Feb. 24, 2006
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
The New Mexico Lobos’ (16-10, 7-6 MWC) challenging end to the regular season continues Saturday when they play host to league-leading San Diego State (18-8, 11-3 MWC). Game time is 1:04 p.m. MST from The Pit/Bob King Court. The game will be televised by ESPN+Plus with local distribution on UPN 50.
Both teams are coming off road losses, the Lobos 51-46 at Air Force while SDSU fell at BYU 100-90. The Aztecs’ lead in the MWC standings is now one game over Air Force. BYU and UNLV are also just a game back in the loss column. The Lobos are in fifth place in the MWC.
Starting with Air Force on Wednesday, UNM’s last four games are against the top four teams in the conference. New Mexico closes the regular season next week at home against UNLV and at BYU.
The 11 millionth fan to watch a Lobo game in The Pit will pass through the turnstiles Saturday. UNM has drawn 10,995,521 fans – 4,479 shy – for 702 regular season and postseason games (exhibition games do not count). That’s an average of 15,663 since the first game on Dec. 1, 1966. New Mexico is 23-1 in its last 24 home games and 37-3 in the past 40 outings
Game Sponsors include Pepsi & 97.3 Kiss FM. The first 1,000 UNM students will receive Lobo Locos wristbands courtesy of Alltel. The halftime performance will be a basketball game titled Mascot Mania.
BASKETBALL AND BASEBALL ON SATURDAY
Fans can bring their ticket stub from the UNM-San Diego State basketball game to Isotopes Park and get into the Lobo baseball game for just $1. New Mexico hosts Utah Vallley State at 4 p.m.
GAME PREVIEW
The Aztecs beat the Lobos 75-69 in San Diego last month, however, San Diego State has swept the regular-season series over the Lobos just once in the past 22 years, that coming in 2002.
Additionally, the Lobos have a 23-4 series lead over San Diego State in The Pit, and it’s 19-1 in UNM’s favor the past 20 meetings here.
In their victory in San Diego last month, the Aztecs had the best shooting performance against UNM this season: 60% (23-38) overall and a deadly 69% (9-13) from 3-point range, the latter being the most accurate against a Lobo team in 15 years with a minimum of 7 treys made. New Mexico’s defense has been much better of late, allowing only 36.4% shooting, including 32.9% from 3-point, in its past five games.
Both coaches are seeking milestone wins Saturday. UNM’s Ritchie McKay is going after his 150th career coaching win. He is 149-138 in his ninth season as a head coach. Steve Fisher looks for his 100th win while at San Diego State. He is 99-105 in his seventh season.
The preseason pick to win the MWC title, San Diego State leads the league in scoring offense (77.3 ppg), scoring margin (+7.4), FG% (48.9), 3-point FG% (40.8) and steals (8.0) in conference games only.
Anchoring an all-underclassmen starting lineup is arguably the best duo in the league in juniors Brandon Heath and Marcus Slaughter. Heath ranks No. 1 in the MWC in scoring (18.1 in all games, 19.1 in league), 3-point FGs made (2.85 pg) and free-throw accuracy (85.3) while Slaughter is averaging a double-double at 17.0 ppg and 10.7 rebounds.
New Mexico’s Mark Walters need seven points to pass Johnny Brown (1,157) and Charlie Thomas (1,158) for 17th place on the school’s career scoring list. In conference games only, Walters is the only player in the MWC to rank in the top-20 in points, rebounds, assists and steals.
David Chiotti needs 7 rebounds to reach 600. That would make him just the eighth Lobo to reach 1,100 points and 600 boards.
