March 2, 2005
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The regular season comes to a close Saturday as surging New Mexico hosts Colorado State. Tipoff is 7:05 p.m., Mountain Time from The Pit/Bob King Court in Albuquerque. There is no television coverage – live or delayed – for the game. The Lobos’ three seniors – Troy DeVries, Danny Granger and Alfred Neale – will be recognized before the game.
Game sponsors include Lovelace Health Plan and KOB TV. The first 2,500 fans will receive Lobo foam paws.
Fresh off a road sweep of San Diego State and UNLV, New Mexico (22-6, 9-4 MWC) brings a five-game winning streak into Senior Day. The 77-66 victory at UNLV clinches second place for the Lobos. UNM was picked to finish fourth in the MWC preseason poll. New Mexico will be the No. 2 seed in next week’s conference tournament in Denver and play either San Diego State, BYU or Colorado State in the quarterfinals.
The Lobos enter Saturday’s game having won eight of nine since senior All-America candidate Danny Granger returned to the lineup Jan. 29 against UNLV.
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 valuable is Danny Granger to UNM? The Lobos are 22-3 when he plays (9-1 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 12-1.
A victory over CSU would give the Lobos 10 conference wins for the first time in seven years, since the 1997-98 squad finished 11-5 in the Mountain Division of the Western Athletic Conference.
Colorado State (11-15, 3-10 MWC) is coming off a dramatic 96-94 overtime victory over rival Wyoming last Saturday in Fort Collins. Senior post Matt Nelson scored a season-high 31 points. The Rams are tied with BYU for seventh place in the league. CSU is 0-11 on the road this year and has dropped 14 consecutive conference away games.
The Lobos are 17-1 in The Pit this year – including eight straight wins since Dec. 28 – with the only loss being dealt by nationally-ranked Wake Forest. The 17 home wins are the most since the 1998-99 team finished 19-1. UNM has also captured 29 of its past 32 games at Bob King Court
Saturday’s game pits a pair of old friends. UNM’s Ritchie McKay worked for current Colorado State boss Dale Layer at Queens College in North Carolina during the 1989-90 season when Layer was the head coach there. And, McKay was succeeded by Layer as head coach at Colorado State following the 1999-2000 season. McKay was 37-23 in his two years with the Rams, including an NIT appearance in 1998-99.
HEAD COACH Ritchie McKay – Ritchie McKay is completing 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 22-6, 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 129-127, 46-38 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 18-23 in MWC games, 15-5 at home and 3-18 on the road.
Saturday could be your last chance to see an “Alfred-Oop” at The Pit. |
McKay is 3-2 in his career vs. Colorado State, 2-0 in Albuquerque. 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.
UNLV RECAP – Danny Granger scored a game-high 22 points along with eight rebounds to lead New Mexico to a 77-66 win over UNLV on Monday night. Granger scored 15 second-half points as the Lobos won their fifth consecutive game and eighth in nine tries.
Also for New Mexico, Troy DeVries scored 18 points, going 6 of 8 from 3-point range. David Chiotti had 18 points, going 7 of 9 from the field, and Mark Walters added 14 points, going 9 of 11 from the free throw line.
The Lobos were 10-for-20 from 3-point range for 50 percent, while the Rebels were 8-for-24 for 33 percent. From the field, New Mexico shot 58 percent compared with UNLV’s 40 percent. New Mexico never trailed after leading 29-24 at halftime.
For UNLV, Odartey Blankson led with 20 points and eight rebounds. Michael Umeh had 18 points and Romel Beck added 10 points.
The Rebels cut the lead to 37-36 with 13:46 left in the game, but New Mexico pulled away, eventually building its largest lead at 64-47 with 4:50 remaining. UNLV later trimmed the lead to seven on two occasions in the final 1:21 but came no closer.
NEW MEXICO VS. COLORADO STATE – UNM has a 56-40 lead and has won 17 of the past 19 since Feb. 12, 1994. Each team won on its home floor last year. The Lobos have a 9-2 lead in MWC games, including a 55-47 victory in Fort Collins on Feb. 5. New Mexico leads 38-13 in Albuquerque, including 32-3 at The Pit. The Rams only wins in The Pit came in 1970, `71 and `93.
FEB. 5 IN FORT COLLINS – Danny Granger had 11 points and 10 rebounds to lead New Mexico over Colorado State 55-47. Ryan Wall added a career-high 12 points, and another reserve, Alfred Neale, had 10. Wall came into the game having scored just 9 points on the season and 25 in his 29-game Lobo career.
New Mexico shot a season-low 31 percent from the field, but Colorado State shot just 30 percent. The Lobos also scored 13 points off turnovers.
UNM used an 11-3 run to pull ahead 48-38 with less than six minutes to go, but Colorado State was within three twice in the last 2 minutes. Seven free throws in the final few minutes sealed the victory for the Lobos.
New Mexico snapped a 22-game losing streak in MWC road games and it was a 25-game skid when you include the past three seasons (losses) in the MWC Tournament. The last win had been on Jan. 28, 2002, also at Colorado State, by a score of 70-64.
