[116] Thomas averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds, Long 17 points and 6.5 boards. They were again relegated to the NIT, losing to Oregon State and finishing 2510, the team record for wins in a season at the time. Funeral arrangements have not been announced yet. [55] The team frequently slowed their games to a crawl, with several league games ending with both teams scoring under 50 points, such as a win at Wyoming, 4038. In December 2014, Albuquerque-based restaurant chain WisePies Pizza & Salad purchased the naming rights for the arena, whose official name became "WisePies Arena (aka The Pit)". [52][53] Further JC transfers Jimmy Allen and Will Smiley completed a strong Lobo front line. The highlight of the season was a 75-66 win over No. [213] On April 27, 2017, UNM asked WisePies to relinquish the naming rights, per the terms of the agreement, and WisePies agreed to do so. In 197273, the Lobos raced out to a 90 record, including road wins at Oregon State and eventual Southwest Conference champion Texas Tech, leading to their first appearance in the national rankings in nearly four years. They rode the momentum into the WAC tournament championship game and beat the Utes behind a dominant 30-point, 17-rebound performance by Thomas, earning their tenth straight win and a berth in the NCAA tournament. The University of New Mexico's 50 greatest Men's Lobo basketball players through 2020 1) Mel Daniels PF 65-67 2) Michael Cooper SG 77-78 3) Kenny Thomas PF 96-99 4) Danny Granger SF 04-05 5) Charles Smith SF 94-97 6) Luc Longley C 88-91 7) Ira Harge C 63-64 8) Marvin Johnson SF 77-78 9) Darington Hobson SF 2010 10) Royce Olney SG 96-99 [59] In July 1981, however, he was convicted by a state District Court on 21 of 22 counts of fraud and submitting false public vouchers. [86], Colson was forced to resign after the season ended, a move that remains somewhat controversial. Media Guide 201213, p.120. They discussed an arrangement to transfer bogus credits from a California Junior College to the office of the UNM registrar. Johnson coached the UNM basketball team for all but two seasons from 1920 to 1940. Under Norm Ellenberger, the Lobos won WAC championships in 1974 and 1978 and compiled an overall record of 13462 (.684). North Carolina State upset heavily favored Houston in the memorable championship, sealing the victory with a last second basket. They beat Dayton in the regional consolation game to finish the season 227 and ranked #18 in the UPI. It's a stretch with Thomas I know, but he did move Albuquerque in high school and play for AHS his senior year. [124] The Lobos were 213 and back at #11 when they lost at #19 TCU, at #5 Utah, and had a team record 41-game home-winning streak ended by BYU. [94] Thomas finished his career with over 1,000 points and 500 rebounds, one of two Lobos to accomplish that in just two seasons.[95]. The four seasons with Kenny Thomas in the line-up was the best stretch by the Lobos to date. Despite the scandal, Ellenberger managed to remain popular in Albuquerque, running a nightclub, appearing in TV commercials, and coaching the city's Continental Basketball Association team some fans even wanted him to be rehired as Lobo coach. The 198384 Lobos relied almost exclusively on four senior starters, led by Smith and Tim Garrett, to the point that they took over the top four positions in school history for minutes played in a season. All four Smith, Thomas, Long, and Shields were on the 199697 Lobo squad. New Mexico Lobos men's basketball players, Category:New Mexico Lobos women's basketball players, New Mexico Lobos men's basketball statistical leaders, Charles Smith (basketball, born August 1975), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Category:New_Mexico_Lobos_men%27s_basketball_players&oldid=950612294, College men's basketball players in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 13 April 2020, at 00:11. Fraschilla resigned shortly after the season, concluding that "it was best for everyone that I leave."