Feb. 27, 2005
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
The two hottest teams in the Mountain West Conference square off Monday night at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. Tipoff is 10:01 p.m., Mountain Time for the national telecast on ESPN. UNM closes out the regular season Saturday at home against Colorado State.
New Mexico (21-6, 8-4 MWC) has won four straight and forged into second place all by itself in the Mountain West Conference after a 78-61 triumph at San Diego State. UNM can clinch the No. 2 seed in next week’s conference tournament by winning one of its last two games.
UNLV (14-11, 6-6 MWC) has won five in a row following a 63-57 home win over Air Force, a decision that knocked the Falcons out of a second-place tie with UNM. The Runnin’ Rebels’ last loss was Feb. 7 at Utah.
The Lobos have lost seven consecutive games to UNLV in Las Vegas. The last win was 75-66 on Feb. 16, 1998.
Bolstered by last Monday’s 65-54 upset win over 13th-ranked Utah, the Lobos enter Monday’s game having won seven of eight since senior All-America candidate Danny Granger returned to the lineup Jan. 29 against UNLV in Albuquerque. Granger was hurt in the first half of the Wyoming game on Jan. 8 and had surgery two days later. He missed three conference road games between Jan. 15-24.
How important is Granger to UNM? The Lobos are 21-3 when he plays (8-1 in MWC games), the only losses coming at Oregon, at home to 5th-ranked Wake Forest and at Wyoming. However, New Mexico was 0-3 with him out of the lineup. UNM has lost just once since Dec. 22 with Granger playing, a record of 11-1.
After dropping 29 consecutive games away from The Pit, UNM is 4-5 on the road this year with wins at New Mexico State, Texas-Arlington, Colorado State and San Diego State. The setbacks have come at Oregon, Air Force, Utah, BYU and Wyoming.
New Mexico is seeking consecutive MWC road wins for the first time in five years. It won three in a row (at San Diego State, Air Force and BYU) in 1999-2000.
After enduring four-straight sub-.500 records in the MWC, UNM has guaranteed itself of no worse than an 8-6 record in 2004-05.
UNM VS. UNLV – UNLV has an 18-10 lead in a series that started Jan. 17, 1976. The Lobos ended a 7-losing streak in the series with their 62-58 win in The Pit on Jan. 29. UNM’s last win had been 84-81 in overtime in Albuquerque in 2002. All three games last season were decided by nine points or less. The Rebels have won seven consecutive in Las Vegas with the last New Mexico victory (75-66) coming on Feb. 16, 1998. UNLV has an 8-3 advantage in MWC games.
JAN 29 IN THE PIT – Mark Walters scored 15 points, four of them in the final minute, and New Mexico got a big lift from backup guard Jeff Hart in a 62-58 win over UNLV. New Mexico overcame a nine-point second half deficit to beat the Rebels for the first time since 2002.
The Lobos had four players score in double figures, but equally huge was the play of Hart, who broke into the starting lineup for the first time in two years because point guard Kris Collins broke a bone in his right foot earlier in the week.
The 6-foot-1 Hart scored 6 points, tied his career-high with 5 rebounds, had a career-best 3 steals and defended Rebels point guard Jerel Blassingame so well that Blassingame hit just 2 of 10 shots and dealt four assists, three below his league-leading average. Odartey Blankson led UNLV with 21 points, with 16 of them in the second half. He also had 9 rebounds.
UNLV’s Louis Amundson hit the final basket of the first half to cut the Lobos’ lead to 29-24 and the Rebels started the second half with a 14-0 run to take a 38-29 lead.
New Mexico went more than six minutes without scoring to start the second half. Guard Ryan Wall ended the drought by hitting one of two free throws and that kicked off a 15-6 run. A layup by Danny Granger tied it at 44 with 7:54 left and after three ties, the Lobos took the lead for good at 53-50 on a three-point play by Granger with 3:29 left.
Granger, playing for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee, had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
After Granger’s 3-point play, Blankson got the Rebels within a point with a basket inside. David Chiotti countered with a short jumper with 2:07 left and Walters, Hart and Chiotti sealed the win with seven free throws in the final minute. Alfred Neale scored 12 points for New Mexico, while Chiotti had 11.