LOBO NITTY-GRITTY
The Lobos have a 42-17 record the past two seasons, the most wins among Mountain West Conference schools…Utah is 41-19
The Lobos’ 42 wins the past two seasons are the most in consecutive years since gathering 43 in 1998-99 (25) and 1999-00 (18)
Likewise, UNM’s 17 victories in MWC play are the most in back-to-back conference campaigns since winning 18 in 1998-99 (9 in the WAC) and 1999-00 (9 in MWC)
At 16-10, the Lobos are guaranteed their 22nd non-losing season – and 20th winning record – in the past 23 years…New Mexico’s only sub-.500 record since 1983-84 was 10-18 in 2002-03
Despite averaging 58 points, shooting 42.3% from the field, 30% from 3-point, 67% from the FT line and being out-rebounded by an average of 6.4 boards a game, New Mexico is 4-1 in its last five games…that’s because the Lobos have limited the opponents to 53.8 ppg on 36% shooting, including 33% from 3-point…UNM also has a positive turnover margin of 43.6 during the streak…a look at the stats:
UNM is 10-3 in February games the past two seasons
Walters and David Chiotti each gained admttance into UNM’s 1,000-point club in the Jan. 14 contest at Wyoming…the last time two Lobos reached 1,000 points in the same season, let alone the same game, was Luc Longley and Rob Robbins in 1989-90
Walters could enter a more exclusive club, that of 1,000 points and 500 rebounds…there are presently 13 members with Chiotti the most recent addition…Walters is 31 caroms shy
BYU ENDS HOME WINNING STREAK…AGAIN
Before the loss to BYU on Feb. 1, New Mexico’s 21-game home winning streak tied for the 3rd-longest streak in school history and was the 4th-longest current string in NCAA Div. I hoops. The Cougars have now snapped the top-three home winning streaks in Lobo history.
The last home loss for the Lobos before BYU was 81-74 to No. 5 Wake Forest on Dec. 22, 2004. UNM had also prevailed in 10 consecutive MWC home games, the most recent loss being dealt by UNLV (78-75) on March 1, 2004.
Still, after going 18-1 at home last year, the Lobos have won 31 of their past 33 in The Pit and are 43-4 in their last 47.
GOV. RICHARDSON MAKES FINANCIAL PLEDGE TO PIT RENOVATION
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson announced at a news conference Jan. 28 that he is pledging $15 million to improving athletics facilities at the University of New Mexico. The focal point of Richardson’s capital outlay is an $8 million down payment for the renovation and modernization of The Pit/Bob King Court. The venerable arena is currently in its 40th year of existence.
Additionally, Richardson said $6 million will be provided to construct an indoor workout complex for Lobo football and other Olympic sports, while $1 million is targeted to build lockerrooms and meetings rooms for men’s and women’s soccer.
The preliminary scope of work at The Pit includes the expansion of the north, east and west concourses. The north concourse will house a new entrance, ticket office and Lobo Store. The expansion of the east and west concourses will provide new restrooms and concessions areas and easier mobility for fans. Richardson said he would like to see the project at The Pit completed in the next two years.
“It has been almost 23 years since Jim Valvano and North Carolina State won the national championship in The Pit,” said Gov. Richardson. “If it is to continue to be one of the best arenas in college basketball, it has to be updated, and this is the first step in that effort. The Pit is nearly 40 years old. This money will be used to provide fan conveniences that have become necessary to continue UNM’s storied history with NCAA men’s and women’s tournament games.”
“One of the last things Con Colbert (UNM deputy athletics director) and I wanted to see happen before we retired was a renovation plan for The Pit,” said University of New Mexico director of athletics Rudy Davalos. “Governor Richardson’s extremely generous commitment to not only the arena, but to the indoor facility and soccer facility, has made this possible. The modernization of The Pit is a benefit not only to Lobo athletics and our fans, but to the entire state of New Mexico. It will greatly enhance the state boy’s and girl’s high school basketball tournaments, NCAA basketball tournaments that UNM plans to host, plus other events like concerts and shows.”
LOBO HEAD COACH Ritchie McKay
Ritchie McKay is his fourth season in charge of Lobo hoops and his 11th year as a collegiate head coach. He was named UNM’s 18th head coach on March 28, 2002.
He has a career record of 149-138, 65-49 at New Mexico. McKay is 56-13 at home, 40-20 in all non-conference games, 36-7 in non-league games at The Pit and 5-13 in road/neutral games. He is 26-29 in MWC games, 21-6 at home and 5-23 on the road.
The 26-7 record in 2004-05 is easily the best season of McKay’s career, surpassing a 19-11 ledger at Colorado State in 1998-99. The Lobos won the MWC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999, while posting the second-highest win total in school history. It was McKay’s first trip to the Big Dance.
McKay had previous two-year stops at Portland State (1996-98), Colorado State (1998-2000) and Oregon State (2000-02).