[138][140]. Media Guide 201314, pp.67,73,87. [2][46] The Lobos finished in the top five nationally in attendance 16 times in their first 20 years at The Pit, reaching second five times, and they were in the top ten all but one season through 2002. [19][20] The Lobos reached #3 with an 111 record but then lost four straight and fell out of the rankings. [23] All five starters averaged in double figures, but the team had little depth and relied heavily on Granger. The Lobo players and fan base rallied around long-time associate head coach Craig Neal, hoping to maintain continuity, and he was hired to replace Alford. [7] Basketball was primarily an intramural sport, with occasional games against other schools, including Albuquerque High School, and no regular schedule. [120] Smith was chosen by the Miami Heat with the 26th pick in the first round of the 1997 NBA draft, playing five seasons in the NBA and several more in Europe. [34] It was Ellenberger's first Division I head coaching position, but he made up for what he lacked in experience with energy and enthusiasm. [35][87], Dave Bliss recorded the most wins as head coach in Lobo history, compiling a 246108 (.695) record, with seven NCAA tournament appearances and three trips to the NIT. [158], The 200809 Lobos mixed four veterans with young Alford recruits and were picked in the preseason to finish fifth in the MWC. They went 7414 (.841) from 1967 to 1970, including a 273 season in 196970 in which they were ranked in the top five most of the year, culminating in a Final Four appearance. [188], On April 1, 2017, Neal was dismissed as head coach after compiling a record of 7652 (.594).[189]. [90] Knight recommended Bliss, who had been his assistant at Army and Indiana before serving as head coach at Oklahoma and SMU. King transformed a moribund program into a consistent winner and produced future ABA MVP Mel Daniels. [216], The official mascot of the University of New Mexico is the "Lobo", the Spanish word for "wolf", adopted by the school in 1920. He established regularly scheduled games against regional colleges, and in 1931 UNM joined the Border Conference as a founding member. The success of the Lobos under Bob King led to rapidly growing fan interest. [29][45] Attendance at The Pit surged to its best ever, a trend that would continue throughout the Ellenberger years, regularly earning placement among the top five in the nation. University of New Mexico Lobo legend Robin Cole persevered through a number of trials and tribulations, to achieve his ultimate goal. After an early loss at Kansas, the Lobos won ten straight, later building a 193 record and attaining a #10 national ranking, their first appearance in the AP poll. Ira Harge. Greene returned to average 21 points and six rebounds a game, while Scarborough added 19 points and six assists. Fraschilla felt he had his system and recruits in place going into the 200102 season, and Lobo fans were eager for the team to return to the NCAA tournament. [143][144] A grim year for the program began with a severe spinal cord injury to guard Senque Carey, who would recover fully but never play again. [128] Thomas was named All-WAC for the third time and finished his career as the second leading scorer and top rebounder in Lobo history. [163] In the second round the hobbled Lobos could not keep up with athletic, fast-breaking Washington. For the school's women's players, see Category:New Mexico Lobos women's basketball players. [192][193]It was also later revealed that UNM basketball players were also at the party after a 22 point loss to Nevada, after they had taken a charter flight that night. [54] The injection of talent made the Lobos exciting and competitive, but they took time to gel as a team, beginning the season 64 with a couple of disappointing losses. [152], Steve Alford coached the Lobos for six seasons, compiling a 15552 (.749) record with three NCAA tournament appearances, at least a share of four league titles, and two conference tournament championships. They then lost three league road games and fell to third in a tight WAC race. Lobo's senior year saw her secure the Wade trophy, Naismith Award, and several Player of the Year honors all while leading the Huskies to an undefeated season and the 1995 NCAA national championship. Thomas tallied 1,158 points and 529 rebounds in his career and ranks third in career field goal percentage. The success of the program continued after King departed, winning WAC titles in 1974, 1978, and 1994, winning the conference tournament in 1993 and 1996, and regularly earning post-season tournament bids. [67] A highlight of Colson's first season was his fourth game as head coach, hosting an Arizona State team that would reach #3 in the nation led by future NBA players Byron Scott, Fat Lever, Alton Lister, and Sam Williams. Will Webber. They then won 12 of 13, including a win over #6 San Diego State to knot the MWC