LAST YEAR IN ALBUQUERQUE – Troy DeVries scored 15 points and freshman guard Lenny Miles provided the energy in New Mexico’s 63-51 win over Colorado State. New Mexico never trailed and broke the game open behind the early second-half scoring of David Chiotti and Alfred Neale and Miles’ hustle at both ends of the court. Chiotti and Danny Granger each scored 13 points and Neale had 9 points and 8 rebounds.
The Lobos pulled away from a 28-22 lead early in the second half as Chiotti and Neale combined for 12 points. Chiotti scored New Mexico’s first five points of the second half and later added a layup, while Neale scored off an offensive rebound and connected on a 3-pointer. That put New Mexico up 40-30 and the Rams got no closer the rest of the way.
Senior Troy DeVries could leave UNM as the all-time 3-pt. field goal percetage leader. |
Coming off the bench, Miles played 24 minutes, the most since early December. He scored just two points but tied his season-high with five rebounds and got the Lobo crowd of more than 16,000 into the game with his quickness and reckless style of play.
At one point he leaped over the scorer’s table, nearly colliding with a concrete barrier behind the New Mexico bench while chasing a loose ball. He also set up a couple of teammates for easy baskets with his passing and had a block late in the game.
UNLV POSTGAME NOTES
New Mexico’s 77-66 win at UNLV is its largest winning margin ever over the Rebels in Las Vegas…the Lobos have won 5 straight while UNLV’s winning streak is snapped at 5 games
The Lobos are now 22-3 when Danny Granger plays, 0-3 when he was out with an injury…Granger finished with 22 points and 8 rebounds
The 22 wins are the most for UNM in six years, since the 1998-99 Lobos finished 25-9
UNM sweeps UNLV for the first time in MWC play…the Lobos swept during the 1998 season while both schools were in the Western Athletic Conference…UNM snapped a 7-game losing streak at UNLV, the last win being in 1998
The Lobos are 5-5 on the road, 3-4 in the MWC…it’s the most road wins since going 5-6 in 1999-2000
New Mexico has won consecutive MWC road games for the first time in five years, since winning three straight (at San Diego State, Air Force and BYU) in 1999-2000.
The Lobos never trailed in the game…they took a 20-12 lead at the 9:47 mark of the 1st half by making 8 of their first 14 FGs, including four 3s…UNM then was held scoreless for the next 7:12 as UNLV tied the score at 20…the Lobos missed 8 shots and committed 3 turnovers before Chiotti scored with 2:35 before halftime…Chiotti scored 6 of the Lobos’ final 9 points before the break
The Lobos shot a steamy 57.8% (26-45) from the floor, including 10-20 from 3-point range…in the second half, UNM was 14-19 (74%) from the field, 5-8 from beyond the arc
The past two games, New Mexico has shot 66% (31-47) from the floor in the second half, including 79% (19-24) from 2-point range
Neither team shot a free throw in the 1st half…the first trip to the stripe was by Danny Granger with 14:56 left in the game
New Mexico made 11 of its last 12 FTs over the final 1:36 to preserve the win…Mark Walters was 7-8, David Chiotti 4-4
Walters finished with 14 points, all in the second half, going 9 of 11 from the line and setting career-highs for makes and attempts
Despite being under the weather, Chiotti tied a season-high with 18 points and has scored in double figures in six straight games, averaging 13.8 ppg over that span…he also had 18 in the season opener against North Carolina A&T
Senior G Troy DeVries was 6-8 from 3-point for 18 points, the 25th straight game he has made at least one trey…that remains the 3rd-longest streak in school history…DeVries ranks No. 1 at UNM in career 3-pt. percentage (46.6%), No. 10 in career 3s (137) and is tied for 6th with Rob Robbins on the single-season list (83)
New Mexico was 10-20 from the 3-point line, the 89th time since the shot came into play in 1986-87 that UNM has made at least 10…the Lobos are 72-17 in those games
New Mexico is 22-1 when leading at halftime this year, 9-0 in MWC games…the lone loss was at Oregon
NOTES DURING THE 5-GAME WINNING STREAK – Ritchie McKay has started the same five of David Chiotti, Troy DeVries, Danny Granger, Alfred Neale and Mark Walters. That quintet is 6-0 all-time at UNM.
New Mexico’s average winning margin during its run is 13.4 ppg.
UNM has limited opponents to shooting 41.3% (114-276) from the floor and 31.7% (32-101) from 3-point The past three games, it’s 39% (68-174) from the field and 26.7% (16-60) from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, the Lobos have shot 54.7% (129-236) from the field during the streak, including 57% (53-93) on the San Diego State-UNLV road trip. UNM is back over the 50% mark for the season, at 50.2%.
BACK TO 20 – New Mexico has reached 20 wins in a season for the first time in four years. The benchmark victory came Feb. 21 against No. 13 Utah in The Pit, snapping the Utes’ 18-game winning streak. UNM has reached the 20-win plateau for the 20th time in school history. All of the Lobos’ 20-win campaigns have come since 1963-64, however, 15 have occurred in the past 22 seasons, since 1983-84.
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 may not return this season.