BIG-TIME TURNAROUND UNDER McKAY
Head coach Ritchie McKay’s first two Lobo teams went 24-32, but UNM had just eight scholarship players available in his first season of 2002-03 and only 10 in his second year. Since the 5/8 rule was repealed after the 2003-04 season, the Lobos have posted a 42-17 record since 2004-05, the most wins among MWC schools. Other tidbits:
McKay, Norm Ellenberger and Dave Bliss are the only head coaches to take the Lobos to the NCAA Tournament within their first three years at the post
Picked to finish 4th in the MWC in 2004-05, the Lobos finished 26-7 overall, 2nd in the conference at 10-4, won the MWC Tournament for the first time in nine years and only the third time in school history, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six years
The 26 wins in 2004-05 were the second-best total in school history and were a 12-win improvement from 2003-04…that tied for the 2nd-largest jump in program history and tied for the 3rd-highest in NCAA Div. I men’s basketball
Won five straight games away from The Pit in 2004-05, a feat last accomplished in 1977-78
Five Lobo seniors who completed their eligibility at UNM are now playing professionally (Javin Tindall, Ruben Douglas, Alfred Neale, Troy DeVries and Danny Granger)…the other two – Ryan Ashcraft and Senque Carey – had their careers cut short by injury
ROUGH START FOR McKAY AT UNM
It was a daunting challenging for McKay in his first two seasons at New Mexico. In his second game as Lobos head coach on Nov. 25, 2002, starting senior point guard Senque (sen-Q) Carey suffered a freak spinal cord injury in the first half against Northwestern (La.) State. He was partially paralyzed for several weeks before regaining full movement, but was unable to resume his playing career. Carey’s absence left New Mexico with just eight scholarship players and two walk-ons. Of those 10 players, seven were in their first year at UNM.
Sophomores Jamaal Williams (Washington) and Chad Bell (Nevada) transferred after the 2002-03 season, leaving New Mexico with just 10 scholarship players for the 2003-04. Mark Walters suffered a torn ACL in May of 2003 and never fully recovered until the 2004-05 season. In August of 2003, Billy Feeney, a promising 6-9 sophomore who had transferred from Portland State, took his own life.
The elimination of the 5/8 rule really helped before the 2004-05 campaign as it was able to add five scholarship players, reaching the full complement of 13.
LOBOS PREDICTED FOR 5TH-PLACE FINISH IN MOUNTAIN WEST
New Mexico was picked to finish fifth in the 2005-06 Mountain West Conference race during the league’s preseason media gathering last month in Salt Lake City. Voters were a combination of head coaches and media. UNM was picked to finish fourth in 2004-05, but ended up second behind Utah.
AIR FORCE RECAP & NOTES
Antoine Hood scored 16 points and Air Force held New Mexico to its lowest total of the season in its 51-46 win over the Lobos Wednesday night. Dan Nwaelele and Matt McCraw each added 10 points – both making three 3-pointers – for the Falcons, who extended their home winning streak to 14 games this season.
Mark Walters led the Lobos with 17 points, while David Chiotti scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for New Mexico.
McCraw’s 3-pointer gave the Falcons a 35-28 lead with 7:48 remaining, but the Lobos climbed back, helped by Air Force’s poor free-throw shooting down the stretch. The Falcons missed five throws in the game’s final 4:29.
Walters and Kellen Walter each hit 3-pointers late in the game to pull New Mexico within two points with a minute remaining. McCraw made one free throw, then missed his second with 33 seconds remaining to make it 47-44. But Chiotti lost the ball out-of-bounds in front of the Air Force bench after McCraw’s miss, giving the Falcons the ball back.
Hood couldn’t seal the win with 22.9 seconds left, making just one free throw. Chad Toppert then hit a shot under the basket to make it 48-46 with 16.6 remaining. Jacob Burtschi then made two free throws and Hood added another for the final margin.
The Falcons confounded the Lobos the entire game. New Mexico shot 37.3 percent from the field and scored just 18 first-half points – also its lowest first-half total of the season.