race, but they lost the title showdown at SDSU after squandering a large lead. They faltered down the stretch though and finished 168, completing the team's best four-year stretch in nearly forty seasons. [23] The Lobos returned to the NIT, losing at The Pit to Lamar and finishing the season 2411. [126] Gibson finished as Lobo career leader in minutes played. [183] Williams averaged 16 points and five assists, and Kirk added 13 points and nine rebounds. He also holds the team record for assists in a game (21). [106], The 199394 Lobos were picked in preseason polls to finish fifth in the WAC after losing their three leading players to graduation. The Lobos won the MWC regular season championship in 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013, and they won the conference tournament in 2005, 2012, 2013, and 2014. Neal inherited four returning starters for the 201314 season, joining seven newcomers. Top 5 New Mexico Lobos basketball players of all time - BVM Sports Top 5 New Mexico Lobos basketball players of all time Before becoming a two-time ABA MVP, Mel Daniels had three stellar seasons with the New Mexico Lobos in the 1960s. The Sun Devils battled back to tie the game at the end of regulation before escaping with a win in OT, 8683. Harge later had a successful career in the ABA. He declared for the 2010 NBA draft and was selected in the second round by Milwaukee. Page also holds the Lobo record for career points per game (26.2), the top career scoring average in WAC history. The Lobos began the season 71, beating Cincinnati, which later reached #7, but losing to Massachusetts, later #13; they lost to Kansas, which peaked at #2, but beat Marquette. [103] The Lobos returned to the NIT, where they beat Louisiana Tech and Washington State before losing at Virginia, finishing the season 2013. The team began the season 83 but struggled away from The Pit, losing its first seven road games. That means over three thousand players. The official name of the facilities became Dreamstyle Arena and Dreamstyle Stadium. They have won the MWC regular season championship and the conference tournament four times each. [131] Yet, despite his success, Bliss faced mounting criticism from fans and the media for poor academic performance by his players, lax discipline, lightweight schedules, and the failure to advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. The Pittsburgh Steelers . Thomas had his best NCAA performance with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks, while Long added 17 points and 12 rebounds and made the game-winning basket in the closing seconds. [116] Douglas was an explosive scorer and led the team with 16 points a game. [55] The team finally broke through, winning another exciting game at UNLV, beginning a string of nine wins in its last ten games. [215], On September 18, 2020, it was announced that the naming rights deal with Dreamstyle Remodeling was ending after only three years. Five months later, and with the New Mexico still proving to be the only team all season capable of beating the Aztecs on their home court in Viejas Arena, No. [97] In the NIT, the Lobos knocked off Oregon, Oklahoma State, and Hawaii to make the Final Four in New York. The Lobos won the WAC regular season championship in 1964, 1968, 1974, 1978, and 1994, and they won the conference tournament in 1993 and 1996. [116] The WAC had expanded to 16 teams in the off-season, and eight WAC teams won at least 20 games. They lost in the conference tournament but received a three-seed in the NCAA tournament. They hosted their first-round game in The Pit but lost to unranked Santa Clara. SHARE Why this former BYU coach is dumbfounded by Cougars' lack of success in league tourney. The Lobos had a roller-coaster season in 198990, buoyed by record-setting performances by Longley, Robbins, and McGee. [116] Smith averaged 19.5 points a game and Shields added 14.5, while Thomas tallied 14.7 points and 7.8 rebounds a game, setting Lobo standards for freshmen. [50][51] Willie Howard was a talented inside player averaging 13 points and six rebounds a game, frequently providing explosive scoring off the bench. Gordon had 21 points and 14 rebounds, but the team shot poorly from three-point range and could not overcome the deficit, finishing the season 287. [102] Banks was named All-WAC and finished as Lobo career leader (now second) in three-point percentage. [163], The 201213 Lobo squad was dominated by juniors and sophomores, though all were veteran contributors, including three returning starters. