Arizona’s Bennedict Mathurin reached out to TCU dancer after incident
Arizona star Bennedict Mathurin has tried to apologize to a TCU dance team member after video showed him potentially making contact with her breast after their NCAA tournament game last week, he said on Wednesday.
Video from after Arizona’s win against TCU, which sent the Wildcats into the Sweet 16, showed Mathurin’s left hand at least come close to making contact with a TCU dance team member’s chest as he was celebrating while walking off the court.
It’s unclear, based on videos that have circulated, whether Mathurin actually made contact. The dance team member doesn't appear to react in the moment.
Ummmm…did the Arizona go later just give the TCU cheerleader a tap? pic.twitter.com/VbVRLoqp2V
— Kyle G. Adema (@KyleGAdema) March 21, 2022
“I actually sent an email, I reached out to the cheerleader, through the TCU athletic department,” Mathurin said on Wednesday, via The Wildcaster. “I reached out to her, and that’s it.”
Arizona's Bennedict Mathurin addresses the video of him allegedly touching a TCU cheerleader while walking off the court in San Diego. pic.twitter.com/t28Wb06ZbA
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) March 23, 2022
Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke said in a statement on Wednesday that Mathurin said he didn’t remember making any contact with the TCU student, and that they have not heard back.
“Shortly after returning to Tucson, I was notified that people on social media were claiming a video clip showed Bennedict Mathurin may have made physical contact with a TCU student while walking off the court. I have reached out to TCU's athletics department and I spoke with Bennedict," Heeke said, via The Associated Press.
"While he does not recall any contact, he has attempted to reach out to the TCU student through their athletic department to apologize."
TCU athletic director Jeremiah Donati said that they have “been in contact” with Arizona and “received communication from their student-athlete,” but did not elaborate.
Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said he didn’t know anything had happened until the team had returned home.
“We were as surprised as anybody,” Lloyd said, via The Associated Press. “I’m just going to refer to that statement from Dave about the situation.”
The Wildcats nearly fell to TCU in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Sunday. Dalen Terry almost hit a game-winning dunk in regulation, but was just barely too late. They then edged out the Horned Frogs 85-80 in overtime. Mathurin, the Pac-12 Player of the Year, dropped 30 points with eight rebounds.
Arizona will take on Houston on Thursday in San Antonio.
