It’s unmistakable. It’s a made basket and the foul, the pumped fists, the glare of passionate confidence, the chest-bumping with teammates.

It’s the intensity of men’s basketball junior forward Ben McCauley.

“I get really excited, and that’s what it’s all about really, just getting excited to play this game. That’s what we’re here for. We’re here to play basketball and get a good education obviously,” McCauley said. “But it’s fun; it really is. And when you’re winning, it’s a lot of fun.”

The amount of time McCauley has had to display that demeanor on the court has diminished this season, though, and the team has struggled at times in a 2-3 ACC start.

McCauley, a starter in all 36 games in 2007 who averaged 34.5 minutes per contest, has had to take on a different role this season with the arrival of freshman center J.J. Hickson and has started only five times while averaging 21.3 minutes.

“Obviously, it’s been tough, especially lately. Coming off of a year like last year, I was hoping to produce a little bit more for this team,” McCauley said last Thursday. “But like I’ve said before, roles have changed, and you have to adapt to that. And hopefully we can get ourselves going on a positive note here soon.”

Though it’s been tough playing reduced minutes, he’s made the adjustment and tried to keep a positive outlook. He’s able to share the experience he has with Hickson, and he said his biggest help to the team this year isn’t so much in measurable categories.

“A lot of it for me this year isn’t so much actually playing, but getting guys kind of mentally there and mentally ready because I’ve been through it,” McCauley said.

It would be easy for him to resist such a role after his breakout season a year ago. But it’s not something he can afford to do. He insists it’s about making the most of the situation and supporting his teammates.

“I enjoy nothing more than to see my teammates doing well, and even if I’m not playing, if they’re still doing well, I’m happy to see that. And I’m sure they’re happy as well,” he said. “If I’m in there for Brandon [Costner] or J.J., I hope nothing more than for them to be excited for me if I’m playing well.”

In the two of the past three games, he has seen more of those opportunities, being in the game at the end of an overtime win against Miami and starting in a three-point win at Florida State. He may have only had a combined 10 points and five rebounds in those two contests, but he could see in the Miami game coach Sidney Lowe’s confidence in him being renewed.

“That was kind of a good thing to see that he still has that confidence in me,” McCauley said. “And I feel like if I am in there at the end of the game, I’m going to make the right decisions and not make any mistakes because I learned a lot last year.”

For the coach, it was an easy decision against the Hurricanes. Sure, there are times when another lineup may be doing well at the end of a game and McCauley won’t get in, but it won’t be for a lack of trust by Lowe, who called McCauley a “finisher.”

“I’m very comfortable when he’s in the game at the end because he’s going to get a rebound. He’s going to dive for a loose ball. He might score in the post. He’s going to make a pass, and he’s always going to be aware of what’s going on,” Lowe said. “So he’s one of those guys that you can just count on.”

But Lowe isn’t the only one who has provided that type of support in his career. McCauley learned from the likes of Cedric Simmons and Ilian Evtimov during his freshman season, and he has also fed off playing alongside redshirt sophomore forward Brandon Costner.

“I can remember one instance going into our sophomore year [when] Brandon looked at me. It was during a practice or something, and he said, ‘We’re going to be the two most versatile big men in the ACC,'” McCauley said. “And that kind of got me hype and got me excited, and sure enough we had a pretty good season last year. And hopefully that will continue. I love playing basketball with Brandon, and we work well together.”

But it has been somewhat frustrating for him not to be on the court at the start of games this year.

“That’s one thing that I really enjoyed doing last year, being out there at the tip and getting off on the right foot, getting the lead and keeping a lead,” he said.

That’s not to say he doesn’t have the same drive when he enters the game. He knows how important that is.

“Hopefully my intensity kind of trickles down to everyone else and gets them ready as well because that’s what I want to do,” McCauley said.