March 7, 2005
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
The second season begins Thursday as the streaking New Mexico Lobos meet BYU in the first round of the Mountain West Conference Tournament. Tipoff is 7:04 p.m., Mountain Time from the Pepsi Center in Denver. The game will be televised by ESPN+Plus with local availability on KRQE-TV in Albuquerque.
UNM is the No. 2 seed in the eight-team field, BYU No. 7. The victor will play the winner of No. 3 Air Force and No. 6 San Diego State Friday at 10 p.m. on ESPN.
Picked to finish fourth in the MWC preseason poll, New Mexico (23-6, 10-4 MWC) ended up in second place and rolls into the tourney on a six-game winning streak, the longest run in conference games in seven years. The Lobos last won seven in a row during the 2001-02 season when it took eight straight under head coach Fran Fraschilla.
UNM enters Thursday’s game having won nine of 10 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 arthroscopic surgery on his left knee two days later. He missed three conference road games between Jan. 15-24.
How valuable is Danny Granger to UNM? The Lobos are 23-3 when he plays (10-1 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 13-1.
New Mexico is looking to advance to the semifinals of the MWC Tournament for only the second time since it began in 2000. UNM has been bounced in the first round four times in five years.
Lobo head coach Ritchie McKay is 0-4 in conference tournament action in his career, 0-3 in MWC games and 0-2 while at New Mexico.
BYU is 9-20 overall and finished 3-11 in league play. The Cougars have lost four straight and six of seven, including a 91-72 setback in The Pit on Feb. 19.
UNM NITTY GRITTY
Has a 6-game winning streak and has won 9 of 10 since Jan. 29
23-3 with Danny Granger, 0-3 when he was out with an injury
13-1 with Danny Granger since Dec. 22
Granger was named MWC Player of the Year by CollegeInsider.com
5-5 in all road games, 5-2 with Danny Granger
Was 3-4 in MWC road games, 3-1 with Danny Granger
A 9-win improvement from last year and 13 games better than two years ago
The 23 wins are the most for UNM in six years, since finishing 25-9 in 1998-99
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
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
18-1 in The Pit this year – including nine straight wins since Dec. 28 – with the only loss being dealt by nationally-ranked Wake Forest…18 home wins are the most since the 1998-99 team finished 19-1…UNM has also captured 30 of its past 33 games at Bob King Court
NON-CONFERENCE RPI TAKES A HIT, BUT WHO COULD PREDICT – The thing about strength of schedule is you don’t really know how strong it will be until the games have been played. It’s easy to criticize the schedule, but it’s also hard to predict how your opponents will fare over the course of an entire season.
Through games of March 1, 2005, the average RPI for UNM’s 13 opponents (14 games) was 223. However, the five-year average RPI of those schools entering the 2004-05 season was 170. UNM used the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook for its figures.
Senior Troy DeVries was named 3rd Team All-MWC. |
For instance, Tennessee had a five-year average of 48, but was at 137. New Mexico State’s average was 156, but the Aggies were at 291. Pepperdine was at 89, but lost to Troy – and its average of 206 – in the first round of the Lobo Invitational. Northern Arizona had been at 200, but was at 298. So, what looked decent on paper six months ago turned out not to work in UNM’s favor.
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 23-6, 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 130-127, 47-38 at New Mexico. While at UNM, McKay is 42-12 at home, 28-14 in non-conference games and 26-7 in non-league games at The Pit. He is 19-23 in MWC games, 16-5 at home and 3-18 on the road.
McKay is 3-6 in his career vs. BYU.
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.
BYU GAME PREVIEW – Each team won on its home floor this season. BYU defeated the Lobos 68-53 in Provo on Jan. 24, however, UNM did not have the services of Danny Granger and starting post David Chiotti was limited to 11 first-half minutes after aggravating a hip flexor. The 53 points remains a season-low for UNM.
The Lobos shot a chilly 32.7% (18-55) at Provo, but knocked down 62% (32-50) at The Pit, including 76% (19-25) in the first half. UNM poured in 68.4% (13-19) from beyond the arc in the home win, 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. Troy DeVries made 7 of 10 treys in the two regular-season games. The Cougars shot 49.5% in the two games, including 55% (27-49) at Albuquerque.
