Dec. 24, 2004
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New Mexico’s six-game homestand comes to a close next week when it hosts the 40th COMCAST Lobo Invitational. On Tuesday, Dec. 28, the Lobos entertain Mississippi Valley State at 6:05 p.m., Mountain Time from The Pit/Bob King Court. Troy and Pepperdine square off in the late game at approximately 8:15 p.m.. The third-place and championship games start at the same times on Wednesday.
The Lobos saw three winning streaks come to an end in the 81-64 setback to No. 5 Wake Forest Wednesday: six straight wins overall, nine straight at home and 14 consecutive non-conference victories at The Pit.
New Mexico is now 10-2 on the season, just four wins from equaling last year’s season total. It’s the Lobos’ best start since being 12-2 in 2000-01.
The Delta Devils from Mississippi Valley State enter the tournament at 2-5 following a 76-73 defeat at Texas-Pan American. MVSU has played just one home game to date, beating Middle Tennessee State 71-58 on Nov. 27.
Pepperdine is 8-4 after a 61-58 loss to Cal in the championship game of the Golden Bear Classic in Berkeley. The Waves won the Lobo Invitational two years ago by beating Arkansas-Little Rock 116-110 in double overtime and UNM 88-68 in the championship game. Guard Alex Acker – then a freshman – was named MVP while teammates Terrance Johnson and Jimmy Miggins earned spots on the all-tournament team.
Troy, which lost all five starters from last year’s team that finished 24-7 and won the Atlantic Sun regular-season title, is 1-8. The Trojans’ last game was Dec. 21, a 61-48 loss at Alabama State. Their lone win was 111-64 over Piedmont on Nov. 27.
TICKET OFFICE HOURS; PROMOTIONS – The ticket office is closed Dec. 23-27. It opens at 3 p.m. on Dec. 28-29 for Lobo Invitational. It closes again from Dec. 30-Jan. 3. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 4.
UNM season-ticket holders can purchase a maximum of four tickets to each night of the COMCAST Lobo Invitational for half-price.
A Mountain West Conference Mini-Pack is currently available only at the ticket office at The Pit. Prices range from $84-112 depending on seat location and includes all seven Mountain West Conference games plus a free ticket to all four games of the COMCAST Lobo Invitational. UNM students can purchase the package for just $35 with one guest ticket available for $70.
The Pack The Pit game is Jan. 8 against Wyoming with all tickets going for just $10. Call (505) 925-5626 for more information.
HEAD COACH Ritchie McKay – Ritchie McKay is in his third season in charge of Lobo hoops and his ninth year as a collegiate head coach. He was named UNM’s 18th head coach on March 28, 2002.
McKay had previous two-year stops at Portland State (1996-98), Colorado State (1998-2000) and Oregon State (2000-02). He has a career record of 117-123, 34-34 at New Mexico. While at UNM, McKay is 33-12 at home, 25-14 in non-conference games and 24-7 in non-league games at The Pit.
McKay has never faced Mississippi Valley State or Troy in his career. He is 0-2 against Pepperdine, losing to them two years ago in the title game of the Lobo Invite and during the 1999-2000 season while at Colorado State.
While at Mountain West Conference member Colorado State, McKay led the Rams to the NIT in 1999. McKay is the son of the late Joe McKay, who was a three-year letterman at guard for the Lobos from 1961-63.
PAYING RESPECTS – Former UNM head basketball coach Bob King passed away at an Albuquerque hospital Dec. 10 at the age of 81.
Known as the “Architect of Lobo Basketball,” King came to UNM in 1962 and immediately put a buzz into the community. His teams’ successes led to sellout crowds at Johnson Gym, which, in turn, forced The Pit to be built in 1966. King posted a 175-89 record and never had a losing record in any of his 10 seasons. He led UNM to postseason play for the first time in school history with three NIT appearances and the school’s initial NCAA Tournament showing in 1968. The playing floor at The Pit was officially named Bob King Court in 1992.
New Mexico had a 418-495 record with no postseason appearances before King arrived. Since that time, UNM has averaged nearly 19 wins per year. The Lobos have made 26 trips to the postseason during that span, including 10 appearances in the NCAA Tournament and 16 showings in the NIT. King, an Air Force veteran, will be buried at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to:
Lobo Legacy – Bob King Family Endowment
UNM Foundation
MSC 07-4260
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
LOBO INVITATIONAL HISTORY – The Lobo Invitational is the nation’s fifth-oldest in-season tournament. A total of 94 schools have participated in the first 39 tourneys, which began in 1965, a year before UNM started playing in The Pit. Mississippi Valley State and Troy are making their first appearances, increasing the all-time field to 96 teams.
Dartmouth has made four appearances, the most of any visiting participant. This is Pepperdine’s third appearance (1995 and 2002). Texas A&M, Idaho State and Miami, Ohio, have also played in the tournament three times.
Michigan State has enjoyed coming to the Lobo Invitational. The Spartans won the title in 1970 and 1985. Big Ten teams have won three titles. Other non-UNM champions include St. John’s (1971), California (1975), Syracuse (1977), Idaho State (1978), Utah State (1979), Wisconsin (1984), Drake (1986), UNC Charlotte (1994) and Pepperdine (2002).
