Dec. 31, 2004
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New Mexico hits the road Monday for the first time in six games, traveling to Texas-Arlington of the Southland Conference. The Mavs are 5-4 on the season following an 81-51, loss at South Florida on Wednesday, December 29. Tip-off is set for 6:05 p.m. (M.S.T.) at Texas Hall in Arlington, Texas. The Lobos wrap-up the non-conference portion of the 2004-05 schedule in Arlington. UNM opens Mountain West Conference action on Saturday, January 8, at The Pit against Wyoming at 7:00 p.m. (M.S.T.).
There will not be a live local television broadcast, but Comcast Sports is producing the game to be shown on a tape delay. Time and channel for the tape delay broadcast is still to be announced.
UNM finished its six-game homestand with a 5-1 record after winning last week’s Comcast Lobo Invitational. Led by tournament MVP Troy DeVries’ 49 points and 13 3-pointers, UNM defeated Mississippi Valley State and Troy on the way their 28th Lobo Invitational championship.
New Mexico is now 12-2 on the season, just two wins away from equaling last year’s season total. It’s the Lobos’ best start since being 12-2 in 2000-01. The last time UNM began 13-2 was the 1998-99 season when the Lobos raced out to a 16-2 record.
The Lobos are 1-1 on the road this season, including a 79-75, loss at Oregon on November 22. UNM defeated New Mexico State, 84-66, in Las Cruces on December 4, snapping a 29-game losing streak away from The Pit.
UTA has played some familiar faces to Lobo fans so far this season. They fell to future MWC member TCU, 90-61, in the season opener on November 19. They defeated New Mexico State, 88-67, in Las Cruces, N.M., on November 24, and also lost a close game to Wyoming, 86-79, on November 27.
The Mavericks are led by junior Steven Thomas’ 19.2 ppg. The 6-5 forward is shooting 65.5% from the field, which ranks 10th in the nation. He is also averaging 9.0 rpg and is shooting 79.7% from the FT line. Junior guard Jarrett Howell (15.1) and freshman forward Jermaine Griffin (11.6) are the only other players averaging in double-figures for UTA.
As a team, the Mavs are shooting 49.7% from the field and 39.2% from 3-pt. range, while putting up 79.9 ppg. Texas-Arlington is coming off a solid season in 2003-04, finishing with a 17-12 record. They tied for first place in the regular season Southland race, posting an 11-5 mark in conference play.
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. You can purchase tickets for this game online by clicking here.
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 119-123, 36-34 at New Mexico. While at UNM, McKay is 35-12 at home, 27-14 in non-conference games and 24-7 in non-league games at The Pit.
McKay has never faced Texas-Arlington in his career.
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.
UNM IN THE NCAA STATS
As of December 31, the Lobos are ranked in the top-25 in four statistical categories. They are currently 7th in field goal percentage (52.0), 14th in scoring (83.9), 16th in 3-pointers per game (8.9) and 21st in scoring margin (+18.3).
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
NEW MEXICO VS. TEXAS-ARLINGTON AND THE SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE
The Lobos have faced UTA twice in program history with UNM taking both games. UNM won 136-99 at The Pit on November 23, 1990. New Mexico set a school record for points in a game in that contest. Their 76 points in the second half is also the most points in a half by the Lobos. Vladimir McCrary led UNM with 35 points and 13 rebounds, while both Ike Williams and Jimmy Taylor had 10 assists each. UNM hit 59 of 98 shots from the field (60.2%), while only going two of eight from 3-pt. range. The 59 field goals is still a school record.
The last time these two teams faced off, UNM won, 76-56, at The Pit on November 24, 1995. Current Maverick head coach Eddie McCarter was UTA’s head coach for that game.
UNM is 12-1 against the Southland Conference all-time, with their only loss coming against Lamar, 64-61, on March 14, 1984.
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 nine of their 14 games this season, including a season-best 64.3% vs. New Mexico State Dec. 1.