The Cougars have been UNM’s tournament nemesis, at least since the schools joined the MWC in 2000. BYU has eliminated New Mexico three times in the first five years of the tourney: the first round in 2000 and `03 and the 2001 championship game in Las Vegas. The Lobos were 4-0 against the Cougars in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament between 1984-93.
UNM VS. BYU – Feb. 19 in Albuquerque – Danny Granger scored 20 points, Troy DeVries hit his first five 3-pointers and New Mexico beat injury-riddled Brigham Young 91-72. BYU struggled at both ends of the floor and never threatened after falling behind 7-0 as Granger hit a 3-pointer, added a layup and David Chiotti scored inside.
It was a complete turnaround from BYU’s 68-53 win in Provo last month. Granger was injured and didn’t play in that game and Chiotti played only 11 minutes because of a hip injury. Jared Jensen led the Cougars with 20 points and Mike Hall scored 19. The Cougars were without sophomores Garner Meads and Keena Young. Meads has missed the last four games with a bad ankle and Young broke his right hand in practice earlier in the week.
Led by DeVries on the perimeter and the inside by the trio of Granger, David Chiotti and Alfred Neale, New Mexico hit 8 of its first 9 shots and 19 of 25 (76 percent) in the first half. DeVries hit back-to-back 3s – his second from about 26 feet – that pushed the Lobos’ lead to 30-18 with 8:34 left in the first half.
DeVries finished with 15 points and led a torrid shooting Lobo offense that through the first 24 minutes hit 10 of 12 3s and 13 of 19 in the game. In the paint, Chiotti, Neale and Granger combined to hit 13 of 18 first half shots. Chiotti finished with 16 points and Neale scored 15.
UNM VS. BYU – Jan. 24 in Provo – Mike Rose came off the bench to score 21 points and lead BYU to a 68-53 win. The Cougars registered their first conference win of the season and snapped a three-game conference losing streak.
BYU broke open a four-point game with a 10-2 run midway through the second half to take a 52-40 lead. The Lobos never got closer than 10 the rest of the way. Rose hit five 3-pointers, four in the second half. Keena Young and Derek Dawes each added 14 points for the Cougars.
Alfred Neale led the Lobos with 12 points who were again hurt by the injury bug as junior post David Chiotti missed the last 26 minutes due to a hip flexor. Danny Granger did not play.
BYU took a 33-25 lead at the half following a 9-3 run, and the Cougars scored nine of the first 10 points in the second half. Dawes had a game high 10 rebounds to help BYU to a 40-34 rebounding advantage.
LOBOS’ CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT HISTORY – Including the Western Athletic Conference tournament, UNM has an overall record of 24-19 and has played in a championship game seven times, winning twice (1993 and `96).
UNM has not fared as well in the Mountain West tourney, compiling a 2-5 overall mark, including first-round exits the past three years and four of five times since its inception in 2000. The Lobos lost to BYU in the 2001 title game. They were eliminated in the first round by BYU in 2000 and `03 and UNLV in 2002 and `04.
POSTSEASON HONORS ROLL IN – The Lobos were well represented on the all-Mountain West Team as all five current starters received mention:
First Team: Danny Granger (2nd straight season)
Third Team: David Chiotti, Troy DeVries
Honorable Mention: Alfred Neale, Mark Walters
COLORADO STATE RECAP – Danny Granger scored 19 points and New Mexico used a 17-0 run in the second half to rally for a 72-61 win over Colorado State. New Mexico finished the regular season with its ninth win in the last 10 games and a runner-up finish to Utah in the conference.
Colorado State led 38-33 at halftime and 44-40 with 16:48 left in the game. But the Rams quickly fell apart by going more than nine minutes without scoring. While New Mexico was building its scoring run, CSU was committing seven straight turnovers. The string of turnovers followed a timeout, during which New Mexico coach Ritchie McKay and CSU coach Dale Layer were both assessed technicals for repeatedly arguing calls by the officials.
Matt Nelson, who led the Rams with 15 points, finally broke the scoring drought with a layup with 7:34 left. New Mexico countered with back-to-back 3-pointers by Alfred Neale and Ryan Wall for a 63-46 lead.
CSU, which has lost 18 of the last 20 games against New Mexico, used a 10-1 run late in the first half to take a 29-26 lead. The Rams stretched it to 38-31 on a pair of free throws by Michael Morris with 10.4 seconds left in the first half.