THIS YEAR’S FIELD – Mississippi Valley State is coming off a 22-7 finish and a regular season championship in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Delta Devils’ finished 16-2 in league play, but lost to Alcorn State 67-66 in the SWAC Tournament. Head coach Lafayette Stribling is in his 24th season at the school. Senior forward Solomon Forbes is averaging 16.5 ppg through games of Dec. 22.
Pepperdine returns 12 lettermen, including all five starters, from last year’s team that finished 15-16 overall, but tied for second in the West Coast Conference with a 9-5 mark. The Waves, who own a win over then No. 17 Wisconsin and UNLV earlier this season, have lost at East Carolina, UCLA, Bradley and California.
Head coach Paul Westphal’s team brings a lot of size and experience to the Lobo Invite with four three-year lettermen on the roster. Senior forward Glen McGowan (6-9, 230) is averaging 20.1 ppg and 7.3 rpg. Junior guard Alex Acker (6-5, 190), the MVP of the 2002 Lobo Invitational, boasts averages of 15.4 ppg, a team-high 7.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Senior forward Yakhouba Diawara (6-7, 225) is averaging 13.5 points and 5.5 rebounds.
Troy finished 23-7 last season and won the Atlantic Sun regular season championship with a sterling 18-2 record. The Trojans were upset in their conference tournament, losing to Central Florida 60-55 in the title game. Located in Troy, Ala., the team advanced to the first round of the 2004 postseason NIT where they lost to Niagra, 87-83.
UNM IN ITS OWN TOURNAMENT – New Mexico has a 66-12 record with 27 championships in 39 years of the Lobo Invitational. New Mexico has won seven of the past nine championships. The most consecutive crowns for UNM is seven between 1987-93. New Mexico’s longest drought is three years from 1984-86. The Lobos have failed to reach the title game just twice, 1970 and `75.
Danny Granger was named MVP of last year’s Invitational. The Lobo forward had 42 points and 11 rebounds in wins over Northwestern State and Penn State. He had 26 points and a career-high 8 steals in the title game.
UNM VS. THE LOBO INVITATIONAL FIELD – New Mexico is facing Mississippi Valley for the first time. UNM is 16-1 all-time against SWAC competition, losing to Texas Southern in the championship game of the 1994 Lobo Classic. New Mexico has never played Troy.
UNM has a 4-2 lead over Pepperdine and the two schools could meet for the third time since the 2000-01 season. The Waves won the last game, 88-68 in the championship of the 2002 Comcast Lobo Invitational. The last Lobo win was 81-78 in the 2001 postseason NIT in The Pit. New Mexico also owns NIT victories in 1988 (86-75) and 1989 (86-69). Pepperdine won the initial meeting in Malibu in 1948. The Lobos prevailed in The Pit 93-58 during the 1967-68 season.
QUICK HITS – The six-game winning streak from Nov. 27-Dec. 18 is the longest for a Ritchie McKay-coached team and the best by New Mexico since it captured eight straight during the 2001-02 season.
The Lobos have shot 50% or better in seven of their 12 games this season, including a season-best 64.3% vs. New Mexico State Dec. 1, however, they have been under 50% each of the past 3 games, going 71 of 165 for 43%
New Mexico led at halftime in their first 11 games this season, averaging an 11.8-point advantage at the break…UNM trailed Wake Forest 36-33
Through games of Dec. 22, New Mexico leads the Mountain West Conference in scoring (82.2 ppg) and scoring margin (+16.8)
Junior guard Jeff Hart turns 22 on Monday
Head coach Ritchie McKay has used the same starting lineup in every game this season…that’s quite a change from McKay’s first two Lobo teams as he used nine different quintets last season and a whopping 16 sets in 2002-03
UNM nailed a school-record 20 treys against Santa Clara, including 13 of 20 in the first half…to put that number in perspective, UNM made more than 13 in an entire game just three times last year..the previous standard for 3-point proficiency was 18 on two occasions: vs. Holy Cross on Dec. 29, 1997, and vs. UTEP on Feb. 19, 1998. Both games were played in The Pit
New Mexico has limited opponents to 60 points or less in six games this season…they did so only nine times all of last year and on only six occasions in 2002-03
UNM has made a 3-point basket in 465 straight games, the 12th-longest active streak in NCAA Div. I hoops…UNLV is 1st at 577
A Lobo has led the MWC in scoring four of the first five years the league has been in existence…Lamont Long won the crown in 1999-2000 at 18.7 ppg…after a one-year absence, Ruben Douglas captured consecutive titles in 2001-02 (18.1 ppg) and 2002-03 (28.0)…Danny Granger took the 2003-04 crown at 19.5 ppg
New Mexico’s 27-game road losing streak – 29 in a row including neutral sites – ended with an 84-66 victory at New Mexico State on Dec. 4
Danny Granger: THE COMPLETE PLAYER – Through games of Wednesday, Dec. 22, UNM senior forward and All-American candidate Danny Granger leads the Mountain West Conference in scoring (19.3) and steals at 2.58 a game. He is 2nd in rebounding (9.4), 3rd in blocks (2.08), 5th in 3-point FG percentage (45.9%) and 9th in field-goal percentage (53.8%).