LAST YEAR IN LAS VEGAS – The hole was just too deep for the Lobos to climb out of in the 89-80 loss. Trying to rally from a 20-point first-half deficit, UNM cut the margin to five early in the second half, then six in the closing minutes, but it was not enough despite a record-tying performance by Javin Tindall.
Tindall made nine 3-pointers (in 11 attempts and he made his first 6) to tie the UNM and Mountain West Conference record. Tindall finished with 27 points to tie a career scoring high and also added five assists before fouling out with 18.4 seconds left.
A first-half shooting clinic propelled the Rebels to a 50-34 lead at the break. UNLV shot 72% (18-25) from the floor in the first period, including 70% (7-10) from beyond the arc. The Rebels came into the game shooting just 31% from 3-point.
The Lobos clawed back, cutting the deficit to five on two occasions early in the second half. Three straight 3s to open the second period sparked a 14-3 run as UNM trailed just 53-48. After UNLV went back in front 80-66, UNM threatened again as Tindall nailed treys to pare the margin to 86-80 with 23.5 seconds left.
The Lobos’ chances were severely hampered early on due to Danny Granger’s foul problems. Granger, averaging 25 points in the first four MWC games, was held to two points in 11 first-half minutes. He picked up his third foul – a charge – with 5:25 left before halftime.
SUPERLATIVES FROM THE UTAH WIN
UNM’s third straight win over the Utes in Albuquerque…it’s the highest ranked team UNM has defeated since a 70-68 triumph at No. 2 Arizona on Dec. 21, 1999
The 20th win of the season, UNM reaching that plateau for the 20th time in school history, but first time since 2000-01 (21-13)…all of the Lobos’ 20-win campaigns have come since 1963-64, however, 15 have occurred in the past 22 seasons, since 1983-84
A 17-1 record in The Pit this year with the only loss coming against nationally-ranked Wake Forest…the 17 home wins are the most since the 1998-99 team finished 19-1…the Lobos have captured 29 of their past 32 games at Bob King Court
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.
At 21-6, head coach Ritchie McKay has the highest season win total of his nine-year coaching career. He was 19-11 at Colorado State in 1998-99.
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 128-127, 45-38 at New Mexico. While at UNM, McKay is 41-12 at home, 28-14 in non-conference games and 26-7 in non-league games at The Pit. He is 17-23 in MWC games, 15-5 at home and 2-18 on the road.
McKay is 1-9 in his career vs. UNLV, 1-5 while at New Mexico. He is 0-4 at Las Vegas, 0-2 while at UNM.
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.
SAN DIEGO STATE RECAP – Mark Walters scored 20 points and Danny Granger added 17 points to lead New Mexico to its fourth straight victory, a 78-61 win over San Diego State.
New Mexico, which led 27-25 at halftime, took control of the game in the first five minutes of the second half with a 17-2 run to increase its lead to 44-29. The Lobos were hot in the second half, hitting 60.7 percent (17 of 28) of their field goal attempts. David Chiotti scored two inside baskets to start the decisive run and New Mexico made three 3-pointers, including one by Troy DeVries to cap the run.
San Diego State cut the lead to 63-55 with 4:45 remaining on Brandon Heath’s steal and layup. But Alfred Neale and Granger hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to put New Mexico ahead 69-55. Walters made 8 of 12 shots to lead a balanced attack. Chiotti scored 14 points and DeVries added 13.
Marcus Slaughter, who only played five minutes in the second half due to a sprained left big toe, dominated the opening minutes of the game, going 5-for-6 from the field and scoring all of San Diego State’s points as it opened an 11-4 lead in the first five minutes of the game. But the Aztecs then went more than 14 minutes with just one field goal before scoring two baskets in the final minute, including Chris Manker’s jumper at the halftime buzzer.