Nelson scored on a dunk in the opening minute of the second half but New Mexico started its second half rally with seven straight points. Neale, who finished with 11 points, hit a 3, Granger a pair of free throws and Mark Walters got a favorable roll on a shot inside to tie it at 40.
Matt Williams scored back-to-back baskets for the Rams, but by then New Mexico’s defense had disrupted CSU’s offensive flow. The Rams, despite their second half scoring problems, still shot 58 percent for the game, but not enough to offset their 24 turnovers.
COLORADO STATE POSTGAME NOTES
The victory gives the Lobos six straight conference wins and 10 total for the first time in seven years, since the 1997-98 squad finished 11-5 in the Mountain Division of the Western Athletic Conference
The Lobos have won 18 of 20 over Colorado State since 1994 and are 33-3 all-time against CSU in The Pit
Junior David Chiotti was named 3rd Team All-MWC. |
Colorado State’s 38 points where the most New Mexico has allowed in the first half at home this season…CSU hit nine of its final 11 FG attempts of the first period…the Lobos jumped out to a 22-16 lead at the 8:13 mark, but were outscored 22-11 the rest of the half
CSU led 40-33 at the 19:25 mark then 44-40 with 16:48 to go…the Lobos then ripped off 17 straight points, holding the Rams scoreless for a span of 9:14…CSU committed 10 turnovers during that drought, including a miscue on seven straight possessions…Colorado State’s 23 points in the second half were the fewest by a Lobo opponent since San Francisco State managed just 23 in the 2003-04 season-opener
New Mexico’s 19 steals are the most ever by UNM in a conference game and the 4th most in any game in school history…the school record is 25 against Western New Mexico in 1990…the Lobos swiped 12 in second half
The Rams’ 24 turnovers were the most by a UNM opponent this season…CSU had 16 in the second half, which New Mexico converted into 14 points
HALFTIME DEFICIT STREAK ENDS AT 26 – Prior to Saturday’s win against Colorado State, New Mexico had lost 26 straight games when trailing at halftime. The skid was 20 in a row in MWC games. The Rams had a 38-33 lead, but a 17-0 burst early in the second half fueled the Lobos’ first come-from-behind win since head coach Ritchie McKay’s second game at UNM.
On Nov. 25, 2002, the Lobos trailed Northwestern State 36-31 at intermission, but rallied for a 60-56 victory. The last deficit overcome in an MWC game was Jan. 19, 2002, when UNM was down to BYU 32-31, but came back to win 73-58.
New Mexico had been 0-5 in such situations for all games this season, 0-8 in 2003-04 and had dropped its last 13 opportunities in 2002-03.
SECOND-HALF SURGES – In the second half of the past three games, New Mexico has averaged 46 points and shot 59% (44-74) from the floor, including 73% (27-37) from 2-point range.
NOTES DURING THE 6-GAME WINNING STREAK
Ritchie McKay has used the same five starters: David Chiotti, Troy DeVries, Danny Granger, Alfred Neale and Mark Walters…that quintet is 7-0 all-time at UNM, including one win last season
The fivesome has scored 90% (402 of 446) of the Lobos’ points, grabbed 90% of the individual rebounds (132 of 147) and played 83% (992 of 1,200) of the team’s minutes
New Mexico’s average winning margin during its run is 13.3 points with four victories by 11 points, one by 17 and one by 19
UNM has limited opponents to 43.3% (135-312) shooting and 32.1% (36-112) from 3-point
Meanwhile, the Lobos have shot 52.7% (154-292) from the field, including 57% (53-93) on the San Diego State-UNLV road trip, and 42% (49-116) from 3-point
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 will not return this season.
UTAH WIN PROVES COSTLY – The 65-54 win over Utah on Feb. 21 – ending the Utes’ 18-game winning streak – did not come without a hit to the basketball budget. Several enthusiastic Lobo fans painted their faces and bodies in an effort to show support. Some of those same fans rushed the court after the game to celebrate with their Lobo heroes. The combination of body art and sweat resulted in permanent stains to the white uniforms. Still waiting on the new togs, New Mexico had to wear its red road uniforms in the final home game against Colorado State. UNM hopes to have the new white ones for the MWC Tournament.
