[155][178] Snell was selected by Chicago with the 20th pick in the first round of the NBA draft. They finished 305, the most wins in a Lobo season, while going 102 in road games and 60 against ranked teams, also team highs. [107] Brown averaged 19.3 points a game, scoring over 30 four times, often in pivotal games, with a season-best 42; junior Marlow White averaged 17, senior Notch Neves 13, and promising freshman Charles Smith added over ten a game. [154] They struggled to win against first round opponent Montana, and Hobson injured his wrist and back. Media Guide 201314, p.99. 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. Williams hit a school-record 10 threes and scored 46 points at Colorado State, both MWC records. [23] Shields finished his career as the third (now fourth) leading scorer in Lobo history and as career leader in three-pointers. 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. [224] He was an integral part of the Lobo fan experience, especially before most games were televised. The teams were frequently ranked in national polls, giving their games a showdown quality extending beyond local bragging rights to the national stage. 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]. While the criminal charges were cleared from Ellenberger's record, he would never be a college head coach again. [6] A decorated veteran who served in World Wars I and II, he was the UNM athletic director from 1920 to 1949. Flipboard. [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. The Lobos appeared in the NAIA Basketball tournament one time with a record of 01. Ritchie McKay was head coach at New Mexico for five seasons with a record of 8269 (.543) and one NCAA tournament appearance. Scott is the Lobo career leader in FG percentage, at .622 (198285). [187] Williams finished his career as the fifth leading scorer in Lobo history, third in assists, and the MWC career assists leader. They lost in the 2018 Mountain West Championship to San Diego State 82-75. When Ellenberger was fired in December 1979, lead assistant Charlie Harrison was elevated to head coach for the remainder of the season. Players of men's basketball at the University of New Mexico. Senior Willie Banks, an Albuquerque High product, led the team along with junior guards Ike Williams and Steve Logan and center Khari Jaxon. [91][92] All had been Colson recruits, and Bliss reportedly flew to Australia to secure Longley's return to New Mexico. One stand-out was Kenny Page, a transfer from Ohio State. [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. 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. The Lobos have made 15 appearances in the NCAA tournament, compiling an overall record of 816.[232]. The Lobos had four starters returning in 1985-86 until Greene was injured in the preseason. The plucky squad lacked depth, but its veterans found ways to win, building a 164 record. 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. [163] The Lobos finished the season 296, their second-best record ever. Gary finished his Lobo career second in games played, second in career free throws made, and is now fifth in career assists. Leading players like Belin lost eligibility and were dropped from the team. [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. [194] Lyle had not traveled to Nevada because of a knee injury. [48] "Coop" later became a mainstay of the "Showtime" Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s, winning five NBA championships over a 12-year career. The team began 92 with an upset over #8 Wichita State but wilted in league play, going 412 and finishing 1517. Alford applied a strict regimen and Giddens responded with a standout senior season, leading the team with 16 points and nine rebounds a game. They lost in the conference tournament but received a three-seed in the NCAA tournament. [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. Colson inherited a program under NCAA sanctions, with only three players remaining on scholarship. 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. [97] In the NIT, the Lobos knocked off Oregon, Oklahoma State, and Hawaii to make the Final Four in New York. In 1992, UNM announced that the basketball court at University Arena would be named in honor of King. [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. There were a multitude of reasons for this. [132] In 2003, he was forced to resign from Baylor embroiled in an ugly scandal that would end his college coaching career. They finished the season with an 6-16 record. 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. [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]. [103] The Lobos returned to the NIT, where they beat Louisiana Tech and Washington State before losing at Virginia, finishing the season 2013. [119] Against five-seed Syracuse, however, the depleted Lobos shot under 26% and lost to finish the season 248. [58] In an investigation into illegal gambling, the FBI had placed a wiretap on the phone of a major Lobo booster. "[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. They again finished strong, winning nine of their last eleven, including four of five on the road. The Lobos compiled a 2214 record in WAC conference tournaments, reaching the final six times and winning the championship twice. Lobo began working at ESPN in 2004 after. Western Athletic Conference 1964, 1968, 1974, 1978, 1994. [10], University Arena opened as the home venue of the Lobos on December1, 1966. [133] He had left St. John's under murky circumstances, however, and worked as a broadcaster and scout during the preceding 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 Lobos were 102 in games decided by six or fewer points. by Frank Mercogliano. [8] Johnson set about building collegiate-level athletics facilities, performing some of the hard labor with his own hands. 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. 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. [168] They beat #3 BYU in Provo to sweep the regular season series but lost to the Cougars in the conference tournament. They began the season 71, losing only at #14 Arizona while sweeping ranked New Mexico State. [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. Because the playing surface is 37 feet below grade, students nicknamed the arena "The Pit," and the nickname stuck. The Lobos slumped to a 4236 record over the next three seasons. The Lobos returned to the NIT, losing to eventual champion Virginia Tech and finishing 216. He also holds the team record for assists in a game (21). Greene returned to average 21 points and six rebounds a game, while Scarborough added 19 points and six assists. [177] In the interim, Snell announced he was declaring for the NBA draft. [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. Page also holds the Lobo record for career points per game (26.2), the top career scoring average in WAC history. 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. The design of the arena makes it one of the loudest venues in college basketball, creating a hostile playing environment for visitors. They were again relegated to the NIT, losing to Oregon State and finishing 2510, the team record for wins in a season at the time. [155][160] Versatile JC transfer Darington Hobson joined lone senior Roman Martinez, junior Dairese Gary, and eight sophomores and freshmen. McAfee signed with Weatherford College in Texas before transferring for one year with the University of Louisiana Rajun Cajuns in the 2020-2021 season. 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. [145] Discipline trouble and player defections continued into the off-season. Smith was named All-WAC, and Colson was named WAC Coach of the Year. [23] He averaged 16 points and five rebounds a game as a Lobo, also leading the team in assists and steals. They finished third in the WAC but received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, their first berth since 1978. Ellenberger began relying heavily on recruiting Junior College (JC) transfers, a tactic that would lead to his best season as Lobo coach but later to his downfall. [169] The Lobos went to the NIT and beat UTEP before losing at Alabama, finishing 2213. Lobo basketball fans will remember Kendall Williams from any number of Lobo highlights throughout his college career. C-Daniel Santiago. The strong finish earned the Lobos an NIT bid, where they lost to Texas A&M, finishing the season 1910. [23], The 197879 Lobo squad returned starters Abney and Saunders while adding another strong JC class including Larry Belin. Williams also finished first in Lobo history in career free throws made and attempted, and second in career minutes played. [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. [79] The Lobos scored over eighty points a game and set the team record for most total points in a season. 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. Added 19 points and six assists Lobo booster to St. Louis in the round! 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