Lou Dabney is averaging 1.2 points and fewer than five minutes through 19 games of his freshman season at Tulane. That didn't stop coach Ed Conroy from labeling him "the toughest guy we got" after the Green Wave's victory against Tulsa last Saturday.

Conroy was complimenting Dabney (6-feet-3, 210 pounds) rather than criticizing the rest of the team.

"Physically, he's more mature than most freshmen are coming in," Conroy said. "He's got a big body, wide shoulders and plays really strong. He grew up playing inside in the post, and he just has an air of toughness about him. Not only is he physically tough, but he's mentally tough, and he shows that by allowing us to play at the point guard and also the power forward spot."

Still feeling the effect of a severe knee injury in November of 2011 that wiped out nearly all of his senior season at nearby Riverside High, Dabney is doing everything in his power to help Tulane win now despite limited time on the court.

In two stints totaling five minutes against Tulsa, Dabney replaced 6-foot-3 guard Ricky Tarrant and 6-foot-8 forward Josh Davis, the rare double Conroy referenced. His only basket, a pretty layup in transition, gave the Wave a 1-point lead in the second half. Tulsa never led again.



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