Nov. 13, 2009
Saturday: UC Riverside at Lobos, 7 p.m., The Pit
Radio: 770-AM KKOB; Lobo Radio Network
Online: GameTracker, stats, game story on GoLobos.com
Richard Stevens – Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
Of course, the Lobos always count on The Pit and its wild bunch of UNM fans. But this season, as The Pit grows around them to the tune of $60 million, Steve Alford’s young Lobos might be leaning on their sixth man more than ever.
In a way, Alford will be looking at The Pit’s boisterous backing as a shot of quick-grow for his Lobos. He goes to battle with four freshmen and four sophomores. He has one junior and one senior, who donned a Lobo jersey last season. UNM is the third-youngest team out of 346 D-I schools.
He needs his pups to grow up fast and that includes the 7 p.m. tip on Saturday with UC Riverside.
“We’re playing an experienced team and we’re inexperienced,” said Alford. “It makes for an interesting game. We need to have a good start.
“That first four minutes is going to be crucial. That’s why we always put a lot of emphasis on our defense. If we are going to be uptight, let’s be uptight offensively. Let’s learn to get into the game defensively right away.”
The Lobos know at least one UC Riverside player to target. Kyle Austin, a 6-foot-8 forward, averaged 16.2 points last season. Riverside returns five of its top six scorers off a 17-13 team that finished 8-8 in the Big West.
“They have potent scorers,” said Alford. “They feel like this is the year they can make a run in their league.”
The Lobos have a lot of talent, a lot of quickness, a lot of scorers, a lot of perimeter power, and a few question marks. One of those question marks hinges on UNM’s inside game for 2009-10.
Can the enthusiasm and productivity of Daniel Faris be replaced by 6-8 sophomore A.J. Hardeman, 6-9 sophomore Will Brown and 6-9 freshman Matt Staff?
“Last year we weren’t deep (inside) either, but you had Daniel, who was a senior,” said Alford. “This year it is two sophomores and a freshman.
“It’s an issue and we understand it’s an issue. That’s why there is a lot of pressure on our guards to make sure our guards are doing a good job defensively and not putting added pressure on the bigs.”
The pressure inside surely will hit Alford’s bigs a time or two this year. But it might not be a huge problem against UC Riverside. The Highlanders go 6-8 (Austin) and 6-9 inside (Konner Veteto). Their guards are 6-5, 6-2 and 6-2. The Lobos have the height advantage.
The Highlanders return some experience, but their starting lineup has one senior, three juniors and a sophomore. This might be old by Lobo standards, but Riverside’s big season might be next year.
An interesting addition to the Highlanders’ lineup is the 6-2 Dwight Gordon, who averaged 21.8 points and 8.8 rebounds last season in JC ball. You can bet if Gordon pulls down eight boards in The Pit, Alford will not be a happy Lobo.
“They are an athletic team and they have a couple of good transfers,” said UNM’s Dairese Gary.
Gary is part of the Lobos’ strength in 2009-10: perimeter power. The 6-1 junior will be looked on for leadership and productivity.
“Dairese keeps getting better and better,” said Alford. “He is as strong and as physical a point guard as you’ll see in the country. He uses that strength to his advantage.”
Gary is joined on the rim by Curtis Dennis, Nate Garth, Jamal Fenton, Phillip McDonald and Roman Martinez. UNM has a couple of swing players (guard/wing) in 6-7 Darington Hobson, 6-6 Chad Adams and even 6-6 Martinez.
These Lobos often will be asked to guard bigger and taller opponents, and also hit the board. Martinez showed his all-around versatility with 10.6 points and 6.4 boards last year for the Lobos.
Hobson averaged 15.2 points and 8.7 rebounds last season at College of Eastern Utah. Staff averaged 19 points and 13.7 boards in high school. But The Pit brings Hobson and Staff to a different level, a different brand, of ball.
“You don’t usually understand the difference, until you are out there,” said Gary.
The Lobos opened play this season with a 98-68 exhibition roll of New Mexico Highlands. UC Riverside won its exhibition 109-74 over Redlands. Gary is predicting an up-and-down tempo from two teams not geared to walk it down and throw it inside.
The Lobos have won nine straight Pit games and are 39-2 in their last 41 con-conference games in The Pit. Yeah, The Pit comes in handy and surely will embrace Alford’s pups on Saturday.
“There is always some nervousness, some anxiousness, with an opener because you don’t get to prepare to coach like you nomally do,” said Alford. “You don’t have the (game) tapes to do that.”
Which means the Lobos will have to lean on a few staples in Alford’s coaching: rebound, play defense, take care of the ball, take good shots. Add those things to The Pit and it’s a pretty solid game plan.