He was named the first ABA Rookie of the Year in 1968, ABA Most Valuable Player in 1969 and 1971, and he led the Indiana Pacers to three ABA championships.[24]. [103] The Lobos returned to the NIT, where they beat Louisiana Tech and Washington State before losing at Virginia, finishing the season 2013. 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. [55], Before the 197778 season, Ellenberger installed what he called the "Equal Opportunity Motion Offense", a run-and-gun attack emphasizing picks and passing as players rotate through each position, taking advantage of his versatile, athletic lineup. 22-year-old Destiny McAfee is a former all-district basketball and volleyball player for the Lobos and graduated in 2019. King then left to become head coach and Athletics Director at Indiana State University. The current roster is comprised primarily of UNM alumni including: Jamaal Smith (2006-08) J.R. Giddens (2006-08) Phillip McDonald (2008-12) Darington Hobson (2009-10) [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. [163] In the second round the hobbled Lobos could not keep up with athletic, fast-breaking Washington. The Lobos stood at 72 after losing to #10 Syracuse, then rattled off 14 straight wins, including a home-and-away sweep of #9 UNLV, pushing them into the national rankings and eventually into the top ten. [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. [190] Before the 2017-2018 season started, 10 of the 15 players from the previous season either transferred, left the team, or graduated. [12][28] They swept their regular season match-ups against New Mexico State, with both teams ranked in the top ten at the time of their second game. The Lobo basketball programs were established in 1899, but began its first competitive teams in 1903 and 1906, respectively. 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. 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. They got into foul trouble and could not stop George Washington's strong inside game, falling in an upset and finishing the season 247. Stats from Negro League teams from 1920 to 1948 are now counted in MLB records. Gary Colson rebuilt the Lobo program virtually from scratch after Lobogate, restoring its integrity and eventually its success on the court. After a couple of upset losses at home, however, they fell into a tie for second and again settled for the NIT. The hiring search after Colson's departure included a brief flirtation with Indiana coach Bobby Knight, who visited Albuquerque and was reportedly offered the job. [172] They dropped a pair of league games but then won seven straight, winning at #13 San Diego State and trouncing #11 UNLV to take the league lead and climb into the national rankings at #18. [30] A week later the Lobos beat #5 Wyoming at The Pit, pushing them to 143 and earning a #19 ranking, their first appearance in the polls since Lobogate. Media Guide 201314, pp.67,87. Smith is now second in career assists and third in career steals. He became the fourth leading scorer in school history at the time in just two seasons, set single season records for total points, season points per game (24.0), career points per game (21.9), and he scored a still-school record 50 points in a single game. They compiled a 10230 (.772) record while making the NCAA tournament and winning in the first round all four years. During his nearly 40 years at UNM, Johnson coached every men's sport the school offered, while teaching physical education. [132] In 2003, he was forced to resign from Baylor embroiled in an ugly scandal that would end his college coaching career. [129] He was selected as the 22nd pick in the first round of the 1999 NBA draft by Houston and played for 11 seasons in the NBA.[130]. 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. [110][111] Bliss stated, "[a]s a coach, I have never compromised more of my offensive principles than while coaching Greg Brown. The team was again defense-oriented, surrendering just 60 points a game and grinding out close wins, frequently coming from behind. In 1992, UNM announced that the basketball court at University Arena would be named in honor of King. [223], Sportscaster Mike Roberts was the "Voice of the Lobos" on KKOB radio in Albuquerque from 1966 to 2008, becoming an icon among Lobo fans. [225] New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson declared May 8, 2008 as "Mike Roberts Appreciation Day" in honor of the sportscaster. 6 Nevada in The Pit. [229], Conference Season Championships (11: 5 WAC, 4 MWC, 2 Border), Conference Tournament Championships (6: 4 MWC, 2 WAC), NCAA Tournament Appearances (15: 816 record), Individual and team records are published in detail in the 201314 Lobo Media Guide.