by Iliana Lim¢n
Daily Lobo
UNM's embattled starting point guard Senque Carey insists he never heard fans boo him in The Pit two weeks ago when he first took the reigns of the University's premiere program.
"I just know the team is behind me 100 percent, and I know the coaches are behind me 100 percent," Carey said. "I'm just doing what they ask me to do. I don't feel any pressure. I just go out and play to win. Once we start winning, whatever people are saying is just going to disappear."
Those boos were just one aspect of the hornet's nest Carey found himself in as he took over for UNM assist leader and fan favorite Marlon Parmer, who quit the men's basketball team citing irreconcilable differences with head coach Fran Fraschilla.
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Fraschilla crowned Carey his team captain during the controversy.
Now, after suffering a damaging 78-65 loss to San Diego State University Saturday, the team's postseason hopes rest squarely on Carey's shoulders with the Lobos staring down the barrel of a less-than-impressive 13-7 overall record and 3-3 conference mark.
But, under pressure most people would find unbearable, Carey answers his critics with a wry smile, confidence that borders on cockiness and determination to win.
Part of that self-assured response comes from knowing he has been here before.
In 1998, Carey took over for injured University of Washington point guard Dan Dickau — now a starter and All-American candidate at Gonzaga University — when he was a freshman.
Carey did such a good job that he bumped Dickau out of his starting job permanently, prompting Dickau to leave Husky life behind. Carey went on to post impressive statistics that carried Washington through a powerhouse Pacific 10 Conference into the NCAA Tournament. But after suffering through a tumultuous, emotional sophomore season that Carey still will not discuss, he left Washington to become a Lobo.
"It's kind of different, but at the same time, the expectations feel the same," he said. "My whole goal is to come in and win games. I'm not coming in to fill anyone's shoes. I know what I am capable of doing and whatever the other guy was capable of doing, that's up to him. My role is to come in and get these guys shots."
The other key to Carey's confidence goes back to his roots in East Palo Alto, Calif., which, put mildly, is a tough place to grow up. Carey's mother, Katie Lamb, worked multiple jobs to provide for Carey and his siblings, leaving her son to do as he pleased in a neighborhood that was the murder capital of the United States.
The streets lured Carey, but Jill Smith, a woman he befriended at a recreational center, saw beyond his basketball skills and pushed him to get his education. With his mother's blessing, Carey left home and was taken in by guardians James and Vicky Carr.
Carey enrolled in St. Francis High School, a prestigious Catholic school and basketball powerhouse. He was the first freshman ever to start on the school's varsity team, but the move was too jarring and Carey headed back to the streets.
Despite the problems, Smith didn't give up on Carey and again pushed him to focus on his future. Carey's mother again urged him to leave home and he moved in with a new set of guardians, Nelson and Heather Washington. Carey returned to St. Francis, where Heather worked and kept a close eye on his progress, forcing him to fall in line academically.
Once on his feet again, Carey averaged 25 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists per game. His touch was so hot from the outside that he was recruited by the University of Southern California to be a shooting guard, but Carey passed on the opportunity, asserting that he was a point guard.
"I passed a lot in high school, but my role on that team also was to score," Carey said. "But here at New Mexico, we've got enough scorers. I'm not saying that I won't look to put in eight to 10 points a game, but at the same time, we've got people who can score 20. What good does it do me to shoot the ball when Tim Lightfoot is wide open? I just try to play the game well physically as well as mentally."
Such unselfish play is what caught Fraschilla's attention.
"I'm incredibly happy for him and very proud of what he's done," the coach said when announcing that Carey would start and be the team's captain.
Carey says he feels good in his new role at UNM.
"I just enjoy passing the ball," he said. "I like to see other people laugh and smile and enjoy themselves. I don't need to score to be happy. I know other guys pay a lot of attention to how much they score, but it's just not the way I was brought up. I was brought up to make other people happy and make other players around me better."
After such a harsh, nomadic upbringing, Carey says he's grateful to be where he is at today.
"Other people are worse off than I am," he said. "A lot of people would love to be in the situation I'm in. So, I don't go home and say, 'Man, they blew me away.' 'Blew me?' For what? I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. That's how I feel."
Just as he seemed to be turning the corner, poised to lead his team to a two-game winning streak, Carey suffered leg cramps late in the first half of Saturday's game.
Despite playing only 21 minutes, Carey still managed to rack up nine rebounds, but it wasn't enough to overcome problems that struck the Lobos as their point guard tried to direct traffic from the bench.
"It just didn't go our way tonight," he said. "Now, we just have to lace our shoes up a little tighter tomorrow and get ready to go at it again. We're not giving up. We're just going to have to work harder and put this one behind us."
