Media Guide 201314, p.91. [10], University Arena opened as the home venue of the Lobos on December1, 1966. [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. [154] They struggled to win against first round opponent Montana, and Hobson injured his wrist and back. [74] The Lobos were 101 when they lost to #5 Wake Forest, and 142 when Granger suffered an injury and missed three games, all losses. Johnson stepped down as head basketball coach after the 193940 season. One former Lobo teammate from the 2017-18 season Troy Simons and another former Lobo who will be a teammate of Furstinger's this summer when the two are both playing for "The. [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. The Lobos appeared in the NAIA Basketball tournament one time with a record of 01. [12][29] Also playing in the first round at The Pit, New Mexico State lost to eventual champion UCLA, then won the consolation game over the Lobos, who finished the season 235. [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. After the 197172 season, assistant coach Norm Ellenberger was elevated to head coach, and King served as Assistant Athletics Director the next season. [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. Early New Mexico basketball teams played in what became known as the Old Wooden Gym, where the walls were the out-of-bounds markers. [87] Former UNM AD John Bridgers believed Colson had never received the full support of the Lobo community. Western Athletic Conference 1964, 1968, 1974, 1978, 1994. 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. [133] He had left St. John's under murky circumstances, however, and worked as a broadcaster and scout during the preceding season. Page also holds the Lobo record for career points per game (26.2), the top career scoring average in WAC history. 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. The Lobos stood at 7-2 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. The Lobos were 102 in games decided by six or fewer points. 25The Sweet 16 thus far remains elusive to Lobo basketball. Colson inherited a program under NCAA sanctions, with only three players remaining on scholarship. He declared for the 2010 NBA draft and was selected in the second round by Milwaukee. [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. Daniels averaged over 17 points and 11 rebounds a game, providing the fast-growing Lobo fan base a preview of things to come. [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]. The 196869 season began with high expectations and the Lobos ranked in the top ten, but they dropped out after a string of road losses. [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. [23], The 199697 Lobos returned all their principal players, while adding freshman Lamont Long, who would become a starter by mid-season. Senior Greg Brown, a 57 point guard from Albuquerque High, produced a monumental season, though, leading the Lobos to their first regular season WAC title in 16 years. Media Guide 201314, pp.66,90. [23] The Lobos returned to the NIT, losing at The Pit to Lamar and finishing the season 2411. The Lobos returned to the NIT, losing to eventual champion Virginia Tech and finishing 216. [40] They spent about half of the 196667 season in the top six nationally, reaching #3, their highest ranking ever. [84][85], In 198788 the Lobos were led by Charlie Thomas, a junior transfer from Wake Forest (17 points and 7.5 rebounds a game), and senior Greene (16.8 points, 6.8 rebounds). The Lobos compete in the Mountain West Conference (MWC) in NCAA Division I, joining as a founding member in 1999. [115] The young Lobo squad jumped out to a 100 start and a #25 ranking before losing a pair of league road games. Longley finished with 1,729 points, 922 rebounds, and 336 blocks. The Lobos won their fourth WAC championship with a 131 league record, losing only at ranked Utah, and entered the NCAA tournament ranked #5 and seeded second in the West Regional, with the opportunity to play in The Pit for the regional final with a win. The 198687 season was the most successful for Colson as Lobo coach. Because the playing surface is 37 feet below grade, students nicknamed the arena "The Pit," and the nickname stuck. [114] The 199596 team added to that nucleus Albuquerque High star Kenny Thomas, a USA Today and Parade magazine High School All-American. 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. This list may not reflect recent changes. Like Petie Gibson, Scarborough became a long-time coach in Albuquerque, at. [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. [105] A pair of upset losses prevented them from catching the #9 Utes and #21 Cougars, who were tied atop the league at 141 late in the season. The 2020-2021 season was completely played out of New Mexico. [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. 