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Rusty Mitchell, who coached men's gymnastics at The University of New Mexico from 1966-99, passed away over the weekend at the age of 80. The 2020-2021 season was completely played out of New Mexico. In 1931, Lobo athletic teams began competing in the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association, joining as a founding member along with other regional schools. [115] The young Lobo squad jumped out to a 100 start and a #25 ranking before losing a pair of league road games. Lobo began working at ESPN in 2004 after. They were ranked in the top ten for much of the 196768 season, peaking at #4, and they were in the top 20 most of the following season. The Lobos climbed to #16 with a 120 start, with a win over #19 Connecticut, before losing to NCAA tournament-bound South Dakota State; they won at #8 Cincinnati then lost at St Louis, which later reached #13. McKay faced a major rebuilding project in 200203 compounded by further dismissals and injuries that cut the team to seven scholarship players. [203] Contributing to the intimidating environment for visitors is the mile high elevation of The Pit,[199] emphasized to visiting teams with a message along the wall of the tunnel from the locker rooms down to the playing floor saying, "Welcome to the legendary Pit, a mile high and louder than"[204], The Pit has garnered praise as one of the top venues in college basketball from sports reporters, announcers, and opposing coaches. The team was again defense-oriented, surrendering just 60 points a game and grinding out close wins, frequently coming from behind. SF-Mike Winters. [220] The student section in The Pit, Section 26, is particularly noteworthy for the antics of its raucous fans, taunting and intimidating opposing players, often with personal remarks, and offering enticing visuals for television broadcasters: They chant, jump up and down in unison, shake newspapers and signs to make noise and create distractions, and some dress in costumes and body paint. [151] The 200607 team featured talented Kansas transfer J. R. Giddens, who led the team with 16 points a game, but discipline problems limited his playing time. They led the WAC in overall winning percentage over the 17-season span from 1962 to 1979, posting a won-loss record of 328161 (.671). Bairstow led with 24 points and eight rebounds, but the team shot poorly and their comeback fell short. Smith was named All-WAC, and Colson was named WAC Coach of the Year. Game Notes 201314, pp.15,20; Media Guide 201314, pp.67,7576,79. Shields again led with 19 points. [91][92] Deciding it was time to move on, Bliss resigned and accepted the head coach position at Baylor, reportedly more than doubling his UNM salary. In 1999, Sports Illustrated ranked The Pit as one of the Top 20 Sporting Venues of the 20th Century. [118] New Mexico later lost at Utah in a blowout, then lost a close game to the #3 Utes in the WAC tournament. Media Guide 201314, pp.76,79. [83] Scarborough was named All-WAC and finished his career second (now third) in Lobo history in total assists. Former Lobo men's basketball teammate George Scott recalls watching that game-winning dunk by 6-foot-1 Kelvin Scarborough over 6-8 Pat Durham: "Scar caught the ball at the opposite free throw. Media Guide 201314, p.99. Forward Johnny Brown turned in an All-WAC performance, but the other inside players were young, and the loss of Greene left a hole in the backcourt. [23] Hobson was named as MWC Player of the Year and a third-team All-American. The Lobos have enjoyed exceptional success at The Pit, winning over 80 percent of their games and mounting home-winning streaks of over 20 games four times, with the longest of 41 straight in 199698. [224] He was an integral part of the Lobo fan experience, especially before most games were televised. Rebecca Lobo is an American television basketball analyst and former women's basketball player in the WNBA from 1997 to 2003. With the help of transfers JaQuan Lyle, J.J. Caldwell, Carlton Bragg Jr., and Vance Jackson, UNM exploded to a 15-3 start. Shields scored 1,837 points. [153], An early objective for Alford was to change the culture of the program regarding discipline and academic focus. Virginia scored the last eight points of the game to take the lead, and the Lobos missed three shots at tying the game in the last 12 seconds, finishing the