[90] Knight recommended Bliss, who had been his assistant at Army and Indiana before serving as head coach at Oklahoma and SMU. Because his best play is to dribble down the court and shoot it. Thomas was held to his worst game as a Lobo, scoring just one point. Lobo basketball first achieved national prominence under Bob King, who was previously an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Iowa. [231], New Mexico has a history of disappointing performances in the NCAA tournament, suffering noteworthy upsets in 1968, 1978, 1993, 2010, 2013, and 2014. He had been a collegiate coach for 16 seasons, the previous eight at Iowa, amassing over 300 career wins. [116] Thomas averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds, Long 17 points and 6.5 boards. The 198687 season was the most successful for Colson as Lobo coach. Johnson coached the UNM basketball team for all but two seasons from 1920 to 1940. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Howard led a young team, scoring 19.7 per game, with sophomores Willie Long and Petie Gibson beginning their runs as three-year starters. Under Norm Ellenberger, the Lobos won WAC championships in 1974 and 1978 and compiled an overall record of 13462 (.684). Alford was again named MWC Coach of the Year, and Gary was All-MWC. [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. 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. [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. [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. The scheme also employed a full-court pressing, trapping defense to generate points off of turnovers. The Lobos led the conference in scoring defense and were 15th in the nation, allowing 63.2 points per game. 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. [202] Noise levels up to 125 decibels have been measured, close to the pain threshold for the human ear. 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. Williams was named MWC Player of the Year, and Alford was named Coach of the Year.[23]. 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. Brown again led the Lobos in 198586 with 20.9 points and 7.5 rebounds a game, earning All-WAC recognition. 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. [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. [186] Bairstow was named second-team All-American by Sports Illustrated. [42] Their shooting touch eluded them in the tournament, as several players were suffering from food poisoning before the game. The four seasons with Kenny Thomas in the line-up was the best stretch by the Lobos to date. 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. Western Athletic Conference 1964, 1968, 1974, 1978, 1994. [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. The last Lobo men's basketball game played in the Pit was Feb. 29, 2020. . Colson had also clashed with Koenig in a contract dispute and had gone over his head to resolve the issue. 25The Sweet 16 thus far remains elusive to Lobo basketball. [21] The Lobos started 111, losing at Texas Tech but beating #11 Arizona and rising to #11 themselves. Johnson stepped down as head basketball coach after the 193940 season. Full New Mexico Lobos roster for the 2022-23 season including position, height, weight, birthdate, years of experience, and college. They went to the NIT and beat South Florida before losing at eventual champion Wake Forest, finishing 1814. The team won seven of their last nine, both losses coming to #8 Utah, in Salt Lake and in the WAC tournament final. 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. Media Guide 201314, pp.67,69,71,77,88. [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]. One team in the game will be named Team J.B. White in. It's a stretch with Thomas I know, but he did move Albuquerque in high school and play for AHS his senior year. [103] The Lobos returned to the NIT, where they beat Louisiana Tech and Washington State before losing at Virginia, finishing the season 2013. [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. [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]. His first team went 169, the best Lobo record in 17 years. Facing #22 Villanova, the Lobos shot 18% in the first half, scoring just eleven points and trailing by as much as 24. 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. [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 were ranked #10 and received a three-seed in the NCAA tournament, facing Harvard, but they again turned in a disappointing performance. They beat Texas A&M in the NIT before losing at Fresno State to finish the season 1913. In the 2018-2019 season, Weir was reliant on four transfers from both Division 1 programs or junior college transfers, as well as returning senior Anthony Mathis. [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. [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. Ira Harge. [161] Martinez added 14 points and six rebounds a game, and Gary 13 points and four assists. [72] Top ten-ranked UTEP foiled the Lobos, however, sweeping their regular season match-ups and knocking them out of the WAC tournament. Stats from Negro League teams from 1920 to 1948 are now counted in MLB records. [226] In 1999, Roberts was inducted into the University of New Mexico Athletic Hall of Honor by the Alumni Lettermen's Association and received the Distinguished Service Award. [133] The team finished 1614 after another blowout loss at Minnesota in the NIT. 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. While Ellenberger was visiting this booster, in November 1979, he took a call on the tapped phone from assistant coach Manny Goldstein. The team began the season 112 but lost four straight, struggling on the road. 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. [148] After losing at Oral Roberts, they beat #20 Texas Tech and a Dayton squad that would go on to win the NIT. 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]. Uguak is a 6-foot-7 starting senior forward . [188], On April 1, 2017, Neal was dismissed as head coach after compiling a record of 7652 (.594).