New Mexico has led at halftime in their first 13 of 14 games this season, averaging an 11.8-point advantage at the break…UNM trailed Wake Forest 36-33
Through games of Dec. 29, New Mexico leads the Mountain West Conference in scoring (83.9 ppg) and scoring margin (+18.4)
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 467 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. 27, UNM senior forward and All-American candidate Danny Granger leads the Mountain West Conference in steals at 2.64 a game. He is 2nd scoring (19.1) and rebounding (9.4), 3rd in blocks (2.07), 4th in 3-point FG percentage (48.8%) and 9th in field-goal percentage (55.3%).
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).
TROY RECAP
A career-best game from Troy DeVries helped New Mexico beat Troy State 88-66 Wednesday night in the championship game of the Lobo Invitational. DeVries hit seven 3-pointers and finished with 27 points. He tied his career highs in both categories in the first half, going into the break with 22 points and six 3-pointers.
DeVries was 9 of 12 from the field and 7-for-10 from 3-point range. The senior guard was named the tournament’s most valuable player. He had 48 points and 13 3-pointers in two games.
New Mexico’s Danny Granger finished with 16 points and nine rebounds for the Lobos (12-2) on Wednesday night. Alfred Neale added 12.
Corey Hornsby led the Trojans (2-9) with 19 points. He fouled out with 9:18 remaining. Ryan Heck scored 12 and Bobby Dixon added 13.
The Lobos broke open the game with an 11-0 run late in the first half. They turned up the defensive pressure, scored two easy baskets and drew a foul after stealing the ball in the Trojans backcourt.
New Mexico held a 44-27 lead at halftime.
UNM has appeared in 38 of the 40 titles games in Lobo Invitational history. This is the 28th time UNM has won its holiday tournament.
TROY POSTGAME NOTES
New Mexico improved to 12-2 with a 88-66 win over Troy…the Lobos are now 11-1 on the season at The Pit and have won 24 of their last 27 at home…Troy falls to 2-9 on the season…UNM is now 68-12 in the Lobo Invitational and has won 28 championships in the 40 year tournament history…head coach Ritchie McKay improved his record to 36-34 at UNM.
UNM shot 64 percent in the first half on 16-of-25 shooting and was 8-of-13 from behind the arc for 61.5 percent for a 44-27 lead…the Lobos led for the 13th time at the half and have led by an average of 12.6 ppg in those games. The Lobos never trailed in the game game and their largest lead was 26 points, 63-37, in the second half.
Troy DeVries finished with a career-high tying 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting, including a career-high 7 3-pointers…the 27 points is a Lobo season high…DeVries tied a UNM career-high with 22 points and tied a career-high with 6 3-pointers in the first half…DeVries also had a season-high 4 rebounds and 6 assists…last night DeVries finished with 17 first half points and 22 in the game.
Danny Granger just missed a double-double with 16 points and 9 rebounds…Granger also had 4 assists, 4 blocks and 5 steals…Alfred Neale was the only other Lobo in double figures with 12 points.
New Mexico outrebounded the Trojans 36-23…the Lobos have outrebounded their opponent 12 times this season and are 11-1 in those games…the Lobos also dominated the points in the paint outscoring Troy 38-16.
Comcast Lobo Invitational all-tournament team was Glen McGowan of Pepperdine, Jeffrey Price of Mississippi Valley State, Corey Hornsby of Troy, Bobby Dixon of Troy, Danny Granger of New Mexico and the MVP was Troy DeVries of New Mexico.
Kris Collins had a season-high six assists as the Lobos had 20 assists on 33 field goals.
IT’S EARLY BUT…
The Lobos are shooting 52.0% 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 83.9 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 18.3 ppg…the school record is 14.6 set by the 1977-78 Lobos
Opponents are shooting just 41.0% on the season…UNM has allowed 43% accuracy or higher each of the past four seasons
New Mexico’s rebound margin of +7.6 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 24 of their past 27 in The Pit.