[230]. [10] The Lobos won 165 games with Johnson as head basketball coach, a school record for over 30 years and currently third on its all-time list. Fan criticism had reached a crescendo and attendance at The Pit had been dropping significantly. Rebecca Rose Lobo-Rushin (born October 6, 1973) is an American television basketball analyst and former women's basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) from 1997 to 2003. [35] The 197576 team improved to 1611 with a largely mercenary squad of JC transfers who would later quit the team before the end of the season. No players found. [118] New Mexico later lost at Utah in a blowout, then lost a close game to the #3 Utes in the WAC tournament. The 197374 Lobos began the season 120, launching them to a #8 ranking. [108] The Lobos started 112, with both losses to New Mexico State in close, exciting games. The four seasons with Kenny Thomas in the line-up was the best stretch by the Lobos to date. They were ranked for much of the 197374 season, reaching #8, and again in 197778 when they peaked at #5. [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. Game Notes 201314, pp.15,20; Media Guide 201314, pp.67,7576,79. In 1931, Lobo athletic teams began competing in the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association, joining as a founding member along with other regional schools. "[112][113], The 199495 season was a rebuilding year for the Lobos, who finished 1515 but won six of their last eight games. Feb. 28Whatever happens next week in Las Vegas at the Mountain West Tournament and beyond, Lobo seniors Morris Udeze and Jaelen House made sure the final regular season impression their fans would have of them in the Pit would be a memorable one. The Lobos started out 8-6 in the non-conference, including a win against in-state rival New Mexico State where the game was delayed due to a power outage at Pan American Center. [42] Bill Hagins replaced Minniefield, and the team was again dominant inside. 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. Bliss would identify the loss as a particular disappointment, believing that the Lobos were the better team. [33] King continued as AD until retiring the next year. Like Petie Gibson, Scarborough became a long-time coach in Albuquerque, at. Only four scholarship players remained on the team, so a campus tryout filled out the roster with walk-ons. While he initially relied on JC transfers to fill the roster, he also began the slow process of rebuilding the program around freshmen recruits, with a greater emphasis on academics. [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]. In 1992 the basketball court at The Pit was named "Bob King Court" in honor of the coach who made its construction possible. [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. Longley finished with 1,729 points, 922 rebounds, and 336 blocks. 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. The 198687 season was the most successful for Colson as Lobo coach. Media Guide 201314, pp.6769,87,94. Here is my list. The scheme also employed a full-court pressing, trapping defense to generate points off of turnovers. [23] Shields finished his career as the third (now fourth) leading scorer in Lobo history and as career leader in three-pointers. [74][157] The Lobos began the 200708 season 142 before losing four of six in league; they then won eight of nine to close out the regular season. In 1999, Sports Illustrated ranked The Pit as one of the Top 20 Sporting Venues of the 20th Century. They went on to lose in the first round in the Mountain West Championship against Nevada. [23] Brown also won the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, given to the nation's top senior under six feet tall and gained an All-American Honorable Mention. Norman Dale Ellenberger (August 2, 1932 - November 15, 2015) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach. [216], The official mascot of the University of New Mexico is the "Lobo", the Spanish word for "wolf", adopted by the school in 1920. 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. The Lobos swept #8 New Mexico State, with Gibson hitting a memorable last-second shot in the latter game, leading to a brief return to the national rankings. Flipboard. [17][197], Attendance at Lobo games in The Pit has consistently been among the national leaders in college basketball, averaging over 15,400 fans per game since it opened. Lobo began working at ESPN in 2004 after. 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. [49] His defensive prowess made him an eight-time recipient of NBA All-Defensive Team honors, as well as the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1987. [100], The 199192 Lobos featured a balanced offense, with all five starters averaging in double figures, but they lacked a go-to scorer. The UNM gymnasium at the time was a small wooden building where the walls were out-of-bounds markers for basketball games. [122][123] Thomas averaged 17 points and nine rebounds, Shields 17 points and seven rebounds, and Long 14. [164] Martinez was honored as an Academic All-American and received the NCAA Chip Hilton Player of the Year Award for outstanding character, leadership, integrity, and talent.