Media Guide 201314, p.79. For the school's women's players, see Category:New Mexico Lobos women's basketball players. [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]. [6] A decorated veteran who served in World Wars I and II, he was the UNM athletic director from 1920 to 1949. King suffered a heart attack and brain aneurysm shortly before Bird's senior season, however, and his assistant, Bill Hodges, led the team to the 1979 Final Four, where they lost to Michigan State in the championship game. The New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team represents the University of New Mexico, competing in the Mountain West Conference (MWC) in NCAA Division I. 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. Richard Pitino has been hired as the next head coach of the New Mexico men's basketball program less than 24 hours after Minnesota announced his firing, the program announced on Tuesday. 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 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)". Norman Dale Ellenberger (August 2, 1932 - November 15, 2015) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach. [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. The 197980 roster appeared once again loaded with talent, and fan expectations were again high, but disaster struck the program in the early weeks of the season as the "Lobogate" scandal unfolded. Based on this conversation, the FBI launched an investigation that led to a federal indictment of Ellenberger on seven counts of fraud and forgery of academic transcripts, though he was acquitted of those charges at trial. 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]. Craig Neal was associate head coach under Alford for three seasons at Iowa and six seasons at UNM before taking the Lobo helm. [125] Thomas was named second-team All-American, and he and Shields were both All-WAC. [40] They fell into a 610 slide, however, including 19 on the road, a chronic weakness of the Lobos under Colson, whose teams compiled a 2465 record in road games. They were ranked briefly in 1988 and 1993, then throughout 1996 to 1999. They finished the season with an 6-16 record. The inconsistent squad started 55 but then stunned 21-point favorite, #2 Arizona in Tucson, the highest ranked opponent the Lobos had beaten on the road since 1966. Renovations completed in 2010 added space and state-of-the-art amenities for fans and players. [33] King continued as AD until retiring the next year. [169] The Lobos went to the NIT and beat UTEP before losing at Alabama, finishing 2213. Page also holds the Lobo record for career points per game (26.2), the top career scoring average in WAC history. [225] New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson declared May 8, 2008 as "Mike Roberts Appreciation Day" in honor of the sportscaster. SHARE Why this former BYU coach is dumbfounded by Cougars' lack of success in league tourney. Road struggles kept the team from gaining momentum, a chronic problem as the Lobos went 843 in away games under McKay. Long scored 1,840 points. [46] They rebounded to reach the final of the WAC tournament before losing at UNLV but still received a four-seed in the NCAA tournament. "[17] Since his arrival at UNM, the Lobos have won over sixty percent of their games and earned over thirty berths to post-season tournaments, while suffering only five losing seasons. This was short lived, however, and the Lobos went 3-11 to finish out the season. Smith was named All-WAC, and Colson was named WAC Coach of the Year. [175] The MWC enjoyed its best season to date with four teams achieving national rankings and five making the NCAA tournament. [187] Williams finished his career as the fifth leading scorer in Lobo history, third in assists, and the MWC career assists leader. [155][156] Six other players averaged between seven and ten points as balanced scoring became a hallmark of Lobo squads under Alford. Cleveland is as puzzled as anyone that the Cougars haven't won a conference tournament title since 2001. In 1992 the basketball court at The Pit was named "Bob King Court" in honor of the coach who made its construction possible. [183] Williams averaged 16 points and five assists, and Kirk added 13 points and nine rebounds. [193] UNM would lose in the quarterfinals to Utah State in the Mountain West Championship. Everybody knows that's not a great basketball play, but for us it was terrific. [163] The Lobos finished the season 296, their second-best record ever. [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. Shields scored 1,837 points. [119] Against five-seed Syracuse, however, the depleted Lobos shot under 26% and lost to finish the season 248. [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 196869 season began with high expectations and the Lobos ranked in the top ten, but they dropped out after a string of road losses. [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. [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. [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]. [215], On September 18, 2020, it was announced that the naming rights deal with Dreamstyle Remodeling was ending after only three years. BYU coach Steve Cleveland looks on from the sideline of the BYU-Utah game at the Marriott Center in Provo. [115] The young Lobo squad jumped out to a 100 start and a #25 ranking before losing a pair of league road games. [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]. [149], McKay continued to attract strong transfer players, but discipline issues persisted in 200506. [21] The Lobos started 111, losing at Texas Tech but beating #11 Arizona and rising to #11 themselves. Senior Willie Banks, an Albuquerque High product, led the team along with junior guards Ike Williams and Steve Logan and center Khari Jaxon. [154] Under McKay, J.R. Giddens had frequently missed games due to disciplinary problems. [55] The team finally broke through, winning another exciting game at UNLV, beginning a string of nine wins in its last ten games. Fan criticism had reached a crescendo and attendance at The Pit had been dropping significantly. 