SAN DIEGO STATE POSTGAME NOTES
The 17-point victory margin is New Mexico’s 2nd-largest in an MWC road game…the only one larger is 78-57 (21 points) at San Diego State on Feb. 5, 2000, the first season of MWC play
The 21 wins are the most since the 2000-01 UNM team finished 21-13
New Mexico is 4-5 on the road this season, 2-4 in the MWC…the 4 wins are the most away from Albuquerque since the 2000-01 team went 4-8
UNM snapped a 3-game losing streak on the Aztecs’ home floor, winning at Cox Arena for the first time since the 2001 season (75-67 on Jan. 8)
The Lobos used a 17-2 run early in the 2nd half to open up a 44-29 advantage…UNM made its first 5 shots of the 2nd half and 6 of its first 7, including 3s by Neale, Granger and Troy DeVries
Averaging more than eight 3s a game coming in, the Lobos did not make a trey until there was 17:20 left in the game when Alfred Neale connected for his first points of the game…UNM was 0-6 in the 1st half, but made 7 of 15 in the 2nd half, 3 by DeVries, who finished with 13 points
The Lobos started DeVries, Granger, Walters, Chiotti and Neale for the fourth straight game…that quintet is 5-0 all-time at UNM
Junior guard Mark Walters completed a nice week with a game-high 20 points, making 8-12 shots from the floor, and adding 6 rebounds…including last Monday’s 22-point performance against Utah, Walters scored 20-plus points in consecutive games for the first time in his career
The Lobos shot 56% for the game, making 27 of 48 shots…they were 17 of 28 (61%) in the 2nd half, including 10 of 13 (77%) from inside the 3-point circle…it’s the 15th time this season New Mexico has shot 50% or better…UNM is now shooting 49.96% on the season
Senior Troy DeVries was 3 of 7 from 3-point…he is now tied with Greg Brown for 10th place all-time at UNM with 131 career 3s and tied with Marlow White for 9th on the Lobo single-season list with 77 made…he continues to be the most accurate 3-point shooter in school history at 45.8% (131-286)
David Chiotti had 14 points and 8 rebounds…that’s his most boards since gathering 8 against Tennessee on Dec. 18
During the Lobos’ current 7-1 run, opponents are averaging just 62 points and shooting 41.3% from the floor
THE INJURY LOG – New Mexico got off to a 14-2 start with all team members healthy. Danny Granger went down with a knee injury Jan. 8 against Wyoming and the Lobos lost their next three games. At BYU on Jan. 24, already minus Granger, starting post David Chiotti missed the final 26 minutes of the game with a hip flexor. Then, on Jan. 26, starting point guard Kris Collins broke his right foot in practice and is likely lost for the season.
MORE ON GRANGER – Danny Granger continues to be the only player in NCAA Div. I basketball who is averaging at least 18 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks and 2 assists a game…here’s how Granger ranks in the conference and nationally through Feb. 26:
Scoring – 18.2 – 3rd (MWC)
Rebounds – 8.7 – 3rd (MWC) – T30th (NCAA)
Steals – 2.17 – 1st (MWC) – T41st (NCAA)
Blocks – 2.08 – 2nd (MWC) – T40th (NCAA)
FG% – 52.7 – 9th (MWC)
3-Pt. FG% – – 47.5 – 3rd (MWC)
Assists – 2.33 – 13th (MWC)
Surprisingly, of the top-40 players in the nation in steals, Granger is the tallest at 6-8.
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).
The Lobos are 3-6 the past two seasons without Danny Granger, 32-14 when he is available. Granger became eligible on Dec. 21, 2003, after transferring from Bradley.
Granger was chosen to the National Association of Basketball Coaches all-district first team. He is also on the “Watch List” for the 2005 Creamland Dairies Collegiate Basketball Award of Excellence, which honors college seniors for their athletic and academic achievement as well as their community involvement and a nominee for the 2005 Bayer Advantage Senior CLASS Award. The Senior CLASS Award recognizes student-athletes for great achievement on the court and in the classroom while staying in school. CLASS stands for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School.