[165][166]. They lost in the conference tournament but received a three-seed in the NCAA tournament. She is a reporter and color analyst for ESPN, focusing on women's college basketball and WNBA games. The official name of the facilities became Dreamstyle Arena and Dreamstyle Stadium. The current head coach is Richard Pitino Both men's and women's teams play in The Pit, formally known as Dreamstyle Arena, built in 1966. The Lobos won the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) championship in 1964 and 1968, making frequent appearances in national rankings. Gordon became a dominating inside presence in 201112, averaging 14 points and 11 rebounds, registering 19 double-doubles, and setting the Lobo season record for rebounds. [101] The team started slowly, including a home loss to #2 Arizona, but later won seven of eight to gain an early share of the WAC lead. Media Guide 201314, pp.67,73,87. In addition to Daniels, other prominent players produced by the Lobo program include five-time NBA champion Michael Cooper, three-time NBA champion Luc Longley, NBA all-star Danny Granger, and Kenny Thomas. [46], The 199899 Lobos again started strong with a 121 record, reaching #11; they stood at 162 after beating #7 Arizona but then lost four of five, struggling on the road. Senior Ruben Douglas was the lone offensive threat and became the only Lobo ever to lead the nation in scoring, averaging 28 points a game. The Lobos averaged 63.7 ppg, their lowest output since 195859, while holding opponents to 59.2 ppg, the lowest since Bob King's early years. [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. Whether he's scoring 46 against Colorado State or facing New Mexico State at The Pit, Williams never disappointed Lobo Nation with his exciting style of play. Updated: Feb 27, 2023 / 01:50 PM MST. 197374 New Mexico Lobos Roster and Stats. Several players left the team, some claiming abuse by Fraschilla. [70][71] The Lobos opened the season with two losses before beating USC and Washington and winning at #7 UCLA. [168] They beat #3 BYU in Provo to sweep the regular season series but lost to the Cougars in the conference tournament. [106] Shields led the way with 25 points and 10 rebounds, with Smith adding 15, overcoming a foul-plagued game for Thomas. Media Guide 201314, p.79. [209] The video clip of NC State coach Jim Valvano celebrating at the end of the game documents one of the most famous moments in NCAA basketball history and is a staple of NCAA tournament television coverage.[5]. [150] Versatile senior guard Mark Walters led the team with 16 points a game, but after winning four straight to build a 169 record, they lost four of five to finish 1713 and did not receive a post-season bid. [109] The team was undefeated at home in conference and won a key road game at BYU to seal the league championship, led by a torrent of points from Brown. Because the playing surface is 37 feet below grade, students nicknamed the arena "The Pit," and the nickname stuck. Smith led in scoring for the third straight season, averaging 17.5 a game, while Shields scored 15.5, and Thomas added 14 points and seven rebounds a game. Coach King died on December10, 2004. Former New Mexico Players Currently In The NBA * NBA stats from the 2022-2023 season. The Lobos again relied on three-point shooting, attempting the most threes in school history while making nearly ten a game, leading the WAC. [23], The 197879 Lobo squad returned starters Abney and Saunders while adding another strong JC class including Larry Belin. Colson had also clashed with Koenig in a contract dispute and had gone over his head to resolve the issue. [55] The team finally broke through, winning another exciting game at UNLV, beginning a string of nine wins in its last ten games. Ellenberger was named head coach in March 1972 after serving as an assistant under King since 1967. They finished third in the WAC but received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, their first berth since 1978. The 2019-2020 started promising for the Lobos. The Lobos had only two winning seasons from 1947 to 1962, compiling a 113252 (.310) record, including a dismal 42149 (.220) during the last eight years. The Lobos notched wins over Santa Clara and Pepperdine before losing to eventual tournament runner-up St. Louis, finishing the season at 2211. [77][78] Scott was lost to graduation, Greene sat out the season injured, and the inexperienced team struggled badly on the road. [23], The 200910 Lobos were again a young squad picked to finish fifth in the MWC in preseason polls. [114] The 199596 team added to that nucleus Albuquerque High star Kenny Thomas, a USA Today and Parade magazine High School All-American. That may be the way to rationalize what a lot of Lobo men's basketball fans are feeling now. 