Men's Basketball: Rising Expectations
Kenny Small's '10 big contribution
by Josh Asen
Basketball Preview | 11/17/09
Posted online at 7:36 PM EST on 11/15/09
/ Last updated at 9:27 PM EST on 11/15/09
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And that was just the way he wanted it.
"I started the first game, but [coach Brian Meehan and I] made an agreement that I would come off the bench and be like an energy guy," Small said. "I dedicated myself to come off the bench and provide instant offense and defense."
Small did not become frustrated when he was relegated to bench duty, since he thought it would help the team win.
He said he would do anything he could to "contribute to [the team] winning games" and said, "I thought … coming off the bench would help a lot more [than starting]."
Small was put back into the starting lineup Feb. 13 at then-No.21 Carnegie Mellon University. He helped guide the Judges to a 3-point victory and turn a miniature two-game losing streak into a six-game winning streak in the NCAA Tournament.
A second-team All-University Athletic Association selection last year who said he models his game off Portland Trailblazers guard Brandon Roy, Small comes into this season as the team's top returning scorer.
Small averaged 11.5 points per game overall last season. He scored in double figures in 16 of the 26 games he appeared in, including a 24-point game in a 108-78 victory over Case Western Reserve University.
Despite his impressive ability to score, Small knows that he and the team do not have to rely solely on his individual offensive talents to be successful.
"I don't have to go out there and think I am a one-man show," Small said. "This team is really deep. ... We really have a gel team. This team has been together for a couple of years. You have me, [forward Terrell Hollins '10, guard Andre Roberson '10], a lot of older guys. ... We have a lot of impact players and impact scorers who can make plays."







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