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. [97] In the NIT, the Lobos knocked off Oregon, Oklahoma State, and Hawaii to make the Final Four in New York. [163] In the second round the hobbled Lobos could not keep up with athletic, fast-breaking Washington. They then lost three league road games and fell to third in a tight WAC race. [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. [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. [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. [70][71] The Lobos opened the season with two losses before beating USC and Washington and winning at #7 UCLA. The program thrived, and Ellenberger became a local celebrity, restaurateur, and man-about-town, earning the nickname "Stormin' Norman" for his flashy attire and fiery coaching style.[35][36][37][38][39]. [55][69] Despite the struggles of the team, attendance at The Pit actually improved in Colson's early years, remaining in the top four nationally.[46]. Nevertheless, they have won at least one game in six of their last nine appearances. Attendance doubled, Johnson Gym was soon selling out, and plans for a larger arena began to be developed. There were a multitude of reasons for this. Media Guide 201314, pp.65,116. The Lobos remained in the WAC race late in the season, but road struggles relegated them to third place and a 1911 final record. [195] Pitino inherited 6 transfers, including a trio of Power-5 talent in Jaelen House, Jamal Mashburn Jr., and Gethro Muscadin. [37][64] He then became the lead assistant for Bobby Knight at Indiana for ten seasons, from 1990 to 2000,[34] and later coached in the NBA and WNBA. Under Norm Ellenberger, the Lobos won WAC championships in 1974 and 1978 and compiled an overall record of 13462 (.684). [153], An early objective for Alford was to change the culture of the program regarding discipline and academic focus. 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. William C. Dowling, Confessions of a Spoilsport: My Life and Hard Times Fighting Sports Corruption at an Old Eastern University (2007). [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]. [102] Banks was named All-WAC and finished as Lobo career leader (now second) in three-point percentage. Flipboard. [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 team won seven of their last nine, both losses coming to #8 Utah, in Salt Lake and in the WAC tournament final. 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. He played professionally for eight seasons then coached in the NBA for eight more before joining Alford at Iowa. So all time UNM team with NM players. [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. 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. Facing #22 Villanova, the Lobos shot 18% in the first half, scoring just eleven points and trailing by as much as 24. "Bob King Court" was dedicated at formal ceremonies on December1, 1992, the 26th anniversary of the opening of The Pit. [106], The 199394 Lobos were picked in preseason polls to finish fifth in the WAC after losing their three leading players to graduation. [36][46] The top six largest crowds ever at The Pit were during this period. The Lobos defeated Drake and NYU before falling to Bradley in the championship game, finishing with a 236 record and ranked 16th in the UPI poll. But eventually that college career came to an end and it . [8] Johnson set about building collegiate-level athletics facilities, performing some of the hard labor with his own hands. They languished to a 1018 finish, the first losing season for the Lobos in twenty years. Mar. [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. 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. 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. [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. His former players included future National Basketball . Lobo began working at ESPN in 2004 after. The Lobos and seven other conference members left the WAC to form the MWC in 1999. 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. McGee played in 137 games and dished out 684 assists. 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. [5], Roy Johnson, nicknamed "Old Iron Head", was fundamental to the early development of Lobo athletics. [89] Knight acknowledged that he had seriously considered the offer but eventually declined, stating that he did not have the energy that would be required. [26] New Mexico State hired Lou Henson as head coach in 1966, and like the Lobos under King, in his second season the Aggies began achieving national rankings and post-season tournament appearances. His cause of death has not been revealed but Scarborough . 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. Only four scholarship players remained on the team, so a campus tryout filled out the roster with walk-ons. They battled to within five points in the second half but could not overcome their poor start. In 1931, Lobo athletic teams began competing in the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association, joining as a founding member along with other regional schools. 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 Lobos compete in the Mountain West Conference (MWC) in NCAA Division I, joining as a founding member in 1999. Fraschilla had lost the team: nine players had left the program or been dismissed during his tenure. They nevertheless reached the NIT, losing to Texas and finishing 1714. The Lobos won the WAC championship, Nelson was named a Helms All-American,[23] and the Lobos earned their first NCAA tournament appearance. [177] In the interim, Snell announced he was declaring for the NBA draft. Following a familiar pattern, the Lobos fell behind early then battled back. The Lobos won the Border Conference in 1944 and 1945, and they appeared in the NAIA post-season tournament in 1947, losing to Hamline University in the first round. The Lobos were ranked #11 and received a three-seed in the NCAA tournament, their best seed ever. 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. With Thomas again slowed by foul trouble, the Lobos were outmatched inside and could not stop All-American Allen Iverson, who scored 20 in the second half. 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. Johnson coached the UNM basketball team for all but two seasons from 1920 to 1940. The team began the season 83 but struggled away from The Pit, losing its first seven road games. 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. 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. In addition, former Lobo men's basketball director of operations and current associate AD at UNM, Ryan Berryman, will serve as the team's assistant general manager. 