After averaging 19.5 points and 9.0 rebounds a year ago, Granger is attempting to become just the third Lobo to average more than 19 points and 9 rebounds twice in a career, joining Mel Daniels (1966-67) and Willie Long (1970-71).
WAKE FOREST RECAP – Chris Paul scored 15 of his 23 points in the second half and No. 5 Wake Forest’s backcourt proved too tough for New Mexico in an 81-64 victory. The Demon Deacons used their depth, rebounding prowess and backcourt trio of Paul, Justin Gray and Taron Downey to break the game open in the second half.
Danny Granger had 24 points and nine rebounds for the Lobos, who were no match for Wake Forest’s three guards and ball-hawking defense. New Mexico shot a season-low 32.8 percent.
Gray scored 17 points, 11 over a 4-minute stretch in the second half when New Mexico still had a shot at pulling off an upset. So efficient were the Demon Deacon guards that they didn’t need much help inside. Center Eric Williams scored just six points and didn’t return after going to the bench with his fourth foul with 17:11 left in the second half.
New Mexico stayed close in the first half on Granger’s 12 points and nine from reserve Alfred Neale. Neale’s 3-pointer with 13:47 left ended a 4-minute scoring drought for New Mexico and started an 11-4 run by the Lobos. New Mexico took its last lead at 22-21 with 6:51 left in the first half on a layup by Neale. Wake Forest then went ahead to stay on a 3-pointer by Paul and a jumper by Downey.
The game at times was very physical. There was several scuffles, but the Demon Deacons repeatedly fought off New Mexico rallies before the sellout crowd of 18,011.
A three-point play by Granger got New Mexico within 48-45 with 13:12 left. It was at that point that Gray took over. After teammate Chris Ellis dunked, Gray hit a 3-pointer.
Baskets by Neale and Kris Collins cut Wake Forest’s lead to 53-49, but Gray again answered with a 3-pointer and short jumper. Moments later, his fourth and last 3-pointer of the game put Wake Forest up 61-51.
WAKE FOREST POSTGAME NOTES – UNM trailed at the half for the first time this season at 36-33…the Lobos’ average halftime lead coming into the game was 11.8 points
New Mexico was outrebounded for only the second time this season as Wake won the battle of the boards 47-34…that’s the largest carom defict for UNM since a 39-26 margin in last year’s 73-43 loss at Utah…the only other time UNM has been outrebounded was by New Mexico State (32-24) on Dec. 1, a game the Lobos won 99-80
The Lobos entered the game shooting 5 2.7% from the floor, but shot a season-low 32.8 percent (20-61) from the field, the lowest since 32.7 (16-49) last year at Utah…the previous season low was 39.7 percent (25-63) in a 79-75 loss at Oregon…the Lobos started 2-8 from the floor in the 1st half and 2-9 to start the 2nd half
Likewise, the 3-point shooting of 18.5 percent (5-27) was the poorest since Feb. 22, 2003, when UNM was 2-20 (10%) at UNLV…New Mexico missed 15 straight 3s at one point against the Demon Deacons, the last 4 of the 1st half and the first 11 of the 2nd half
Danny Granger led New Mexico with a season-high tying 24 points to go along with 9 rebounds and 4 blocks…Granger hit a season-high 13 free throws going 13-15 from the line
The SRO crowd of 18,018 was UNM’s first sellout since last year’s game against Air Force
IT’S EARLY BUT… – The Lobos are shooting 50.8% from the field…New Mexico has shot better than 50% for an entire season only five times since 1950-51 when stats became official…only three teams – Oklahoma State, Gonzaga and Utah State – finished the 2003-04 season converting at least 50% of their attempts from the floor
UNM is averaging 82.2 points per game compared to just 69.6 ppg last year…the last team to average at least 80 for the season was the 1986-87 squad at 80.8 ppg
New Mexico is winning by an average margin of 16.8 ppg…the school record is 14.6 set by the 1977-78 Lobos
Opponents are shooting just 41.2% on the season…UNM has allowed 43% accuracy or higher each of the past four seasons
New Mexico’s rebound margin of +6.5 would be the 6th-best in the school record book…currently, the top-five margins were all set between 1962-67
DOMINATING AT HOME – Before the loss to Wake Forest, the Lobos had won their first nine home games for the first time since the 1998-99 season when they took 16 in a row. They have captured 22 of their past 25 in The Pit.
SHOOT BETTER AND WIN – The Lobos have won 26 straight games when shooting better than their opponent, including a perfect 12-0 in 2003-04. The last loss was at Tennessee on Jan. 4, 2003. UNM shot 45% (18-40) to the Vols’ 43% (22-51). The Lobos are 60-4 in such situations since 2000-01, 157-13 since the 1995-96 season.