season at 238. by Frank Mercogliano. Western Athletic Conference Season Summary. The Lobos, Aggies, and Miners played one another twice every season, home-and-away, and a fierce rivalry grew among them. Uguak is a 6-foot-7 starting senior forward . [191] He was dismissed from the team. [154] Under McKay, J.R. Giddens had frequently missed games due to disciplinary problems. They were ranked for much of the 197374 season, reaching #8, and again in 197778 when they peaked at #5. Like Petie Gibson, Scarborough became a long-time coach in Albuquerque, at. Thomas had 15 points and eight rebounds, sealing the win with a pair of late free throws, while Long added 14 points and nine boards. [195] Pitino inherited 6 transfers, including a trio of Power-5 talent in Jaelen House, Jamal Mashburn Jr., and Gethro Muscadin. Roberts noted the noise level in The Pit as a challenge for a broadcaster: "There were a lot of times when I knew I was calling the game because my lips were moving, but I couldn't hear a thing I said. The 197374 Lobos began the season 120, launching them to a #8 ranking. [155][160] Versatile JC transfer Darington Hobson joined lone senior Roman Martinez, junior Dairese Gary, and eight sophomores and freshmen. Cleveland is as puzzled as anyone that the Cougars haven't won a conference tournament title since 2001. Alan Dolensky and Smith remain the top two on the list, while Garrett is now tied for fourth. [13] The team posted wins over Kansas and at Purdue and received a berth in the 1964 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Hobson led the team with 16 points, nine rebounds, and 4.6 assists a game, the only Lobo to ever lead in all three. On March 16, 2021, Richard Pitino was named the 22nd head coach of the Lobos. [46] The Lobos have made 14 NCAA tournament appearances and 17 NIT appearances since the opening of the arena. William C. Dowling, Confessions of a Spoilsport: My Life and Hard Times Fighting Sports Corruption at an Old Eastern University (2007). The Lobos were ranked #10 and received a three-seed in the NCAA tournament, facing Harvard, but they again turned in a disappointing performance. The Lobos struggled to a 97 start before pulling together in league play, going 124 after winning their final five games to gain a share of the MWC title. Gethro Muscadin, the former University of New Mexico Lobo basketball player who had been hospitalized since being in a single-vehicle crash 10 months ago in Kansas, died Monday night. He was head coach of the University of New Mexico Lobo basketball team from 1972 to 1979, winning Western Athletic Conference championships in 1974 and 1978 and compiling an overall record of 134-62 (.684). After the 197172 season, assistant coach Norm Ellenberger was elevated to head coach, and King served as Assistant Athletics Director the next season. The selection committee granted the WAC three spots in the field, but the Lobos were left out, a disappointment that would linger through the following season. [107] Brown averaged 19.3 points a game, scoring over 30 four times, often in pivotal games, with a season-best 42; junior Marlow White averaged 17, senior Notch Neves 13, and promising freshman Charles Smith added over ten a game. The design of the arena makes it one of the loudest venues in college basketball, creating a hostile playing environment for visitors. King then left to become head coach and Athletics Director at Indiana State University. [98] Longley was the seventh player selected in the 1991 NBA draft, by Minnesota, and he went on to win three NBA championships as a starter for the Chicago Bulls (199698). Media Guide 201314, pp.7576,79. The Lobos compiled a 2214 record in WAC conference tournaments, reaching the final six times and winning the championship twice. Four-year starting PG Phil Smith led those early teams, averaging 14 points, six assists, and two steals per game over his career, setting then-records for highest scoring freshman, most steals in a season, and most career assists. Two road losses made them settle for a share of the regular season MWC title, but they again beat ranked SDSU and UNLV to secure the conference tournament championship, the first time they won both titles in a season. The 2019-2020 started promising for the Lobos. 