Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
The Daily Lobo The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
Latest Issue
Read our print edition on Issuu
Redshirt Sophomore Connor MacDougall towers over Colorado State players as he shoots an inside jump shot Feb. 21, 2017 at WisePies Arena.

Redshirt Sophomore Connor MacDougall towers over Colorado State players as he shoots an inside jump shot Feb. 21, 2017 at WisePies Arena.

Men's Basketball: MacDougall works hard, plays hard

His whole life, UNM basketball player Connor MacDougall has been reaching for new heights — and not just physically.

MacDougall, listed as a 6-foot-9-inch player on the UNM roster, was a highly recruited power forward from the 2014 class.

After playing four years at Corona del Sol High School, where he earned a Division I state title his senior year, the Arizona native got an offer from head coach Craig Neal to play at UNM.

However, MacDougall opted to play with the Sun Devils at Arizona State. He was there for the 2014-2015 season, but after a shoulder surgery, he transferred to South Mountain Community College, where he earned his associate’s degree in psychology while also being named NJCAA Division 2 All-American.

He then decided that it was time to take his original offer at New Mexico.

“It meant a lot to me,” MacDougall said. “When it came time to choose again, (Lobo coaches) were some of the first people at the gym to come see me and they were some of the first people to come talk to me. Coach Neal was calling me personally.”

He also added that his friendship with sophomore guard/forward Dane Kuiper also helped with his decision.

“I guess the second time around I was thinking, ‘where can I go and feel like family?’” he said.

The 21-year-old said he has always loved sports due to his competitive nature.

He played football until high school, and admitted that he mostly started playing basketball to stay in shape during the off-season. However, his priorities eventually changed.

MacDougall said there are plenty of advantages to have played football, including being able to take hits without any pads.

“I try to remind myself, ‘hey, you played football, you’ve dealt with worse,’” he laughed. “And probably mentality. Football players have that ‘let’s go get it’ mentality. They’re tough, and you kind of put pain aside when you’re in the moment.”

Enjoy what you're reading?
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Subscribe

Sports are a huge part of MacDougall’s life and he takes them seriously, but he said that it’s also important to know when to just have fun.

Redshirt junior guard Elijah Brown, one of MacDougall’s roommates, had plenty to say about him.

“Good dude to be around. He works hard,” Brown said. “He is one of those guys that when I‘m looking down the sideline getting ready to go into battle, he is one of the guys I want to have next to me. He’s a warrior.”

But things are not always business with MacDougall.

“When we are off the court he is goofy,” Brown continued with a grin. “He likes to laugh. He’s always doing a ton of impersonations and quoting movies.”

Brown said it’s common for him to find MacDougall and Kuiper, who is also their roommate, acting out a movie scene.

MacDougall said his passion for movies makes it hard for him to only pick one favorite. However, he said if he had to settle for one, he would pick Step Brothers because he thinks it’s “a classic” when it comes to comedy.

His appreciation for humor also shows in the way he has no problem laughing at himself. MacDougall joked about his size, saying he “came out two feet, 10 pounds as an infant child,” and that his constant growth made him, at some points in his life, “that tall skinny dude who didn’t move really well.”

This season he’s made appearances in 25 matches while averaging 10.4 minutes per game. He had his best performance during the Wyoming game on Feb. 25, scoring 17 points. This was his third time seeing double figures, but 17 is the highest number he’s seen as a Lobo.

His height might have created some awkwardness as a kid, but today, MacDougall is using it to his advantage as a basketball player.

Isabel Gonzalez is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. She mainly covers men’s soccer and basketball. She can be reached at sports
@dailylobo.com or on Twitter 
@cisabelg.

Comments
Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2024 The Daily Lobo