[154] They struggled to win against first round opponent Montana, and Hobson injured his wrist and back. [91] Smith led with 16 points and seven rebounds in his final game as a Lobo. The 2013 Howl drew over 10,000 fans and featured the introduction of new coach Craig Neal, who entered the arena on his motorcycle. Against Old Dominion in the first round, the Lobos struggled with three-point shooting and turned to their inside game. [63], In their first three seasons under Colson, the Lobos struggled to a 3944 combined record. 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. Ellenberger was fired on December 17, 1979, and the season continued with the remaining players not caught up in the scandal, along with several walk-ons. Bob King transformed the New Mexico program, becoming known as the "Architect of Lobo Basketball. Lamont Long averaged 18.7 points a game to lead the league and earn All-MWC honors, finishing his career as the third leading scorer in Lobo history, three points ahead of former teammate Shields.[137]. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - Major League baseball righted a wrong this year. They beat Texas A&M in the NIT before losing at Fresno State to finish the season 1913. The Lobos have appeared in 19 National Invitation Tournaments with a combined record of 1820. [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. Updated: Dec 1, 2020 / 08:00 PM MST. [116] Thomas averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds, Long 17 points and 6.5 boards. They then lost five of six to finish in a tie for third. [194] Lyle had not traveled to Nevada because of a knee injury. PF-Kenny Thomas. Smith was named All-WAC, and Colson was named WAC Coach of the Year. [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 Lobos added transfer Ruben Douglas from Arizona before the 200001 season, but other key recruits were sidelined by injury and disciplinary problems. The judge deferred sentence for a year, noting that it was unfair for Ellenberger alone to bear culpability, and all counts were formally dismissed in 1983.[36][60]. In his first season, Weir posted a 19-15 record and finished in 3rd place in the Mountain West. The Lobos remained in the WAC race late in the season, but road struggles relegated them to third place and a 1911 final record. 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. [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. Colson had also clashed with Koenig in a contract dispute and had gone over his head to resolve the issue. The Lobos, Aggies, and Miners played one another twice every season, home-and-away, and a fierce rivalry grew among them. Fraschilla inherited three returning starters, but the team was clearly heading into a rebuilding period after losing Thomas. The scheme also employed a full-court pressing, trapping defense to generate points off of turnovers. [87] In the end, fans wanted more than Colson had managed to achieve, and despite the respect he had earned for rebuilding the program, the disappointment of failing to reach the NCAA tournament fueled support for a change. On April 11, 2017, Paul Weir was named head coach of the Lobos. Howard led a young team, scoring 19.7 per game, with sophomores Willie Long and Petie Gibson beginning their runs as three-year starters. [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. Phil Abney and Russell Saunders were JC additions; Abney initially backed up Howard but later moved into the starting line-up. [186] Bairstow was named second-team All-American by Sports Illustrated. BYU coach Steve Cleveland looks on from the sideline of the BYU-Utah game at the Marriott Center in Provo. [7] In 1928 Coach Roy Johnson organized construction of Carlisle Gymnasium, seating about 1,500 spectators with later additions doubling that figure, and in 1957 Johnson Gymnasium opened, with a capacity of 7,800. 197374 New Mexico Lobos Roster and Stats. For now, the Lobos have six returning scholarship players in guards Jeremiah Francis, Javonte Johnson and Saquan Singleton; and three forwards in Emmanuel Kuac, Rod Brown and Valdir Manuel. 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. The Lobos attained their first national ranking in the 196465 season, reaching #10 in the AP poll. Snell paced the offense down the stretch, averaging 18 points a game and leading the Lobos to the MWC tournament championship. They went to the NIT and beat Bliss-led Baylor and Pepperdine in The Pit before losing at Memphis to finish 2113. Ellenberger served as interim head coach at UTEP for a period when Haskins was ill. Bobbi Roquemore. They were upset in the first round by unranked Cal State Fullerton, however, in another disappointing tournament performance. Greene returned to average 21 points and six rebounds a game, while Scarborough added 19 points and six assists. 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. Alford was again named MWC Coach of the Year, and Gary was All-MWC. UNM left the Border Conference in 1951 to join the Mountain States Conference, then known as the Skyline Eight. [74] The Lobos heated up in the MWC tournament, reaching the final but losing on a missed shot at the end of the game. [23] The #21 Lobos received a five-seed in the NCAA tournament facing Long Beach State. 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. [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. [193] UNM would lose in the quarterfinals to Utah State in the Mountain West Championship. The team began the season 112 but lost four straight, struggling on the road. Stats from Negro League teams from 1920 to 1948 are now counted in MLB records. 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. 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. [148] After losing at Oral Roberts, they beat #20 Texas Tech and a Dayton squad that would go on to win the NIT. [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. They discussed an arrangement to transfer bogus credits from a California Junior College to the office of the UNM registrar. [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]. [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. 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). 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. [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. Media Guide 201314, pp.67,76,78,89. [224] He was an integral part of the Lobo fan experience, especially before most games were televised. 