by Steven Fernandez
Daily Lobo
Steve Alford said he made a mistake during the UNM men's basketball team's recent two-game losing streak - he didn't bench senior Darren Prentice to start the game.
Prentice, one of just three active seniors for Lobos, has been much more effective coming off the bench lately.
In Saturday's 57-47 win over San Diego, Prentice didn't start the game but carried the UNM offense in The Pit.
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He led the team with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range.
Prentice racked up 25 minutes after coming off the bench.
"I apologize for the two losses, because I obviously screwed up by putting Prentice in the starting lineup," Alford said. "He was playing pretty good coming off the bench. I started him. Things didn't work. He goes back to the bench, and he gets a
career high."
In the two losses, at Ole Miss and NMSU, Prentice started both games.
He scored a combined nine points and grabbed one rebound in 33 minutes of play.
Prentice said he wants to start games and can't explain why he has performed better when coming off
the bench.
"I couldn't tell you," he said. "Obviously, everybody wants to be a starter. Right now, this is what's best for the team, and it's going well. I'm playing better off the bench, so stick with it."
Prentice provided a big spark after UNM got off to a slow start offensively on Saturday.
He entered the game with 15:20 remaining in the first half and the Lobos leading 4-0.
He scored eight out of 10 UNM points at one point, leading the Lobos on a 21-6 run.
Alford said he doesn't understand why Prentice seems to play better off the bench, but the coaching staff and players are still adjusting to each other in his first year as
head coach.
"I think it's a learning process," Alford said. "We're still trying to learn the team - the team's still trying to learn us."
It's been common for Alford to switch up lineups throughout the season, and he said he will continue to mix things up in the beginning of the season.
Part of that is because of the new system, and part of it is due to the types of teams UNM will play,
Alford said.
UNM forward Roman Martinez said the Lobos will have to show patience in dealing with constant lineup changes, and they have done that so far.
"A lot of us have the ability to start," he said. "Every game's going to be different."
Prentice said he has learned to accept that he might start any given game on the bench.
"Coach Alford is a great coach, so if he thinks me coming off the bench is better for the team, then so be it," he said. "He knows what he's doing, and right now it's turning
out great."
It's a good thing Prentice isn't frustrated by that role, because Alford has already made up his mind for Saturday's game against
Texas Tech.
After the game, Alford and Prentice passed by each other to give interviews.
"Hey DP," Alford said. "You're coming off the bench on
Saturday.
