WACO, Texas -- Authorities believe they have found the sport utility vehicle belonging to Baylor center Patrick Dennehy, who has not been seen or heard from in more than two weeks.

	Dennehy was a star at New Mexico.

Virginia Beach police spokesman Jimmy Barnes said at least one Waco detective flew to Virginia on Thursday to examine a Chevrolet Tahoe that had been abandoned in a Virginia Beach strip mall without its license plates. The mall's owner had towed it as an abandoned vehicle.

The towing company reported the vehicle's identification number to Virginia Beach police, Barnes said. Police then checked the number on a national law enforcement database and found it was wanted by Waco police in connection with a missing person's case, Barnes told the Waco Tribune-Herald for its Friday editions.

Barnes said police inspected the Tahoe and didn't see any indication of foul play. Waco police had no further comment on the case Thursday.

Baylor coach Dave Bliss said the team remained hopeful that Dennehy would eventually turn up unharmed.

"Obviously we've got tremendous concerns," Bliss said. "Right now there's many more questions than there are answers, and we don't understand. We don't know where he is, but we do know that a family member is missing.

"We are prayerful, we're concerned, we're anxious, we're apprehensive. We just pray for this to be resolved, and we look forward to him returning to our team."

Dennehy, who played high school basketball in Santa Clara, Calif., sat out last season after transferring from the University of New Mexico and was expected to vie for playing time this fall. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

Dennehy had an impressive but controversial two-year stint at New Mexico under former Lobos coach Fran Fraschilla.

Midway through his freshman season at New Mexico, Dennehy said he might transfer at year's end because of a lack of playing time. Dennehy eventually saw more action and became the third-leading freshman rebounder in school history.

As a sophomore in the 2001-2002 season, Dennehy averaged 10.6 points and 7.5 rebounds, but his season was clouded by a number of problems. During a game against Air Force in February 2002, Dennehy argued on court with teammates, shoved a teammate, kicked over a chair and stalked off to the locker room. He didn't return to the game.

Fraschilla declined to discipline Dennehy, and the team doctor said Dennehy was being treated for "a confidential medical condition."

Fraschilla resigned under pressure in March 2002, and Ritchie McKay was hired later that month as the new Lobos coach. Less than two weeks later, Dennehy had another flare-up during workouts and McKay dismissed him from the team.

A month later, Dennehy announced he had accepted a scholarship to play for Bliss, a former UNM coach.