Change in position changes Kuac’s productivity
Sophomore coming off 2 high-energy outings
Both results and circumstances have given University of New Mexico men’s basketball players every opportunity to let frustration or emotion get the best of them.
Emmanuel Kuac, the 6-foot-7 sophomore forward, probably had as much reason for dissent as any. He went from opening game starter at Rice to a healthy scratch one week ago in the team’s win at Dixie State after a month of struggles with turnovers, shooting and general fit leading to his move to a new position.
Instead, as UNM (4-8, 0-8 Mountain West) prepares to host San Jose State (2-8, 0-8 MWC) in a two-game series at Dixie State University in St. George, Utah on Thursday and Saturday, it’s Kuac who, in a new position (he now plays the “3” or wing/small forward position) is coming off two high-energy performances at UNLV. Now he looks like one of the more promising pieces of the team’s current puzzle.
“I mean, I can’t be selfish,” Kuac said Monday when asked about last week’s Dixie State game, which the Lobos won and in which he didn’t play.
“It’s a team sport, so I just got to play for the guys, like, I got to be positive, no matter what coach throws at me. I just gotta keep climbing the ladder.”
In Saturday’s 77-54 loss to UNLV, Kuac was the only Lobo to have a positive plus/minus stat.
He was plus-6, meaning the Lobos outscored the Rebels by six points in the nine minutes he was on the floor. UNLV outscored UNM by 29 in the other 31 minutes.
But a vicious blow to his head on a screen from UNLV’s Chiekh Mbacke Diong led to his leaving the game and not returning.
Two days later, Kuac had six points, hit two of the team’s six 3-pointers and grabbed five rebounds in 21 minutes of play, not to mention making non-trackable hustle plays that helped spark the Lobos on more than one occasion in a more competitive 53-46 defeat.
“After the last Utah State game
(Jan. 8), I just kind of sat down with him and said it’s going to take some time, but we’re gonna move you to the ‘3’,” Weir explained.
“It’s a whole different kind of setup. It’s a different job description. And I thought it could be something that might give him a better role for us. He can shoot. We need some wings shooting. …
“So, yes, I told him it was a little bit of a temporary step back to hopefully find a long term step forward for him.”
UNKNOWNS: Senior guard Keith McGee quit the team last week, citing mental health concerns associated with COVID-19 and the team’s status as being relocated out of state for the season up to this point.
It remains unclear if Weir is open to having him return to the team, or if McGee even wants to, now that earlier this week the State of New Mexico relaxed its public health order to again allow college sports teams to practice in the state.
The Journal asked a team spokeswoman for comment from Weir on Tuesday night about the McGee matter, but as of press time Wednesday still hadn’t heard back.
There is uncertainty as well about where the team will be hosting San Diego State in less than two weeks for their Feb. 3 and 5 series. Games, for now, are still not allowed in New Mexico, but the program hasn’t said if it will return to Lubbock, Texas, to host the games or play the games in San Diego, which is an option.
Neither the Aztecs, nor TV partners FS1 (for Game 1) and CBS Sports Network (for Game 2) have yet been informed where the games will be played.