Phillip McDonald may not have the size, stature or star power of J.R. Giddens, but the freshman shooting guard is doing his part to help fill Giddens' shoes.
McDonald helped the UNM men's basketball team rout the Grambling State Tigers on Thursday at The Pit with his 15-point, 10-rebound performance. He became the first freshman to record a double-double since Mark Walters scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds against Air Force in 2003.
UNM head coach Steve Alford said McDonald's aggression on the boards will be crucial to the Lobos' success this season.
"One thing I'm learning about Phillip: He can rebound, and we need that," he said. "We had a great rebounding guard last year in J.R. So I think it was really good seeing him rebound."
As a heralded freshman coming out of Cypress, Texas, McDonald has been thrown right into the mix on a young Lobo team. Expectations were high in the preseason for the guard as he was listed as a top-100 recruit by Scouts.com and Rivals.com and was named preseason Freshman of the Year in the Mountain West Conference.
Through three games, McDonald hasn't disappointed.
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In his regular-season debut against Southeastern Missouri State, McDonald had 13 points, six rebounds and three assists in just 19 minutes.
He struggled shooting on the road in the 82-75 loss against Creighton on Sunday, going 3-of-12 from the field, but still recorded eight points and six rebounds.
McDonald came out aggressive early on Thursday, scoring five points in the first five minutes and making his presence felt on the boards. He played just 21 minutes in the blowout win but still managed the double-double.
McDonald said he wanted to be heavily involved in rebounding against the Tigers.
"One of my goals was to average eight rebounds," he said. "I ended up going over and getting 10 rebounds, and that was one of my goals. I just kept going in tougher and snagging rebounds and helping my team out the way I can."
McDonald's 15 points were just as important as his rebounding numbers on a night when top scoring option Tony Danridge was held to three points.
McDonald averaged 19 points at Cypress Springs High School and hasn't been shy in taking open shots this season. He's averaging 11.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
In Thursday's win, eight of McDonald's 10 rebounds came on the defensive end, and he also finished with two blocks.
Alford said McDonald brings an all-around type of game to the Lobos.
"He gives us that," he said. "He gives us athleticism. He can make shots. And I like the way he's guarding. For a young kid, he's really trying to focus defensively as well."
Being in the position to start as a freshman is something McDonald doesn't take for granted, he said.
He said he wants to improve as a rebounder and make an impact in more ways than just scoring.
"I want to get more rebounds," McDonald said. "I want to see something different in my game because, back in my high school career, I wasn't a big rebounder. I want to change that. I want to be a big rebounder because I'm trying to replace J.R. Giddens and follow in his steps."
