Eric Mika finally hit something besides foul trouble that could stop him: Finals week.
The BYU sophomore won’t play until Saturday in Chicago against Illinois, which means Cougar opponents are safe.
Ever since Mika’s offseason return from Rome, where he served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he has been on a tear.
As a freshman, he was special. As a sophomore, he’s been remarkable and dramatic.
In BYU’s two wins last week against Weber State and Colorado, Mika missed practice time due to food poisoning, so he was used sparingly. Yet he earned WCC Player of the Week honors for averaging 21.5 points and 8.5 rebounds and 5 blocks in the 77-66 win over Weber State and the 79-71 victory over Colorado.
That is sick.
But even ailing, Mika displayed the trademark play that’s become his calling card.
Mika was a wrecking crane, dunking at the end of fast breaks, sweeping the boards for rebounds and delivering putbacks. He hit jumpers and faders, blocked shots and led the break like a fleet-footed guard.
It was Mika’s second WCC Player of the Week honor this season. Against Weber State, he got his fourth double-double of the season against the Wildcats.
Guys off missionary work generally struggle. They are out of shape, their timing is off and their legs lack the custom fast-twitch muscle firing required to play at a high level. Generally speaking, it takes a while for them to get their shooting touch back, same with their confidence. Many find themselves fighting injuries like stress fractures, sore backs, hamstring pulls and sprained ankles.
Mika’s had none of that so far this season. If he’s hurt, he isn’t saying. The biggest hurdle he’s faced is that teams are closing down on him with double and triple team coverage.
He’s drawing more and more defensive bodies thrown at him. And more and more of those defenders are fouling out.
Mika has gone to the line 97 times in 10 games. At this rate, he’ll break the school record of 307 free throws set by Devin Durrant in 1984.
Analyst Ken Pomeroy gives Mika the No. 10 offensive rating in the country because of his efficiency and productivity in just 25.4 minutes played per game. He is averaging 21 points and 8.5 rebounds a game. He’s shooting 56 percent from the floor on 67 or 119 shots. But where he’s made a major jump in his game is his accuracy at the free-throw line 76 or 97 (78 percent). This makes fouling him, the old hack away strategy, a costly ploy.
Mika ranks No. 1 in the nation in fouls drawn per 40 minutes played at 10.4.
His coach Dave Rose has witnessed plenty of missionaries return and succeed and others struggle. He saw Travis Hansen and Tyler Haws come out of the post-mission chute with productivity and mid-season form.
Mika easily fits this mold, averaging double-figure scoring in every game he’s played this season. After 10 games, Mika is five blocked shots from surpassing his personal record as a freshman before he left for Italy.
Rose says Mika is a guy who “is willing to pass from the post.”
If Rose’s guards begin making outside buckets like they did in the win over Colorado, the Cougars will have taken a big step forward as a young club.
In that game, Mika had a career-high six assists, prompting Rose to say that for the first time this season his team felt like what he is looking for.
"I like the way it felt. I like the way the bench felt. The interaction among the guys was what we've wanted to see," said Rose.
The BYU game in Chicago against the Illini is a big challenge for Mika and Rose and what they’re trying to do before WCC play begins.
Signs of progress are encouraging.
But in the case of Mika, he is not a secret anymore. He may be the WCC's top player.
The word is out: He’s Mika the Menace.
Beware of the Menace.