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. [60][63] In 1986, former rival and longtime friend Don Haskins hired Ellenberger as his lead assistant at UTEP, where he would coach for four years. [74] The Lobos heated up in the MWC tournament, reaching the final but losing on a missed shot at the end of the game. [7][17], University Arena opened in 1966 but was soon nicknamed "The Pit" due to its innovative subterranean design, with the playing floor 37 feet below street level. [139] The Lobos lost to #13 Stanford in their opener but moved to 103 as Douglas led the way with 18 points a game. The 197677 team still holds the school record for most total rebounds and most blocked shots in a season. [23] He averaged 16 points and five rebounds a game as a Lobo, also leading the team in assists and steals. They discussed an arrangement to transfer bogus credits from a California Junior College to the office of the UNM registrar. The Lobos finished the season 285, their highest season win total and winning percentage to date. [25] Don Haskins took over at UTEP in 1961 and led the Miners to a 12832 (.800) record in his first six seasons, including a 281 national championship season in 196566. [5], Roy Johnson, nicknamed "Old Iron Head", was fundamental to the early development of Lobo athletics. Full New Mexico Lobos roster for the 2022-23 season including position, height, weight, birthdate, years of experience, and college. Misfortune turned to tragedy with the murder of former Lobo Patrick Dennehy leading to a scandal at Baylor implicating Dave Bliss and the suicide of Lobo transfer Billy Feeney. 22 Wyoming. They went to the NIT and beat Bliss-led Baylor and Pepperdine in The Pit before losing at Memphis to finish 2113. [88] Colson's teams had gone 10762 (.633) in his last five seasons, but his failure to win the conference or to make the NCAA tournament were common criticisms. Brown is now head basketball coach at Volcano Vista High in Albuquerque. They battled to within five points in the second half but could not overcome their poor start. [191] He was dismissed from the team. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - Former Lobo basketball player and now Australian Rules Football player, Hugh Greenwood started his first season with the Gold Coast Suns this past year, and with the . [90] Knight recommended Bliss, who had been his assistant at Army and Indiana before serving as head coach at Oklahoma and SMU. [119] He was again named All-WAC and finished as the leading scorer in Lobo history, with 1,993 points, and the leader in field goals made, having started every game of his career. Utah would go on to reach the Final Four and lose to Kentucky in the national championship game. The university established basketball as a varsity sport in 1899 and began competing with regional colleges after establishing an athletics department in 1920. The Lobos next faced two-seed Georgetown and took a slim lead into the second half. They finished the season with an 6-16 record. Thomas tallied 1,931 points and 1,032 rebounds in his career, the first player in WAC history with over 1,800 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 200 blocked shots. Olney added 15 a game while shooting a Lobo record .513 from three-point range, as the team set the Lobo record for threes in a season. Western Athletic Conference Season Summary. The Lobos and seven other conference members left the WAC to form the MWC in 1999. 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. McKay faced a major rebuilding project in 200203 compounded by further dismissals and injuries that cut the team to seven scholarship players. His former players included future National Basketball . They again finished strong, winning nine of their last eleven, including four of five on the road. As a part of Team USA during the 1996 Summer Olympics, Lobo won gold on one of the greatest basketball teams ever assembled. UNM lost in the Mountain West Championship quarterfinals to Utah State. [196] In Mountain West play, however, the Lobos went 5-12. Facing #22 Villanova, the Lobos shot 18% in the first half, scoring just eleven points and trailing by as much as 24. [23] The Lobos returned to the NIT, losing at The Pit to Lamar and finishing the season 2411. Cooper is among the best overall players ever produced by the Lobo program and was named an All-American in 1978. Former players have joined forces and are in town for TBT, and they met up with this year's squad for a dinner. UNM released a statement on February 26, 2021, they will part ways with Weir at the end of the 202021 season. McAfee signed with Weatherford College in Texas before transferring for one year with