” Matthews said.
He got himself back on autopilot Thursday night, and that was always going to be the final step in his recovery. Now Matthews can simply play. He was worried his return might disrupt the rhythm of the players who had thrived in his absence, like Ignas Brazdeikis and Isaiah Livers.
"It’s huge for us," said Brazdeikis. "Charles is one of the best players on the team, one of our leaders, so it’s really nice to have him playing like that again. If he plays like that, I feel like we can’t be stopped."
Asked how fun it all was, how good it felt to put the past four weeks behind him, Matthews nodded along as the question was being asked. If Haynes, Brazdeikis or anyone else in the locker room had heard, they would have been nodding along with him.