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, Alfred Neale 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 assists and 1.9 blocks a game…here’s how Granger ranks in the conference and nationally through March 5:
Scoring – 18.3 – 2nd (MWC) – 49th (NCAA)
Rebounds – 8.5 – 3rd (MWC) – 42nd (NCAA)
Steals – 2.19 – 1st (MWC)
Blocks – 1.92 – 2nd (MWC) – T45th (NCAA)
FG% – 52.9 – 9th (MWC)
3-Pt. FG% – 44.4 – 4th (MWC)
Assists – 2.31 – 13th (MWC)
Surprisingly, of the top-50 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, 34-14 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 9-1 since the move and Walters -like the Lobos – is playing his best basketball right now.
Missing only 26 minutes in the past four games, Walters has scored 66 points on 20-38 FGs (53%), 6-15 on 3s and 20-27 FTs in wins against No. 13 Utah, San Diego State, UNLV and Colorado State. He also has 16 rebounds, 11 assists, 10 steals and just 5 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 UNM and Mountain West Conference history at 46.4%. Coming off a sterling 6 of 8 effort at UNLV, DeVries has made 140 of 302 treys in his 51-game Lobo career. Willie Banks is 2nd at 44.1% (78-177). His 48% career accuracy in conference games only is an MWC record. DeVries shot a salty 51.3% (41-80) from 3-land this season.
DeVries still leads the MWC, averaging 2.97 treys a game, and he is 6th nationally in percentage at 47.5%.
DeVries has made a three-point basket in 26 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 No. 6 on the UNM single-season list with 86 trifectas made, a figure that ranks No. 4 in MWC history. DeVries needs four made to tie Colorado State’s Andy Birley for 3rd place.
Despite playing less than two full season, DeVries is tied for 9th in career 3s at New Mexico with 140 made.
CHIOTTI COOKIN’ – A ailing David Chiotti was limited to nine points against Colorado State, ending a six-game streak where he scored in double figures. However, in the past seven games since Feb. 7, Chiotti has scored 92 points (13.1 ppg), making 35-63 FGs (56%) and 22-32 FTs (69%).
He was especially solid on the most recent 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 9 AND COUNTING – Currently sporting a record of 23-6, the Lobos have won nine more games than all of last season, 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
9 14-14 in 2003-04 to 23-6 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 players finish the season in double figures – with each individual participating in a minimum of 20 games – was 1969-70.
Ritchie McKay has guided the Lobos to their highest ever seed in the MWC Tournament. |
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 42.
NOTES FROM THE ARC
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…the Lobos rank 14th in the nation
While the team is shooting 39.3% for the season, UNM’s four primary longe-range shooters – Troy DeVries, Danny Granger, Alfred Neale and Mark Walters – have combined to make almost 43% (204-476) of their attempts
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 was 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 (38.8%) and 3-point FG percentage defense (31.1%)
Opponents are shooting 31.6% 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 482 straight games, the 12th-longest active streak in NCAA Div. I hoops…UNLV is 1st at more than 595
SOLID SHOOTERS – New Mexico’s season FG percentage is 50%, good for 9th nationally through games of March 5. 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 52.7% (154-292) during their current 6-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 29-3 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 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, the win 62-58 against UNLV.
ROAD A LITTLE KINDER – New Mexico is 5-5 on the road, the most wins away from home since the 1999-2000 team was 5-7. UNM entered the season with a 29-game losing skid away from Albuquerque.
STREAKS AND SUCH – The six-game winning streaks – from Nov. 27-Dec. 18 and currently – are 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.
ALMOST A 16-0 START – Had it not been for a couple of poor-shooting second halves, the Lobos could have started 16-0. On Nov. 22 at Oregon, UNM led 43-41 at halftime. The Lobos trailed by nine twice in the second half, but made it a 2-point game with 16 seconds remaining before falling 79-75. New Mexico hung around despite shooting just 26% (8-31) after halftime, including 22% (4-18) from 3-point.
The Lobos were held to 32.8% accuracy (20-61) by No. 5 Wake Forest in The Pit on Dec. 22, but it was a 4-point game with 11:39 remaining and UNM trailed by just seven at the 8:23 mark. The Demon Deacons eventually won 81-64 to halt UNM’s six-game winning streak.
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 are 18-1 in The Pit this year and have captured 30 of their past 33 at home.