Benched guard has opportunity to spring into action

It’s been two years too long for swingman Curtis Dennis.

The junior from the Bronx, N.Y., has been itching to get on Bob King Court and display his talents for the UNM men’s basketball team.
Dennis probably won’t be a starter, but he said knows his responsibility: It’s to be a spark plug off the Lobos’ bench.
“I think that’s what coach demands of me,” he said.

Dennis, a redshirt freshman in the 2008-09 season, saw limited action during last year’s historic 30-5 season. He usually subbed in for guard Phillip McDonald, and Dennis averaged eight minutes of playing time in 31 games last year.
This year Dennis will have the first two games to earn considerable minutes.

McDonald sustained an elbow injury and is expected to miss UNM’s first two regular-season games against Detroit and Arizona State.
Last season, Dennis showed he could be UNM’s sixth man.

“To come off of the bench and try to be a (veteran), be a leader on and off the court, I think that’s my role,” he said.
On Dec. 29, when the Lobos hosted No. 24 Texas Tech, Dennis scored a season-high 14 points in 14 minutes of action. He had two steals and was perfect from the free-throw line, 4-of-4.

But it was during conference play when head coach Steve Alford and Dennis’ teammates needed him the most.
When BYU visited The Pit on Jan. 27, Dennis came off the bench and helped deliver a 76-72 victory over the No. 10 Cougars. He had 11 points and was 3-of-8 from the field and was 4-of-4 in free-throw attempts.

Dennis said he wants to have an extended impact this season, much like the performance he had against BYU at home last year.
“I just remembered how we played last year,” Dennis said. “I just tried to remember how I played and what I did to come out and attack early instead of waiting.”

In the first two exhibition games, Dennis played a pivotal role off of the bench, scoring what would have been a career-high 17 points against Eastern New Mexico.

So much for that: Career stats can’t be established in exhibition games. Dennis finished preseason with 29 points.
Alford said he is glad to have a second-year player like Dennis.

“With Curtis Dennis being a sophomore, you’ve got five underclass there in the backcourt,” Alford said. “With Phillip, (Roman Martinez) and Darington (Hobson) now gone, there is a lot of offense that is going to be needed to make up.’
Outside of his team, Dennis said he doesn’t owe anything to anybody.

“I just have to come out and help the team win anyway I can, and that’s the only thing I have to prove,” Dennis said.