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. Ritchie McKay was head coach at New Mexico for five seasons with a record of 8269 (.543) and one NCAA tournament appearance. In 1957, while still on faculty, Johnson oversaw construction of the 7,800-seat arena that bears his name, Johnson Gymnasium. The Pittsburgh Steelers . While the criminal charges were cleared from Ellenberger's record, he would never be a college head coach again. The Lobos dropped their first two MWC games but then reeled off 15 straight wins their second longest winning streak ever[162] sweeping #10 BYU. [231], The Lobos have compiled a 1611 record in MWC tournaments, reaching the final six times and winning the championship four times. The early departure of Hobson left the Lobos with just one senior again in 201011: Gary led with 14 points and 5.5 assists a game, carrying the young team at times. Media Guide 201314, pp.67,69,71,77,88. [93] The Lobos got off to a slow start in 198889, including losses to #11 Arizona and #6 Oklahoma. It's a stretch with Thomas I know, but he did move Albuquerque in high school and play for AHS his senior year. 25The Sweet 16 thus far remains elusive to Lobo basketball. 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. [23] The Lobos returned to the NIT, losing at The Pit to Lamar and finishing the season 2411. [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. Cleveland is as puzzled as anyone that the Cougars haven't won a conference tournament title since 2001. [27] Instead, they started the season 170, rising to #6 before beating #5Utah in the Pit, propelling the Lobos to #4. The Official Athletic Site of the New Mexico Lobos, partner of WMT Digital. Gordon had 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Williams added 16 with two late baskets to seal the win. [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. He had been a collegiate coach for 16 seasons, the previous eight at Iowa, amassing over 300 career wins. Lobo's championship streak with the national team in 1977 included a basketball crown in the Pesta Sukan league in Genting Highlands, Malaysia, as well as the Southeast Asian Games men's title in . Giddens led the MWC in rebounding and was among the league leaders in numerous other categories. [61] Six players were dismissed from the team in the opening weeks of the 197980 season, and another was suspended. The 197374 Lobos began the season 120, launching them to a #8 ranking. Like King, Ellenberger got off to a fast start in his first two seasons. Shields again led with 19 points. Thomas was held to his worst game as a Lobo, scoring just one point. [161] Martinez added 14 points and six rebounds a game, and Gary 13 points and four assists. The team was again defense-oriented, surrendering just 60 points a game and grinding out close wins, frequently coming from behind. By contrast, Marvin "Automatic" Johnson was one of the greatest scorers in Lobo history. [65] The team limped to a 622 record. [10] They went 17589 (.663) in ten seasons with King as head coach, winning two conference titles and making four appearances in post-season tournaments. 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. [159] Senior Tony Danridge led the unit with 15 points a game, though they again relied on balance and teamwork. The Lobos forced a turnover, down 6463, but their set play broke down and Gibson missed an unbalanced, driving shot, ending the Lobo season at 258. It was phased out during the '90s but has since become the signature cheer for Lobo fans. [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]. [40] They spent about half of the 196667 season in the top six nationally, reaching #3, their highest ranking ever. Hosting #18 Gonzaga, Douglas missed a pair of free throws to send the game into overtime, and the Lobos lost; point guard Marlon Parmer ripped teammates in the locker room, beginning a string of problems on court and off. Media Guide 201213, pp.76,89. [203] Jim Boeheim, Lute Olson, and Steve Fisher have praised Lobo fans and the exciting atmosphere coaching at The Pit. Game Notes 201314, pp.15,20; Media Guide 201314, pp.67,7576,79. The four seasons with Kenny Thomas in the line-up was the best stretch by the Lobos to date. [12] The Lobos won as many games in his first two seasons as in the previous seven combined and went 11644 (.725) over his first six seasons. 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. [30], The 197677 team featured JC arrivals Michael Cooper, Marvin Johnson, and Willie Howard, the nucleus for a successful and exciting two-year run. 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. The Lobos were ranked #11 and received a three-seed in the NCAA tournament, their best seed ever. The Lobos again relied on three-point shooting, attempting the most threes in school history while making nearly ten a game, leading the WAC. 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 . In January 1976, #4 UNLV survived a scare from the underdog Lobos before a Pit-record crowd of 19,452, with fans overflowing onto the concourse and sitting in the stairways,[35][46][47] a game still lauded as one of the greatest and loudest ever in The Pit. [62] The damage to the program was devastating, as it was forced to rebuild virtually from scratch, beginning in mid-season. They began the season 71, losing only at #14 Arizona while sweeping ranked New Mexico State. After a couple of upset losses at home, however, they fell into a tie for second and again settled for the NIT. Lobo began working at ESPN in 2004 after. 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. [183] Williams averaged 16 points and five assists, and Kirk added 13 points and nine rebounds. [7] Basketball was primarily an intramural sport, with occasional games against other schools, including Albuquerque High School, and no regular schedule. The Lobos compiled a 2214 record in WAC conference tournaments, reaching the final six times and winning the championship twice. 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. Former New Mexico Players Currently In The NBA * NBA stats from the 2022-2023 season. [119] Granger was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 17th pick in the first round of the 2005 NBA draft and has placed among league leaders in scoring and been named an All-Star during his career. They then lost three league road games and fell to third in a tight WAC race. 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. In 1999, Sports Illustrated ranked The Pit as one of the Top 20 Sporting Venues of the 20th Century. [138][142] His father played at UNM for Bob King, but McKay had only coached for brief stints at Portland State, Colorado State, and Oregon State, with an 8389 career record. 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