SHOOT BETTER AND WIN
The Lobos have won 28 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 62-4 in such situations since 2000-01, 159-13 since the 1995-96 season.
HEALTH LEADS TO SUCCESS
An issue somewhat overlooked is that the 2004-05 Lobos are healthy. A year ago, Mark Walters was recuperating from a torn ACL that never fully healed until this past summer; certainly his play so far illuminates that fact. Danny Granger was bothered by a nagging shoulder injury that required surgery during the offseason. And, Alfred Neale played through painful hernia and groin injuries last season that also prompted two surgeries after the season.
SEASON NO. 102
The 2004-05 season is the 102nd in school history. The Lobos first laced up the hightops on Feb. 2, 1900, when they lost 8-6 to the Albuquerque Guards. While this season is actually the 105th anniversary of that inaugural year, UNM did not field a team for various reasons in 1900-01, 1903-04, 1917-18 and 1920-21.
The Lobos have been on the hardwoods continuously since the 1921-22 season and have compiled an all-time record of 1,218-962 (.558). New Mexico was 418-495 (.458) from 1900-62, but has gone 800-467 (.630) over the past 42-plus seasons, an average of 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.
LOBOS PREDICTED FOR 4TH-PLACE FINISH IN MOUNTAIN WEST
New Mexico was picked to finish fourth in the 2004-05 Mountain West Conference race during the league’s preseason media gathering Oct. 24, in Denver. Voters were a combination of head coaches and media. It’s the highest predicted finish for the Lobos since they were selected to place second behind Utah in the inaugural MWC season of 1999-2000. UNM was picked to finish seventh each of the past two seasons.
GRANGER NAMED MWC’S TOP RETURNING PLAYER
The MWC head coaches and the media that cover the loop picked UNM senior forward Danny Granger as the league’s top returning player. The 6-8 All-America candidate led the conference in scoring last year, averaging 19.5 ppg. He also led UNM in rebounding (9.0 rpg), steals (29) and blocked shots (31).
PERSONNEL PICTURE
The Lobos return eight lettermen, including four starters, from last year’s team that finished 14-14. Sean Phaler, a redshirt last season, gives the Lobos nine players total returning. The biggest loss from a year ago is Javin Tindall. Tindall was second on the team in scoring (12.6 ppg) and 3-pt. FG% (41.9%). He led the team in assists (98) and FT% (83.1%) and tied a school record with nine 3-pt. FGs at UNLV.
It’s still a young team as the only players with more than one year of experience at UNM are juniors David Chiotti, Jeff Hart and Mark Walters.
Additional lettermen not returning are 6-2 guard Ryan Ashcraft, 6-2 guard Lenny Miles, 6-2 guard Collins Ferris, 6-6 forward Mikal Monette and 6-8 forward Justin Benson. Ashcraft was a senior who graduated from UNM in May, while Miles, Ferris, Monette and Benson all transferred.
McKay and his staff welcome six new faces to the team in 2004-05, one junior college transfer (Kris Collins) and five freshmen (Tony Danridge, Blake Harden, Bambale Osby, Darren Prentice and Chad Toppert).
TRYING TO REVERSE SOME TRENDS
UNM has had four straight sub-.500 seasons in Mountain West Conference play, finishing 6-8 in both 2000-01 and 2001-02, 4-10 in 2002-03 and 5-9 last season. New Mexico had previously not had a losing record in league games since 1983. The Lobos have not had four straight losing seasons in conference play since 1980-83.
THE PIT
The 2004-05 season marks the 39th year of basketball in The Pit/Bob King Court, which was completed in December of 1966. UNM has an all-time mark of 547-132 (80%) in the building that resides 37 feet below street level. The Lobos have had a winning record in The Pit in 37 of their 38 years as tenants and tore off a school-record 41-game home winning streak from 1996-98. Since the beginning of the 1995-96 season, the Lobos are 148-30 (83%) at home.