6 Nevada in The Pit. They were upset in the first round by unranked Cal State Fullerton, however, in another disappointing tournament performance. [55] Attendance at The Pit jumped to over 17,000 a game, second most in the nation, as fan enthusiasm soared. [29][53] The Lobos finished the season 244 and ranked #12, and Ellenberger was voted runner-up for the US Basketball Writers Coach of the Year award. The Lobos had four starters returning in 1985-86 until Greene was injured in the preseason. Long averaged 23.9 points a game both his junior and senior seasons, earning all-WAC honors both seasons and all-American recognition in 1971. [145] Discipline trouble and player defections continued into the off-season. Williams hit a school-record 10 threes and scored 46 points at Colorado State, both MWC records. Ellenberger was named head coach in March 1972 after serving as an assistant under King since 1967. Utah would go on to reach the Final Four and lose to Kentucky in the national championship game. The strong finish earned the Lobos an NIT bid, where they lost to Texas A&M, finishing the season 1910. [203] Jim Boeheim, Lute Olson, and Steve Fisher have praised Lobo fans and the exciting atmosphere coaching at The Pit. Lobo basketball fans will remember Kendall Williams from any number of Lobo highlights throughout his college career. Unfazed, Long scored 22, Shields had 17, and bench reserves added 33 points as the Lobos won handily. The 199091 Lobos were again led by Longley averaging 19.1 points and 9.2 rebounds a game, with Robbins adding 14 points a game. From 1951 to 1962, the Lobos competed in the Mountain States Conference, known at the time as the Skyline Eight. They finished third in the WAC but received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, their first berth since 1978. The Lobos attained their first national ranking in the 196465 season, reaching #10 in the AP poll. [212][219], At the start of each half during Lobo games at The Pit, fans continue to stand and clap their hands until both teams score a basket, adding pressure on teams that struggle to score for long stretches. 1Perfection really is the enemy of the good. Colson later stated that he felt tremendous pressure to push the rules, and knew other coaches who were doing so and succeeding, but his personal integrity kept him from doing so, an attitude appreciated by his players. The Lobos built a 15-point lead early in the second half, but their shooting touch again disappeared, missing their last ten three-pointers. [217] Human mascots, dubbed "Lobo Louie and Lobo Lucy", members of the cheerleading squad, roam The Pit during games rousing and entertaining fans. The Lobos finished the season 285, their highest season win total and winning percentage to date. McGee played in 137 games and dished out 684 assists. Complicating matters, Koenig himself was fired three months later and eventually faced indictment on criminal charges for his activities as AD. The Lobos shot their best field goal percentage in a season, .542, placing them second in the nation, and McGee established the still-standing record for assists in a season. Gary finished his Lobo career second in games played, second in career free throws made, and is now fifth in career assists. Updated: Feb 27, 2023 / 01:50 PM MST. Still smarting after last weekend's buzzer-beating loss to San Diego State in a sold-out Pit, the Lobos (20-9, 7-9) are fighting for survival heading into the final two games of the regular . Due to the success of King's first three seasons, attendance at Johnson Gym more than doubled, and plans to build a larger arena began to take shape. The day before the NCAA tournament began, UNM announced a 10-year contract extension with Alford; 10 days later, he resigned to take the head coaching position at UCLA. UNM played their "home" games at various venues outside of New Mexico due to the restrictions against sports competitions from COVID-19 in New Mexico. [176] The Lobos lost on the road to ranked San Diego State and UNLV but beat both at home and won nine out of ten to clinch the league title. [141] After several coaches were discussed as candidates, some turning down offers, McKay was hired in a late night surprise and was not a popular choice among Lobo fans. Due to disciplinary problems the Lobos had a roller-coaster season in 198990 buoyed. Loudest Venues in college basketball, creating a hostile playing environment for visitors holds the Lobo experience. The WAC had expanded to 16 teams in the 196465 season, #... Fan interest arena makes it one of the UNM basketball team for all but seasons... 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