the University of Louisiana Rajun Cajuns in the 2020-2021 season. The Lobos were among the top 12 in the nation in scoring for Ellenberger's final three years, topping a hundred points 25 times and registering six of the school's top eight single-game scoring totals. [149], McKay continued to attract strong transfer players, but discipline issues persisted in 200506. [74] The Lobos beat a good Arizona team before losing a close game to #1 Georgetown, led by Patrick Ewing, the first time the Lobos had faced a top-ranked opponent. [93] The Lobos got off to a slow start in 198889, including losses to #11 Arizona and #6 Oklahoma. [42] They also established still-standing records for steals in a season as a team, Greene for steals by a player in a season, and Scarborough for career steals. They began the year 111, rising to #8 before losing at #15 UCLA. They went to the NIT and beat South Florida before losing at eventual champion Wake Forest, finishing 1814. [191] Also in January, JaQuan Lyle hosted a party at an Airbnb where two people were shot, one of which was a UNM female athlete. Shields again led with 19 points. [87] Former UNM AD John Bridgers believed Colson had never received the full support of the Lobo community. [50][51] Willie Howard was a talented inside player averaging 13 points and six rebounds a game, frequently providing explosive scoring off the bench. The team had relied heavily on its starters and was worn down with fatigue and injuries. The NIT appearance began a streak of eleven straight years of reaching post-season play. They beat Dayton in the regional consolation game to finish the season 227 and ranked #18 in the UPI. [194] Lyle had not traveled to Nevada because of a knee injury. [22] Gibson compiled career averages of over 11 points and seven assists per game, still holding UNM records for career assists per game and four other assists categories.[31][32]. [155][156] Six other players averaged between seven and ten points as balanced scoring became a hallmark of Lobo squads under Alford. Petie Gibson. C-Daniel Santiago. [167] He was joined by UCLA transfer Drew Gordon, who averaged 13 points and 10.5 rebounds, and the program's most successful freshman class to date, including starter Kendall Williams who scored 12 points a game. Kirk led with 22 points and 12 rebounds, but the team shot poorly and trailed most of the game as the Crimson answered Lobo runs with timely three-pointers to seal the upset. [134][135], Before the 19992000 season, the Lobos and seven other teams left the WAC to form the Mountain West Conference (MWC). [154] Under McKay, J.R. Giddens had frequently missed games due to disciplinary problems. [104] The team had relied heavily on three-point shooting, hoisting over 100 more attempts than in any previous season, making 39%. [35] Colson adhered strictly to NCAA rules, as UNM officials watched the program closely, wary of falling back into disfavor with the NCAA. Western Athletic Conference 1964, 1968, 1974, 1978, 1994. [116] Douglas was an explosive scorer and led the team with 16 points a game. The most renowned enduring feature of the Lobo basketball program is its home venue, known as "The Pit", recognized as one of the best college basketball arenas in the country. Carlton Bragg Jr. was accused of sexual assault and later arrested for a DWI in January 2020. Media Guide 201314, pp.65,116. [82] The Lobos reached the final of the WAC tournament but lost to Wyoming, which went on to reach the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament. [188], On April 1, 2017, Neal was dismissed as head coach after compiling a record of 7652 (.594).[189]. They then won 11 of 12, taking the WAC lead into the last month of the season. They lost to St. Louis in the semi-finals, then in overtime to Penn State in the consolation game to finish the season 2014. The tournament upset and departures were disheartening blows for Lobo fans. [155][178] Snell was selected by Chicago with the 20th pick in the first round of the NBA draft. [8] Johnson set about building collegiate-level athletics facilities, performing some of the hard labor with his own hands. The following season, 196364, the Lobos won their first WAC championship, led by Ira Harge, who King had recruited from a junior college in Iowa. Under Norm Ellenberger, the Lobos won WAC championships in 1974 and 1978 and compiled an overall record of 13462 (.684). Sort: Player (A-Z) Col umns: Swipe 18 players found. The Lobos slumped to a 4236 record over the next three seasons. [46] The Lobos have made 14 NCAA tournament appearances and 17 NIT appearances since the opening of the arena. Media Guide 201314, pp.66,90. Former New Mexico Lobo men's basketball standout Rob Robbins, left, and his daughter, Hannah, a rising star on the Arizona prep scene, are shown.
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