The Lobos have lost six straight to Air Force at the Academy
UNM scored a season-low 46 points, the fewest since a 73-43 loss at Utah on Feb. 23, 2004
Air Force led 19-18 at halftime, the fewest points by both teams in any half this season…only three Lobos scored in the first half (David Chiotti, Tony Danridge and Mark Walters)
UNM shot 25% (6-24) from 3-point, and has converted just 24% (13-55) the past 3 games, lowering the season percentage to 34%, including 32% in 13 MWC games
New Mexico shot 37.3% (19-51) from the floor overall and has been under 40% in consecutive games for the first time since last year (at home to UNLV and at BYU)
The Lobos had been 9-0 this season when holding the opponent under 60 points…they are now 9-1
UNM was 2 of 4 from the FT line, the lowest totals of the season
Senior David Chiotti had 12 points and 11 rebounds for his 1st career double-double in a Mountain West Conference game…it was his 5th d-d this season and 9th of his career…Chiotti also had 5 assists, giving him 18 in the past 4 games…he has led, or shared the team lead, in assists each of the past 4 games
Senior Mark Walters led the Lobos with 17 points…he also had 3 steals, moving into sole possession of 8th place all-time at UNM with 148…Walters has 57 steals this season, 4 from climbing into the school’s top-10
Freshman Chad Toppert played a career-high 18 minutes and finished with 5 points and 2 rebounds
Sophomore Blake Harden made his 9th start of the season, but first since Dec. 22 at the U. of San Diego…he had a career-high 5 rebounds in a career-best 32 minutes
Senior Jeff Hart made a 3-pointer in the second half, his first since at Utah on Jan. 14…the made 3 ended a streak of 14 straight misses
Mark Walters: A LOT OF TOOLS
Doing his best Danny Granger imitation, although about six inches shorter, 6-2 senior guard Mark Walters ranks in the top-20 in the Mountain West Conference in six different statistical categories through games of Feb. 22.
Walters is one of only four Lobos all-time to collect 1,100 points, 450 rebounds, 220 assists and 130 steals. The others are Hunter Greene, Charles Smith and Lamont Long.
HISTORIC COMEBACK
The Lobos’ overcame an 11-point second-half deficit to win at Colorado State 80-78. UNM trailed 40-29 after CSU scored the first six points of the second half. The 11-point margin is New Mexico’s largest comeback in an MWC game under head coach Ritchie McKay. The previous best was 9 points against UNLV last year in The Pit. The Lobos trailed in that game 38-29 only to win 62-58.
The last time New Mexico came back from at least an 11-point second-half deficit to win a road game was at UTEP on Jan. 20, 1996. The Lobos trailed 30-13 in the first half and 30-18 at the break, but rallied to beat the Miners 64-60.
CLUTCH FRESHMAN
True freshman Ryan Kersten has come up with some big plays down the stretch to secure victories in MWC play. He scored five of the Lobos’ last six points in a 56-54 win over TCU. Kersten’s 3-pointer with 3:36 left brought UNM to within a point at 54-53, then he grabbed a rebound and went coast-to-coast for a layup that was the eventual game-winner with 1:58 remaining.
Against Air Force, Kersten finished with 11 points, but none was bigger than a pair of white-knuckle FTs he calmly sank with eight seconds remaining to provide the final score of 62-59. Earlier, Kersten rebounded a deflected shot under the basket and put in a reverse layup with 1:43 left to snap a 54-all tie.
STATS TRENDS
The Lobos are 14-2 this season when they shoot better than their opponent…since 2003-04, New Mexico is 50-4 in that situation…the only losses came last year against Air Force (UNM 69.2% to AFA’s 50%) and to Villanova (29.8% to 28.3%) in the NCAA Tournament, and this year against Washington (54% to 50%) and BYU (UNM 53% to BYU’s 49%)…the record is 89-8 since 2000-01
New Mexico is 7-0 this season when it out-rebounds the opposition, 22-2 since 2004-05
Since 2004-05, the Lobos are 37-4 when they lead at halftime…the losses are this year against BYU in The Pit (led 42-37, lost 77-71) and three on the road: last year at Oregon (led 43-41, lost 79-75) and this year at Kansas State (led 35-26, lost 68-56) and at Wyoming (led 33-27, lost 77-70)
Under Ritchie McKay since 2002-03, UNM is 6-34 when it trails at halftime, however, four of the wins have come this year:
New Mexico State down 32-28 won 71-68 in OT
Air Force down 25-24 won 62-59
at Colorado State down 34-29 won 80-78
Wyoming down 24-23 won 47-45
DEFENSE NOTES
The Lobos are allowing just 62.3 points a game, 2nd-best in the conference…for an entire season, that would be the lowest figure in 22 years, since the 1983-84 Lobos yielded just 59.2 ppg