P.O.W. UP TO THREE – New Mexico is the only team in the Mountain West Conference to have three different players earn Player of the Week honors. Junior Mark Walters has been the recipient twice: after the first week of the regular season (Nov. 22) and most recently Feb. 28 for his play in wins against Utah and San Diego State. Danny Granger captured the award on Dec. 20 while Alfred Neale was recognized on Feb. 7.
THE COMPLETE 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. 28:
Scoring – 18.3 – 3rd (MWC) – 49th (NCAA)
Rebounds – 8.7 – 3rd (MWC) – 42nd (NCAA)
Steals – 2.08 – 2nd (MWC)
Blocks – 2.0 – 2nd (MWC) – T45th (NCAA)
FG% – 52.7 – 9th (MWC)
3-Pt. FG% – 46.0 – 34th (MWC)
Assists – 2.24 – 13th (MWC)
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, 33-14 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 8-1 since the move and Walters is playing his best basketball right now.
Missing only nine minutes in the past three games, Walters has scored 56 points on 17-28 FGs (61%), 4-10 on 3s and 18-25 FTs in wins against No. 13 Utah, San Diego State and UNLV. He also has 14 rebounds, 8 steals, 7 assists and just 4 turnovers.
As 21 scouts watched the every move of future pros Danny Granger and Andrew Bogut Feb. 21, 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.
DEAD-EYE DEVRIES – Senior guard Troy DeVries continues to rank as the most accurate 3-point shooter in school history at 46.6%. Coming off a sterling 6 of 8 effort at UNLV, DeVries has made 137 of 294 treys in his 50-game Lobo career. Willie Banks is 2nd at 44.1% (78-177).
DeVries still leads the MWC, averaging 2.96 treys a game, and he is 6th nationally in percentage at 48%. DeVries has made a three-point basket in 25 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.
He is tied with Rob Robbins for No. 6 on the single-season list with 83 trifectas made and is 10th in career 3s with 137.
CHIOTTI COOKIN’ – For only the second time in his career, junior post David Chiotti has scored in double figures in six straight games. He also did so the first half-dozen games of his sophomore season. Since Feb. 7, Chiotti has scored 83 points (13.8 ppg), making 32-54 FGs (59%) and 19-26 FTs (73%).
He was especially solid on the just completed road sweep of San Diego State and UNLV. Chiotti tied a season-high with 18 points against the Rebels , canning 7 of 9 shots and all four of his FTs in the final 1:19 to help seal the victory. He also added 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks while playing a season-high 37 minutes.
Chiotti’s totals for the two games: 32 points (11-14 FGs, 10-12 FTs), 14 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks.
PLUS 8 AND COUNTING – Currently sporting a record of 22-6, the Lobos have won eight more games than all of last season, tying for the 4th-largest one-season improvement in school history. A look at the biggest jumps:
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 14-14 in 2003-04 to 22-6 in 2004-05
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
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 Danny Granger’s 18.3, 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 two 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 41.
NOTES FROM THE ARC
Shooting 39.7% 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…the Lobos ranks 14th in the nation
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
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
In MWC games only, New Mexico leads the league in 3-point FG percentage (39.6%) and 3-point FG percentage defense (30.8%)
Opponents are shooting 31.5% 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 has made a 3-point basket in 481 straight games, the 12th-longest active streak in NCAA Div. I hoops…UNLV is 1st at more than 595
DEFENSE STEPPING UP – During the Lobos’ current 8-1 run, opponents have been held to an average of 62.4 points and 41.3% (207-503) shooting.
SOLID SHOOTERS – New Mexico’s season FG percentage is now 50.2%, good for 8th nationally through games of Feb. 28. 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 54.7% (129-236) during their current 5-game winning streak. The Lobos have shot 50% or better 16 times this season and eclipsed 60% six times.
STATISTICAL TRENDS
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 22-1 when leading at half this year, 9-0 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 21-1 in such situations this year, 72-5 since 2000-01 and 169-14 since the 1995-96 season
NICE RALLY – The Lobos beat UNLV 62-58 in The Pit on Jan. 29, 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.
NOT MANY NAIL-BITERS – 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.
ROAD A LITTLE KINDER – New Mexico is 5-5 on the road this season, the most wins away from home since the 1999-2000 team was 5-7. UNM entered the current season with a 29-game losing streak away from Albuquerque.
STREAKS AND SUCH – 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.
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.
Beating San Diego State and UNLV on the road in late February, New Mexico won consecutive MWC road games for the first time in five years, since taking three in a row (at San Diego State, Air Force and BYU) in 1999-2000. UNM halted a three-losing streak at San Diego State and a seven-game skid at UNLV.
The Lobos have ended a dubious four-year run of sub-.500 records in the MWC. UNM was 21-35 in conference games from 2001-04.
WHO’S STARTING? – 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.
GOT THEIR NUMBER – UNM is only 10-21 all-time in games against nationally-ranked Utah teams, but has captured six of the past seven meetings in The Pit since 1996.
IT’S MORE THAN JUST SHOOTING – 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.
A LOBO MUST LEAD – 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.