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UNM Men's Basketball: Six-foot-9 bruiser commits to Lobos
Isaiah Rusher decided on New Mexico without seeing the campus
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For the University of New Mexico fans tired of not having an imposing presence down low, how does this sound: A 6-foot-9, 240-pound Ben Wallace-type "beast" is headed to UNM.
That's how Amateur Athletic Union coach Chris Walker describes one of his players, Isaiah Rusher, who has orally committed to UNM without visiting the campus.
"Oh, he's definitely a beast," said Walker, coach of the T-Mac All-Stars out of Houston. "He's one of the best big men in Texas. I hate to use the words Kenny Thomas, but he could be dominant for the Lobos."
Rusher didn't attend the Lobo Elite Camp in June, but his relationship with UNM coach Steve Alford and associate head coach Craig Neal, who recruited him when coaching at Iowa, made his decision easy without attending th campus, Walker said.
Rusher joins Dallas-area guard Chris Babb as UNM's class of 2008 commitments, and Rusher's teammates could follow. Walker said top-100 players Will Brown, Phillip McDonald and J'Covan Brown have UNM in their top four.
Walker said the Lobos have contacted him about their assistant coaching vacancy, which he's interested in.
Rusher averaged 12 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks per game last season, Walker said.
Rusher doesn't commit to the Lobos without any baggage. Originally a 2007 recruit, Rusher has reclassified because of grades and will attend The Patterson School, a prep school in North Carolina, next season.
The Lobos staff and the Patterson staff will encourage Rusher through the academic process, Walker said.
"We wouldn't invest all this time if we didn't feel he could become academically eligible and he could be a great player," Walker said.
