A10 Plus: T.J. McConnell, Duquesne's Ultimate Warrior
January 18th, 2012
By: Vinny Pezzimenti
In this corner, you have Xavier.
In this corner, you have Temple.
In this corner, you have Dayton.
In this corner, you have Saint Louis.
In this corner, you have … La Salle?
Yes. La Salle.
Welcome to the wide open Atlantic 10, where seemingly all comers have been invited to fight for the championship belt. One might classify this year’s conference schedule as Royal Rumble of sorts, chock full of salacious undercards.
Who will be last standing? Who knows?
The intrigue. The excitement. The pomposity. The fight to the end.
It all works for one Atlantic 10 stalwart. His name is T.J. McConnell.
“People probably don’t know that I watch professional wrestling,” the Duquesne sophomore said the other day. “I’ve been to a couple live events, and I love it. All the guys with their music, and everybody is going crazy. It’s kind of like a basketball game, and I love that as well.”
McConnell’s favorite pro wrestler is Randy Orton, known for his vicious “RKO,” the sport’s supreme finishing move.
“That,” McConnell said, “is my favorite move.”
It just so happen that if Duquesne (11-7, 2-2) is going to rise up and RKO the rest of the Atlantic 10, it will need McConnell to be strong on the ropes, persistent in landing body blows and quick on his feet.
In other words, McConnell must continue to be one of the most efficient point guards in the country.
“Going into the season we wanted to win the A-10 championship and make it to the NCAA tournament,” McConnell said. “I think if we keep playing, we can do that.”
But what if McConnell was a pro wrestler? What would his nickname be?
Perhaps, the “Pittsburgh Stealer,” an alias coined by the Duquesne media relations staff to highlight McConnell’s penchant for pick-pocketing opponents.
Yes, the Steel City native is at again this year. After setting
the single-season record school record with 91 steals as a
freshman, McConnell ranks second nationally with 2.94 swipes per
game.
But simply focusing on McConnell’s sticky fingers would be a woefully shortsighted venture. On Saturday, he had 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in a victory over Rhode Island. The Saturday before that, he collected 13 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in a victory over St. Bonaventure. He became the second Duke ever to record a triple double earlier this season in a victory over the University of District of Columbia.
McConnell averages 11.8 points 4.3 rebounds and tops the Atlantic 10 at 6.2 assists per game. He also shoots 52.6 percent from the field, 48.1 on 3-pointers and 79.4 from the foul line.
In a way, McConnell reflects the versatility of a Hulk Hogan, who, when at the top of his sport, could sing, dance, act and wrestle.
Ah, but McConnell lacks bravado. He’s too humble for any
comparisons to Hollywood Hogan.
When asked about his success in collecting steals, McConnell said:
“I have to give my teammates credit for that. With them
pressuring the ball I’m able to get in the passing
lanes.”
When asked about increasing his role as a leader and producer this season in the absence of graduated stars Damian Saunders and Bill Clark, the reigning A-10 Rookie of the Year instead credited teammates and veterans Sean Johnson, B.J. Monteiro and Eric Evans.
“We’ve got good leaders with Sean, B.J. and Eric,” McConnell said. “I just try to play my role and be as much of a vocal leader as I can, but we’ve got three good leaders in them.”
OK then. How about Jimmy “Super Fly” Snuka?
After all, the generously listed 6-foot-1 McConnell executed his first career slam dunk in the same game of his triple-double against the University of District Columbia?
Then again, maybe not.
This is what McConnell told Duquesne media relations director Dave Saba in a post-game interview caught on tape: “I wouldn’t even consider it a dunk. It almost got stuffed by the rim, to be honest with you. I think I’m just going to start laying it in.”
Fair enough. If McConnell sounds like a coach, he can be excused.
Like his favorite wrestler Randy Orton, McConnell is continuing in the family business.
Orton’s grandfather, father and uncle were also pro wrestlers. McConnell’s basketball family tree is even more expansive.
McConnell’s father, Tim, is the longtime coach at Chartiers Valley High School in suburban Pittsburgh. One aunt, Suzie, is a former WNBA All-star, Olympic gold medalist and current Duquesne’s women’s coach. Another aunt played at Virginia and coached at Colorado and Tulsa. A third aunt played at Pitt. Finally, McConnell’s uncle played at Davidson and coached at St. Francis (Pa.).
“(Basketball) was my life” growing up, McConnell
said. “Since I could even walk, I’ve been at my
dad’s practices, wanting to be a basketball player. I
attribute how good I am to him.”
Of course, McConnell isn’t always glued to the tube to see
Orton slam sorry opponents to the mat. He also watches basketball
and particularly enjoys studying Steve Nash.
If you look close enough, you see quite a bit of Nash in the fluidity of McConnell’s game – the way he controls tempo, effortlessly utilizes his left hand and keenly moves without the basketball.
“I’ve always loved watching Steve Nash play,” McConnell said. “I love the way he distributes the ball and shoots it. He’s a great teammate. I’d love to be a player like him.”
Who knows, McConnell may well be en route to stardom. After all, he has already come a long way since he was a baby-faced 5-foot-8, 125-pound, 13-year old playing for his father at Chartiers Valley, a basketball wiz kid with a scholarship offer from Duquesne and coach Ron Everhart even before his high school sophomore season had commenced.
“Just the way Coach Everhart’s teams play,” McConnell said when asked about opting for Duquesne. “We hustle and we shoot and find the open man. That’s what I loved about it.”
So before dismissing Duquesne’s chances of wearing the Atlantic 10’s title belt come March, it might be wise to consider the Dukes’ Ultimate Warrior.
… And in this corner, you have Duquesne.
****
(Photos courtesy of Duquesne Sports Information Department)
