It was a coming-out party for UNM senior and starting forward Tony Dandridge Wednesday at The Pit.
After being questioned about his leadership ability over the course of the first 10 games for the Lobos, Danridge shined and showed the kind of leader he can be for the young UNM men's basketball team.
Danridge finished the night with 20 points and countered Oral Roberts senior guard Robert Jarvis and his 22 points, leading the Lobos to a tight 66-63 victory over the Golden Eagles.
Danridge looked new and improved, like a Tony 2.0.
"Tony is our scorer," senior and starting center Daniel Faris said. "He is our senior leader as far as on the offensive end. Tony took over tonight and did a great job for us."
Danridge lead all Lobos in scoring with his 20 points, showing more will to attack the basket and playing with a sense of urgency on a Lobo team with 6-4 record only two weeks away from conference play.
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"I had to be (aggressive)," Danridge said. "When other shots don't fall and other jumpers don't go down, I have to be aggressive."
After finishing the first half with only eight points and shooting 4-of-10 from the field, Danridge flipped a switch in the second.
Down 37-25 at halftime, Dandridge guided a 16-2 scoring storm in the first four minutes of the second half for UNM.
In the first 4:41 of the half, Danridge contributed four points, one block, one assist and one steal.
It wouldn't be the first run Danridge lead against the Golden Eagles - in fact, the second run of the half for the Lobos was all Danridge.
With 7:14 left in the game and the Lobos trailing by three 53-50, Danridge rebounded a missed Roman Martinez 3-pointer and attempted a put back but was fouled. He would hit a pair of free throws to cut the Oral Roberts lead to one.
On the next possession off a Jarvis trey, Danridge hit a quick lay-up and was fouled by Andre Hardy to pull UNM within two.
Danridge would hit the free shot and once again pull the Lobos within one.
With 5:48 left in regulation, Danridge hit a jumper, off a Martinez board, to put the Lobos on top 57-56.
"I just saw some openings, and whatever I saw, I just tried to attack," Danridge said.
In 2:04, Danridge went on a 5-0 one-man run to drag the Lobos back in the game.
Danridge finished the second half with 12 points, three rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block - and he shot 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.
