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Saturday, November 15, 2008

Frosh Fit in Nicely As Lobos Romp in Opener

By Mark Smith
Journal Staff Writer
          Open sesame.
        OK, it wasn't entirely magical — given the opposition — but the University of New Mexico men's basketball team didn't need any smoke or mirrors to open the curtain on its 2008-09 season on Friday night in the Pit.
        Many recruiting experts feel that UNM coach Steve Alford pulled a rabbit out of his hat with this year's freshman class, and the Lobos' version of the Fab Four did not disappoint in a 102-59 blowout of Southeast Missouri State.
        Guards Phillip McDonald and Nate Garth, and forwards A.J. Hardeman and Will Brown helped ignite big runs in both halves, while seniors Tony Danridge, Chad Toppert, Daniel Faris and junior Roman Martinez had plenty of moments of their own in the balanced effort.
        "Just by watching (the freshmen), I think they had a lot of fun," Alford said. "Their first game in the Pit, they scored over 100 points, they shared the basketball. Everybody got involved in things. That's a nice atmosphere to have."
        That atmosphere included an announced 13,031 fans, most of whom were curious and excited about the newcomers. The foursome responded by hitting 19 of 25 shots for 41 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists.
        "This is what we've been waiting for, to play in front of a crowd like this," Garth said.
        There are actually six scholarship freshmen on the roster, but on Friday Alford said Curtis Dennis will likely sit out the season as a redshirt. The 6-foot-4 guard from the Bronx did not suit out Friday. Nor did redshirt freshman Kem Nweke, a 6-10 post who is still recovering from offseason knee surgery and is scheduled to have an MRI next week.
        The four freshmen who played all did so with flair.
        McDonald, the only starter in that bunch, had just three points in the first half but scored eight in a 14-1 run to start the second half on his way to 13 points, six rebounds and three assists. Hardeman hit all six of his field goal attempts for 13 points and had five boards. Brown was 4-of-5 for eight points and four rebounds. Both were the recipients of a number of passes from Garth, who had a game-high seven assists to go with seven points and one turnover.
        "Will and A.J. run the court like no others," said Garth, a 6-1 point guard. "I figure I can just take two hard dribbles to the basket, make the defense commit, and get an assist. They make it easy for me."
        Garth led a number of fast breaks that rekindled images of the run-and-gun Lobo teams of the 1970s.
        "Coach Alford, he gives it to me a lot in practice," Garth said. "He always tells me to make the right pass, not the flashy pass. Tonight I felt like it was the right pass and a flashy pass."
        The Redhawks, who are amid an NCAA investigation that cost them an athletic director and a head coach last month, came out firing from long range. SEMO hit four of its first six 3s while UNM — the nation's second best 3-point shooting team last season — had yet to hit from behind the new 21-foot arc. The Redhawks led 16-11.
        The Lobos closed to 20-19, then pulled away. Hardeman had a pair of dunks, and McDonald and Toppert each hit 3s in a 13-2 surge. After SEMO's Kenard Moore — who seemed to be testing himself with how far out he could shoot before getting yanked — finally hit a 3, the Lobos went on a 10-0 burst, and that was that.
        Brown and Danridge added slams in the latter run, which was capped by an alley-oop from Dairese Gary to Danridge for a reverse layup.
        "I go against (the freshmen) every day in practice, and every day they're improving," said Martinez, who had 10 points and a career-high 10 rebounds. "They gave us that push, and that's what we needed."