POSTSEASON PERENNIALS
Although there has been void of postseason play in consecutive seasons for the first time in more than 20 years, UNM has appeared in the NCAA Tournament or NIT seven of the past nine years and 18 times in the last 21 seasons, dating to 1983-84. The Lobos participated in the NIT from 2000-02, advancing to the second round in 2000 and the quarterfinals in 2001. The Lobos have also made seven NCAA Tournament appearances since 1991, including a school-record four straight from 1996-99, moving to the second round each time.
NCAA TOURNAMENT RETURNS
UNM will again play host to men’s NCAA Tournament games when the 2005 Albquerque Regional comes to The Pit. New Mexico hosts two regional semifinal games on Thursday, March 24, and the final on Saturday, March 26. The winner advances to the Final Four in St. Louis. It’s the ninth time Albuquerque has hosted NCAA men’s action since 1968.
New Mexico is in a stretch where it is hosting NCAA competition for five consecutive years. The NCAA Men’s First and Second Rounds were here in 2002 followed by the women’s first and second rounds and the Midwest Regional in 2003 and the first and second rounds last season. The women’s West Regional will be here in March of 2006.
EARLY SIGNEES
The University of New Mexico inked four during the November signing period. They are Joel Box (F, 6-8, 250) from Rockford, Ill., and John Wood Community College in Quincy, Ill., Daniel Faris (C, 6-9, 225) from Albuquerque Eldorado High School, Justin Holt (G/F, 6-7, 205) from Tacoma, Wash., and Indian Hills (Iowa) CC and Anthony Teague (G, 6-5, 190) from Cleveland, Ohio, and Dodge City (Kan.) CC.
2003-04 REVIEW
The University of New Mexico finished its 101st season of men’s basketball with a 14-14 overall record, the 20th time in the past 21 years that UNM has posted a .500 record or better.
Sitting at 13-8 following an 87-75 win over Wyoming on Feb. 9, New Mexico lost six of its last seven contests to miss postseason play for the second straight year, something that hasn’t happened since a four-year drought between 1980-83.
The Lobos fell to UNLV 55-53 in the first round of the Mountain West Conference Tournament, a troubling loss since UNM led for all but 41 seconds. New Mexico was eliminated in the first round of the tournament for the third straight year.
After going 10-18 in 2002-03, the Lobos avoided consecutive losing seasons for what would have been only the second time in more than four decades. New Mexico was 6-20 in 1979-80 and 11-15 in 1980-81. Prior to that skid was eight straight sub-.500 records between 1955-62. The Lobos have only had four losing campaigns since former head coach Bob King arrived in Albuquerque prior to the 1962-63 season.
The Lobos surpassed their 2002-03 win total by four games and their conference total by one (4-10). UNM finished 14-4 in The Pit, winning five of its last six and 12 of 14.
UNM tied San Diego State for fifth place in the MWC with a 5-9 mark. The Lobos were picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll.
UNM had a full roster the final 22 games when Danny Granger (Bradley) and Troy DeVries (Portland State) became eligible as mid-season transfers. UNM was 11-11 following their arrival, 11-2 in The Pit.
At 19.5 points a game, Granger led the MWC in scoring and was named first team all-Mountain West Conference. The transfer became just the second Lobo in the past 33 years to average more than 19 points and 9 rebounds for an entire season. Luc Longley (19.1 and 9.2) did so in 1991. Willie Long (23.9/12.9 in 1970 and 23.9/10.6 in `71) and Mel Daniels (21.2/10.3 in 1966 and 21.5/11.6 in `67) each did it twice, while Ira Harge was the first to accomplish the feat in 1963 (21.1 and 13.2).
Granger was fifth in rebounding (9.0) and was also ranked among the top-15 in six other categories for conference-only games: FG percentage, 3-point FGs made, assists, FT percentage, steals and blocks. He became the first Lobo since Kenny Thomas in 1997-98 to record four straight double-doubles in one season.