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. McAfee signed with Weatherford College in Texas before transferring for one year with the University of Louisiana Rajun Cajuns in the 2020-2021 season. They then lost three league road games and fell to third in a tight WAC race. Fraschilla had lost the team: nine players had left the program or been dismissed during his tenure. [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. [19][20] The Lobos reached #3 with an 111 record but then lost four straight and fell out of the rankings. [126] Gibson finished as Lobo career leader in minutes played. [110][111] Bliss stated, "[a]s a coach, I have never compromised more of my offensive principles than while coaching Greg Brown. The team went on a 410 slide starting with a blowout loss at home to Utah, after which Parmer was dismissed, and culminating with forward Patrick Dennehy shoving teammates and walking off the court during a loss at Air Force. Lobo starred for the Huskies when they won a national championship in 1995 following an undefeated season and was also an Olympic gold medalist for Team USA in 1996. Ellenberger was well-respected as a teacher of defense,[34][39] and he was a frequent participant in basketball coaching camps and workshops, where he became friends with UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian. The team won seven of their last nine, both losses coming to #8 Utah, in Salt Lake and in the WAC tournament final. 22 San Diego State (22-5, 13-2 . Colson had also clashed with Koenig in a contract dispute and had gone over his head to resolve the issue. ", coupled with a hand gesture emulating a wolf. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Coach Pitino hopes his players were able to learn something from the Lobos. After a couple of upset losses at home, however, they fell into a tie for second and again settled for the NIT. Media Guide 201213, p.120. UNM left the Border Conference in 1951 to join the Mountain States Conference, then known as the Skyline Eight. [65] The team limped to a 622 record. [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. Leading players like Belin lost eligibility and were dropped from the team. The NCAA investigation into the scandal found 34 violations of recruiting rules, and the Lobo program was placed on probation and banned from post-season appearances for three years. The following 59 pages are in this category, out of 59 total. The Lobos again returned to the NIT, beating Pepperdine and Oregon before losing in the quarter-finals to Ohio State, a team they had beaten earlier in the season, finishing with a 2214 record. The Pittsburgh Steelers . Student-athletes from both men's and women's squads participate and sign autographs for fans, and the event is used to attract recruits invited to attend. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - Former University of New Mexico point guard Kelvin Scarborough has died. [42] Bill Hagins replaced Minniefield, and the team was again dominant inside. Williams also finished first in Lobo history in career free throws made and attempted, and second in career minutes played. Lobo, at 6'4", played the center position for much of her career. 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. Everybody knows that's not a great basketball play, but for us it was terrific. One team in the game will be named Team J.B. White in. Pitino. New Mexico began playing New Mexico State in 1904, currently totaling over 200 games; they first played UTEP in 1929, with over 140 games total. Western Athletic Conference Season Summary. [52][53] Further JC transfers Jimmy Allen and Will Smiley completed a strong Lobo front line. [169] The Lobos went to the NIT and beat UTEP before losing at Alabama, finishing 2213. Smith was named All-WAC, and Colson was named WAC Coach of the Year. Bliss would identify the loss as a particular disappointment, believing that the Lobos were the better team. [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. They compiled a 10230 (.772) record while making the NCAA tournament and winning in the first round all four years. 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. [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. The strong finish earned the Lobos an NIT bid, where they lost to Texas A&M, finishing the season 1910. "[198] Many fans were disappointed and outraged when Roberts was dismissed by KKOB in 2008. McKay faced a major rebuilding project in 200203 compounded by further dismissals and injuries that cut the team to seven scholarship players. [66] Harrison and his players gained fan appreciation for persevering under difficult circumstances, but he served primarily as a caretaker until a new head coach was named. Media Guide 201314, pp.76,79. The Lobos had four starters returning in 1985-86 until Greene was injured in the preseason. They beat Dayton in the regional consolation game to finish the season 227 and ranked #18 in the UPI. 22 Wyoming. The Lobos have appeared in 19 National Invitation Tournaments with a combined record of 1820. [204] Rick Majerus, who compiled a 511 record against the Lobos at The Pit, tying him with Don Haskins for most wins by a visiting coach, noted the intensity and dedication of Lobo fans and their knowledge of the game,[207][208] The Pit hosted the 1983 NCAA Final Four, the last time the event was held on a college campus. 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