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. Media Guide 201314, p.71. [148] They lost in the conference tournament but received a bid to the NIT, losing at Cal to finish 249, the most wins for a first-year Lobo coach to date. Gary finished his Lobo career second in games played, second in career free throws made, and is now fifth in career assists. They hosted their first-round game in The Pit but lost to unranked Santa Clara. C-Daniel Santiago. The Lobos beat both in The Pit in the final week, however, then upset BYU on the way to winning their first WAC tournament championship, and securing a trip to the NCAA tournament. [19][30] The team finished the season 179 but failed to receive an NIT berth. By contrast, Marvin "Automatic" Johnson was one of the greatest scorers in Lobo history. They received a seven-seed in the NCAA tournament, facing Stanford. In 1962, the Lobos became a founding member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). [52][53] Further JC transfers Jimmy Allen and Will Smiley completed a strong Lobo front line. Fraschilla inherited three returning starters, but the team was clearly heading into a rebuilding period after losing Thomas. [57] Phil Abney and Russell Saunders were JC additions; Abney initially backed up Howard but later moved into the starting line-up. Complicating matters, Koenig himself was fired three months later and eventually faced indictment on criminal charges for his activities as AD. The arena has frequently hosted NCAA tournament games, including the 1983 NCAA Final Four that featured one of the most memorable finishes in tournament history. [100], The 199192 Lobos featured a balanced offense, with all five starters averaging in double figures, but they lacked a go-to scorer. 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. [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. They beat Texas A&M in the NIT before losing at Fresno State to finish the season 1913. (Journal illustration) Rob Robbins'. Snell paced the offense down the stretch, averaging 18 points a game and leading the Lobos to the MWC tournament championship. [79] The Lobos scored over eighty points a game and set the team record for most total points in a season. [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. Lobo, at 6'4", played the center position for much of her career. They lost in the 2018 Mountain West Championship to San Diego State 82-75. Page was the only consistent offensive threat on the team, averaging 28 points a game, still the Lobo record for best season average. The position passed to a few different coaches before Woody Clements took over 194451 and 195355, compiling a record of 113119 (.487). Uguak is a 6-foot-7 starting senior forward . [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. Shields again led with 19 points. [40] They spent about half of the 196667 season in the top six nationally, reaching #3, their highest ranking ever. The team began the season 112 but lost four straight, struggling on the road. [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. [198][199][200] A study of decibel levels at collegiate basketball arenas found that a game at The Pit registered as the loudest at 118 decibels,[201] comparable to a turbo-fan aircraft at takeoff power. During his nearly 40 years at UNM, Johnson coached every men's sport the school offered, while teaching physical education. In 1976, he recruited future NBA Hall of Famer Larry Bird to ISU, where he led the Sycamores to a 4812 record in his first two seasons. Johnson stepped down as head basketball coach after the 193940 season. [126] Gibson finished as Lobo career leader in minutes played. [115] The Lobos were ranked #23 and received a seven-seed to play Kansas State. Here is my list. [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. [148] After losing at Oral Roberts, they beat #20 Texas Tech and a Dayton squad that would go on to win the NIT. 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. Nov. 2Gethro 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. [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. Greene returned to average 21 points and six rebounds a game, while Scarborough added 19 points and six assists. [184] The team struggled at times as the bench developed, suffering a pair of home upsets to leave them 124. Thomas tallied 1,158 points and 529 rebounds in his career and ranks third in career field goal percentage. 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. 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. [191] He was dismissed from the team. With the help of transfers JaQuan Lyle, J.J. Caldwell, Carlton Bragg Jr., and Vance Jackson, UNM exploded to a 15-3 start. [133][138] The Lobos started the season 122, with an overtime win at Sweet 16-bound Gonzaga, but a blowout loss at #1 Stanford began a 16 slump, including several poor road performances. He also holds the team record for assists in a game (21). Carlton Bragg Jr. was accused of sexual assault and later arrested for a DWI in January 2020. [19] Hardin led the way, averaging 17 points a game, and the team became the highest scoring Lobo squad to date at over 84 points a game. Longley was named All-WAC, averaging 18.4 points and 9.7 rebounds while setting Lobo records for blocks in a season and per game. [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. 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. 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. They lost to St. Louis in the semi-finals, then in overtime to Penn State in the consolation game to finish the season 2014. Phil Abney and Russell Saunders were JC additions; Abney initially backed up Howard but later moved into the starting line-up. [106] White was named All-WAC and Bliss was WAC Coach of the Year; Brown was named All-WAC and WAC Player of the Year. 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. They were upset in the first round by unranked Cal State Fullerton, however, in another disappointing tournament performance. [145] Discipline trouble and player defections continued into the off-season. [146], Bradley transfer Danny Granger became eligible during the 200304 season and led the team with 19.5 points a game. Utah would go on to reach the Final Four and lose to Kentucky in the national championship game. [15], The rise of the program continued in the 196465 season, led by sophomores Mel Daniels and Ben Monroe. For assists in a tight WAC race was declaring for the school,! But for us it was terrific the hard labor with his own hands team for but. The Cougars haven & # x27 ; lack of success in league tourney at the Pit, losing its seven... 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