[189]. [58] In an investigation into illegal gambling, the FBI had placed a wiretap on the phone of a major Lobo booster. [154] Under McKay, J.R. Giddens had frequently missed games due to disciplinary problems. 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. The Lobos returned to the NIT, losing to eventual champion Virginia Tech and finishing 216. 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. The team entered the year #18 and would remain ranked throughout the next three seasons. 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. [231], The Lobos have compiled a 1611 record in MWC tournaments, reaching the final six times and winning the championship four times. [36][39][56] The team played at a frenetic pace and led the nation in scoring at 97.5 points per game. Colson's supporters pointed to the strong recruiting class he had coming in, arguing that his best teams were ahead of him, as well as to the integrity and academic success forged by Colson. [116] They later lost at #5 Arizona but beat undefeated, #3 Utah as Olney hit two three-pointers in the final moments, including the game winner at the buzzer. The teams met again in the conference tournament final, and the Lobos prevailed for their third straight MWC tournament championship. 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. [147] The young squad showed promising signs early but struggled in conference to finish 1414. [155][156] Six other players averaged between seven and ten points as balanced scoring became a hallmark of Lobo squads under Alford. [57] Phil Abney and Russell Saunders were JC additions; Abney initially backed up Howard but later moved into the starting line-up. Road struggles slowed them, however, and despite another strong finish they ended up a game out of the lead. They then won 11 of 12, taking the WAC lead into the last month of the season. 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. 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. [75][76] The team slipped to 65 before winning eight out of nine, gaining a share of the WAC lead. [125] Thomas was named second-team All-American, and he and Shields were both All-WAC. 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. [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. PF-Kenny Thomas. [46] The Lobos have made 14 NCAA tournament appearances and 17 NIT appearances since the opening of the arena. [205][206] Sports Illustrated listed The Pit among its Top 20 Sporting Venues of the 20th Century. Page was the only consistent offensive threat on the team, averaging 28 points a game, still the Lobo record for best season average. In his first season, Weir posted a 19-15 record and finished in 3rd place in the Mountain West. 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 . 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. The Lobos in 198485 were led by JC transfer forward Johnny Brown (18.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game) and senior center George Scott (14 points and 6.6 rebounds),[73] along with a nucleus of sophomores, including guards Hunter Greene and Kelvin Scarborough, who both scored in double figures. [179][180] Neal played for Bobby Cremins at Georgia Tech, earning All-ACC honors as he set the conference record for assists in a season. [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. [134][135], Before the 19992000 season, the Lobos and seven other teams left the WAC to form the Mountain West Conference (MWC). Williams hit a school-record 10 threes and scored 46 points at Colorado State, both MWC records. [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. The Official Athletic Site of the New Mexico Lobos, partner of WMT Digital. The success of the Lobos under Bob King led to rapidly growing fan interest. The 2020-2021 season was completely played out of New Mexico. The UNM gymnasium at the time was a small wooden building where the walls were out-of-bounds markers for basketball games. [221] The noise level of the boisterous fans, the intimacy created by seating extending to the edge of the court, and the elevation contribute to what Coach Dave Bliss termed "a Pit game. The Lobos finished the season 285, their highest season win total and winning percentage to date. He remains the Lobo career leader in blocks and blocks per game; second in career field goals made; and the only Lobo to record a triple-double, doing so twice. 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. Early New Mexico basketball teams played in what became known as the Old Wooden Gym, where the walls were the out-of-bounds markers. [23] Hobson was named as MWC Player of the Year and a third-team All-American. The Lobos remained in the WAC race late in the season, but road struggles relegated them to third place and a 1911 final record. Media Guide 201314, p.91. They finished third in the WAC but received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, their first berth since 1978. [23] Shields finished his career as the third (now fourth) leading scorer in Lobo history and as career leader in three-pointers. [115] The Lobos were ranked #23 and received a seven-seed to play Kansas State. With the help of transfers JaQuan Lyle, J.J. Caldwell, Carlton Bragg Jr., and Vance Jackson, UNM exploded to a 15-3 start. [108] The Lobos started 112, with both losses to New Mexico State in close, exciting games. [30], The 197677 team featured JC arrivals Michael Cooper, Marvin Johnson, and Willie Howard, the nucleus for a successful and exciting two-year run. Former New Mexico Players Who Played In The NBA * Including anyone currently in the NBA; NBA career stats since the 1946-1947 season. While the criminal charges were cleared from Ellenberger's record, he would never be a college head coach again. [106] Shields led the way with 25 points and 10 rebounds, with Smith adding 15, overcoming a foul-plagued game for Thomas. Former University of Kansas and New Mexico Lobos basketball player Gethro Muscadin has died from injuries sustained in a one-car crash during the early-morning hours of Dec. 30, 2021.. 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