Sitting on the bench last year, Tim Williams became familiar with the atmosphere of WisePies Arena. And now that the exhibition schedule is in the books, he knows what it’s like to play before the Albuquerque crowd.
Williams, a junior transfer from Samford University, got his first-game experience as a member of the New Mexico men’s basketball team after sitting out last year. The NCAA's eligibility rules require all transfers to sit out one year before they can play for their new teams.
Now that his eligibility is back, Williams should be a regular contributor to the Lobos. He said he thinks the team is ready for the regular season to begin this Friday against Texas Southern.
“With a lot of young guys like that in our exhibition games, and you don't have a scout (report), you don't know anybody,” Williams said after Friday night’s exhibition win over Rogers State. “’Should I close out hard?’ Once we get scouts going I think we'll be a lot better.”
Fans also saw a bit of what Williams brings to the Lobos.
Playing nearly 30 minutes in each exhibition, Williams reached double figures against both CSU-Pueblo (15 points) and Rogers State (13). He pulled down 10 rebounds against the ThunderWolves last Tuesday to complete a double-double, then nabbed eight more vs. the Hillcats. He also blocked four shots in Friday’s game.
“I would have liked for him to get more shots, but he would have had more shot attempts because they don't count when he gets fouled,” head coach Craig Neal said after the Rogers State game, in which Williams took six shots from the field and 11 from the foul line. “He had a great opportunities, and we just have to find ways to get him the ball.”
As far as his play through the exhibitions goes, Williams said he could always play better at the defensive end and acknowledged that he missed a couple of shots on the offensive end.
Neal has referred to Williams as having an “old man’s game,” relying on post play and drawing fouls from the opposition. But Williams said he has more athleticism than his coach gives him credit for.
“I don't think it's an old man game, but I do like to take my time in the post and try to take what the defense gives me,” he said. “I guess that's 'old man,' if you want to call it that. I do like up-and-unders and spinbacks and whatever.”
At one point on Friday, Rogers State went with a smaller lineup on the floor, meaning Williams needed to be a post presence for the Lobos. He said he was comfortable in that role because Samford featured several guards, and he played down low quite a bit.
At Samford in 2013-14, Williams ranked seventh nationally in shooting percentage with a 60.3-percent clip, and earned All-Southern Conference honors that year. He also led the team in four categories: points, rebounds, blocks and steals.
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He said when the Lobos run small, he’s comfortable in that set and it gives the team more quickness and more options defensively. On the flip side, having a 7-foot-1 center like Obij Aget is new to Williams, but he said it helps to have a teammate that tall down low.
“I was never used to that, coming from my old school, so having O out there is a big help,” Williams said. “He takes a lot of load off me rebounding, and he also covers for us on defense if we slip up or somebody gets beat. O is that rim protector that we have.”
This year’s Lobos have developed a great deal of camaraderie away from the basketball court, but they are still working to translate that onto the court. Williams said that will come once they get a few more games under their belts.
“Off the court we're one of the best groups of guys you'll ever meet,” he said. “But I think on the court, when the game's going, some guys are used to playing and forget to talk to each other and have that gel. I think, as the season goes along, we'll get that.”
J.R. Oppenheim is the managing editor for the Daily Lobo. Contact him at managingeditor@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @JROppenheim.
