Unaccustomed to American collegiate basketball, Mutombo appeared in 33 of the team's 34 games but started none of them and saw only limited playing time, averaging 11 minutes per game while he became acclimated to the college game in the United States. Although he averaged only 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game for the season, these figures belied the scoring and defensive prowess he displayed on the court. Opponents found his close-range shots virtually impossible to stop, and he broke a 22-year-old school record with a 70.7% shooting average from the field; he scored in 23 games, and shot 100% from the field in ten of them. On defense, he showed himself to be a skilled shot blocker; never taught in Zaire to jump in anticipation of an opponent's shot, he simply stood his ground and waited for the opponent to commit to a shot before rising to swat it away. He blocked 75 shots during the season, and set a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) record with 12 shots blocked in a single game against St. John's. Despite his prowess, Mutumbo served solely as Mourning's backup; it would take an additional year before Thompson realized that Mourning and Mutumbo should be playing in the starting lineup at the same time.