WALTERS MAKING A POINT – Junior Mark Walters started the season on the wing, but switched to the point after Kris Collins went out with a broken foot on Jan. 26. UNM is 7-1 since the move and Walters is playing his best basketball right now.
Missing only seven minutes in the past two games, Walters scored 42 points on 15-23 FGs (65%), 3-9 on 3s and 9-14 FTs in wins against Utah and San Diego State. He had 12 rebounds – 6 in each game, 6 steals – 3 in each game, plus 3 assists and just 3 turnovers.
As 21 scouts watched the every move of future pros Danny Granger and Andrew Bogut last Monday, Walters had to open some eyes. He orchestrated the Lobos offense and played his usual stifling defense. Walters scored a game- and season-high 22 points, draining 7 of 11 shots, including 3 of 6 from 3-point. His first trey gave New Mexico a 22-19 lead and it never trailed again. With the Lobos leading 51-42, Walters scored the team’s next seven points that pushed the margin to 14 and the Utes never recovered. He also added 6 rebounds and 3 steals in 36 minutes.
During his eight-game stint at the point, UNM is a +15 in assists to turnovers.
DEVRIES HITTING THE MARK – Senior guard Troy DeVries continues to rank as the most accurate 3-point shooter in school history at 45.8%. He has made 131 of 286 treys in his 49-game Lobo career. Willie Banks is 2nd at 44.1% (78-177).
DeVries still leads the MWC, averaging 2.85 treys a game, and he is 8th nationally in percentage at 46.7%.
DeVries has made a three-point basket in 24 straight games, the 3rd-longest streak at UNM. DeVries last failed to make a 3-pointer in the third game of the season against Duquesne when he missed four attempts.
NEALE IN A GROOVE – Although his double-figure scoring streak ended at seven last Monday against Utah, Alfred Neale has still averaged 12.9 ppg on 42-75 FGs (56%), including 18-40 from 3-point (45%) the past nine games. The past seven games, he has been a little better, averaging 13.2 ppg on 32-51 FGs (63%) and 16-30 from 3-point range (53%).
The owner of a 42-inch vertical leap had two monstrous putback slams against Utah last Monday, seemingly rising above the rim to lift The Pit crowd to a fever pitch.
PLUS 7 AND COUNTING – Currently sporting a record of 21-6, the Lobos have won seven more games than all of last season. A look at the biggest improvements in school history:
13 – 15-15 in 1994-95 to 28-5 in 1995-96
10 – 6-20 in 1961-62 to 16-9 in 1962-63
10 – 14-15 in 1982-83 to 24-11 in 1983-84
8 – 0-1 in 1913-14 to 8-1 in 1914-15
8 – 3-17 in 1942-43 to 11-2 in 1943-44
8 – 5-19 in 1949-50 to 13-11 in 1950-51
8 – 17-14 in 1985-86 to 25-10 in 1986-87
7 – 14-14 in 2003-04 to 20-6 in 2004-05
7 – 5-3 in 1923-24 to 12-1 in 1924-25
7 – 16-9 in 1962-63 to 23-6 in 1963-64
A REAL TEAM – Head coach Ritchie McKay is always talking about the unselfishness of his players. The numbers bear him out.
All five Lobo starters are currently averaging in double figures, led by Granger’s 18.2, and all rank in the top-20 in scoring in the MWC. The last time UNM could boast of having five finish the season in double figures – with each individual participating in a minimum of 20 games – was 1969-70.
If Alfred Neale gets six more assists, the current Lobos will be the first team since 1997-98 to have five players with at least 50 in a season. David Gibson (116), Royce Olney (100), Kenny Thomas (95), Lamont Long (87) and Clayton Shields (54) did so seven years ago. UNM has an outside shot at having six reach 50. David Chiotti currently has 37.
