Logwood is inspired, happy he is still a Lobo
Relationship with Weir working out well so far
He loves UNM.
But Sam Logwood was ready to move on last March.
Actually, it was long before March when the Indianapolis native knew he couldn’t finish his career as a Lobo if a change wasn’t made.
The offseason brought that change, and promise of an opportunity to have the type of swan song senior season he always envisioned he could have.
Friday night in Dreamstyle Arena, on more than one occasion, Logwood gave an emphatic shout to the crowd after big plays and took over stretches of the game as a physical mismatch for BYU’s front-court players en route to a gamehigh 23 points in the 79-73 Cougars win. That total would be a career high if it wasn’t an exhibition game. More noticeably, the 6-foot-7 forward played with emotion not before seen by Lobo fans.
“Honestly, I just felt a lot more comfortable,” Logwood said. “The new system that we’re in is just more my style of play. It allows me to be myself out there.”
Being himself on the court, Logwood admitted, was as much about finding a system that fit him as it was about finding a new bond with his coach.
“He believed in me,” Logwood said of new Lobos coach Paul Weir, when asked
why he ultimately decided to stay at UNM.
That belief was reciprocated from Weir, who at the Oct. 18 Mountain West media conference in Las Vegas, Nev., flashed a big smile and told reporters that Logwood, sitting next to him at the time, was his first recruit as the Lobos coach.
“Sam’s been great,” Weir said Friday. “He wants this really badly right now. I know he’s trying to maybe make up for some things all at one time. I think you can feel his aggression, his commitment, his energy.”
Logwood’s 23 points, including 15 in the second half, came on 8-of-15 shooting and 7-of-11 from the free throw line. His career high in free throws made is five and free throws attempted is seven. He was 0-for-4 from 3-point range, but shooting from beyond the arc likely won’t be a regular part of his game.
“As long as we can keep using him in the right way offensively and spreading the floor, I think he’ll keep having games like that,” Weir said.
Weir made clear, though, that even Logwood has plenty of improvement ahead of him if the Lobos are to reach their potential. But his contribution to the team has already been invaluable.
“Him buying in to what we’re doing,” Weir said, “has really allowed our team to, I think, be better than what some people think we’re going to be this year.”
And how did Logwood explain his demeanor on the court Friday night?
“Pure emotion,” Logwood said. “Just happy to be out there again, happy for the year.”
STATS THAT MATTER: In UNM’s new pressure style, the 23 turnovers forced was a key stat. But there were other numbers, off the normal stat sheet, the UNM coaching staff will look at all season, including: Good: Eight dives on floors Good: 83 possessions (the national leader in Division I for the 2016-17 season was at 85.6)
Bad: Two charges taken (they took 12 in their Oct. 21 scrimmage at Northern Arizona)
Bad: Winning five 50/50 balls (Weir felt his team should have won more)
BUT ABOUT THOSE REFS: Even if BYU and UNM weren’t in midseason form, the Lobo fans were. In addition to heavy doses of boos for the crew of Randy McCall, Michael Irving and Shawn Lehigh, the first reader comment left on the Journal’s game story posted online Saturday finished with, “Worst refs I’ve seen in a long time.”
One call, in particular, stuck out.
UNM freshman Vladimir Pinchuk was called for fouling BYU’s TJ Haws on a 3-point attempt in front of the BYU bench with 36 seconds left. Hawks made all three, pushing a one-possession game to a 76-72 margin.
Asked later about the play, Weir made his point without saying much of anything. “I don’t know. I think I might get fined. I don’t know how all that stuff works. I’m new to the Mountain West.”