QUICK HITS
In MWC games only, New Mexico leads the league in 3-point FG percentage (38.7%) and 3-point FG percentage defense (30.6%)
During the Lobos’ current 7-1 run, opponents have been held to 62 points and 41.3% (182-441) shooting
New Mexico’s season FG percentage is now essentially 50%, good for 8th nationally through games of Feb. 26…the Lobos led the nation after 17 games at 52.5%, but dropped to 15th after a 5-game stretch where they made just 39% (104-267)…they have shot 54% (103-191) during their current 4-game winning streak
The Lobos are 12-0 when scoring 80 or more points (18-1 the past two seasons) and 11-0 when holding opponents to less than 60 points
UNM is 28-3 at home since Danny Granger and Troy DeVries joined the team on Dec. 21, 2003
New Mexico is 21-1 when leading at half this year, 8-0 in MWC games…the only loss came at Oregon when it led 43-41, but lost 79-75
The Lobos had won 30 straight games when shooting better than their opponent until the loss at Air Force on Jan. 15 when they made 69.2% but fell 64-62…the previous loss was at Tennessee on Jan. 4, 2003…New Mexico is 20-1 in such situations this year, 71-5 since 2000-01 and 168-14 since the 1995-96 season
The Lobos beat UNLV 62-58, but had to overcome a 9-point deficit to do so…trailing 38-29 after the Rebels scored the first 14 points of the second half, UNM eradicated its largest second-half deficit under Ritchie McKay and the biggest since trailing Pepperdine 69-59 in the 2001 postseason NIT…the Lobos won that game 81-78…in McKay’s second game as Lobos’ coach, UNM did come back from a 29-15 hole in the first half against Northwestern State to win 60-56
Opponents are shooting 31.4% from 3-point range, a figure that would be the lowest since the 1999-2000 Lobos allowed 31.4%…only once since 1986-87 when the 3-point shot was introduced has UNM allowed less than 30% for a season: 29.7% in 1992-93
UNM is 10-21 in games against nationally-ranked Utah teams, but has captured six of the past seven meetings in The Pit since 1996
The Lobos have only played three games this year that have been decided by five points or less and they are 1-2 in such situations…both losses were on the road, 79-75 at Oregon and 64-62 at Air Force
New Mexico is 4-6 on the road this season, the most wins away from home since the 2000-01 team was 4-8
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 15 times this season and eclipsed 60% six times
Shooting 39.3% from 3-point range, New Mexico is enjoying its best accuracy from the arc since the 1997-98 team made 40.2% of its tries
Head coach Ritchie McKay used the same starting lineup in the first 16 games of the season…that’s quite a change from his first two Lobo teams as he used nine different quintets last season and a whopping 16 sets in 2002-03…the last time New Mexico employed the same five starters for more than 20 games was 2000-01 when Eric Chatfield, Ruben Douglas, Marlon Parmer, Brian Smith and Wayland White drew the nod 22 times
However, due to injuries, McKay had to utilize three different starting lineups in four games between Jan. 15-29
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
The Lobos lost at Air Force 64-62 despite tying for the 5th-best shooting game in school history (69.2%) and outrebounding the Falcons 28-9…the Lobos made 27 of 39 shots, the best accuracy since 36 of 52 – also 69.2% – at BYU on Feb. 27, 1997…turnovers were the story as New Mexico committed 23…Air Force had a whopping 31-8 scoring edge in points off of turnovers, including 20-0 in the first half
UNM poured in 68.4% (13-19) from beyond the arc in the home win against BYU, the fourth-best accuracy in school history…New Mexico actually started 11 of 13 then 12-15 before missing 3 of its last 4 from long range
New Mexico has limited opponents to 60 points or less 11 times this season, winning all of them…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 480 straight games, the 12th-longest active streak in NCAA Div. I hoops…UNLV is 1st at more than 595
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…after the win at UT-Arlington, the Lobos registered back-to-back road victories for the first time since taking three straight in 2000-01
The 55-47 victory at Colorado State snapped a 22-game losing streak in MWC road games and it was a 25-game skid when the past three seasons (losses) in the MWC Tournament were included…the last win had been on Jan. 28, 2002, also at Colorado State, by a score of 70-64
The Lobos saw three winning streaks come to an end in the 81-64 setback to No. 5 Wake Forest on Dec. 22: six straight wins overall, nine straight at home and 14 consecutive non-conference victories at The Pit