New Mexico opened the year by doing something it had not accomplished in 60 years and that is holding its first three opponents to less than 50 points…in 1945-46, UNM shackled New Mexico State twice (38-31 and 50-23) and Arizona (42-37) to begin the season
The Lobos held TCU to just 21% (13-62) shooting in a 53-42 victory at Fort Worth on Feb. 11…that’s the poorest accuracy by a Lobo opponent in nearly 42 years…UNM held Howard Payne to 15% (6-40) accuracy in a 102-32 victory at Johnson Gym on Dec. 23, 1964
In that win at TCU, UNM allowed its fewest points in a road game since Jan. 23, 1984, when it defeated Wyoming 40-38 at Laramie…also, New Mexico allowed its fewest points in a conference game – home or away – since beating BYU 74-32 in The Pit on Feb. 3, 1997
The Lobos allowed just 87 points in back-to-back games: a 53-42 victory at TCU and a 47-45 decision over Wyoming…that’s the fewest points given up in consecutive games since December of 1985 when UNM beat New Mexico State 54-44 and Kent State 52-40…it’s the fewest points in consecutive conference games in 57 years…playing in the Border Conference, the Lobos knocked off Arizona State 41-38 and Northern Arizona 46-41 in February of 1949
UNM held TCU and Wyoming to less than 30% shooting from the floor…the last time that happened in back-to-back games was the first two games of the 1981-82 season against Midwestern State (26.9%) and Missouri Baptist (27.9%)
SEASON NOTES
From 2002-05 (85 total games), the Lobos were 7-10 in games decided by 5 points or less…so far in 2005-06 they’re 6-1
The 53-point victory margin over Ole Miss (95-42) ties for UNM’s 7th largest win in school history and ties for the 5th-widest margin in The Pit
New Mexico was outrebounded 33-20 at Kansas State…that’s the fewest caroms for UNM in eight seasons, since gathering 20 in a 77-62 win over Colorado State on Feb. 7, 1998
GOOD START TO ATHLETICS SEASON
New Mexico’s fall sports all posted .500 records or better, highlighted by men’s soccer, which advanced to the NCAA title game before falling to Maryland 1-0. Head coach Jeremy Fishbein’s squad finished 18-2-3, their fourth NCAA appearance in the past five years.
Football went 6-5, giving head coach Rocky Long his fifth consecutive non-losing season. Women’s soccer was 8-7-4 and made it to the championship match of the MWC Tournament. Volleyball had its best record in nine years, finishing 14-14.
The UNM women’s basketball team has been ranked in the top-25 most of the season. They are 19-7 overall, 9-4 in MWC games.
NEW DIGS FOR LOBO HOOPS: RUDY DAVALOS BASKETBALL CENTER
Both the UNM men’s and women’s basketball teams are now practicing in a new facility adjacent to The Pit. Coaches’ offices and other rooms should be completed very soon. The $4.2 million project was funded by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and members of the state legislature during the 2004 and 2005 legislative sessions.
The UNM Board of Regents announced in October that the facility will be called the Rudy Davalos Basketball Center, in honor of the current Lobos’ athletics director, who announced his retirement effective Aug. 31, 2006. Davalos has been the AD at UNM since November of 1992.
The new facility was designed by the Albuquerque architectural firm of Molzen-Corbin & Associates. The general contractor is The Jaynes Corporation of Albuquerque.
The facility will provide more than 26,000 square feet. In addition to the practice court and offices, the complex will have coaches’ locker rooms, a video room, computer lab, hospitality area with a caterer’s kitchen, media workroom and a stylish lobby entrance that will showcase the rich history and strong tradition of the men’s and women’s basketball programs.
Quick Facts on the Rudy Davalos Basketball Center
26,100 square feet
six baskets with one full-size court (94 feet running east-west) or two courts measuring 85 feet, runnning north-south
offices for men’s and women’s basketball coaches and staff
coaches’ locker room
video room and computer lab for student-athletes
hospitality room with a caterer’s kitchen
a main lobby featuring display cabinets and kiosks showcasing the tradition and history of Lobo basketball
the practice court will also be used as a media workroom for upcoming NCAA Basketball Championship events, including the 2006 Women’s Albuquerque Regional
GRANGER QUITE A LOSS
Danny Granger was the only player in NCAA Div. I basketball in 2004-05 to average at least 18 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 assists and 2 blocks a game.
Granger finished 6 points shy of 1,000 in his 52-game UNM career. That’s a career average of 19.1 per game. He is the only Lobo to register 50 assists, 50 blocks and 50 steals in a season and he is the sole member of the 60-60-60 club.
2005-06 PERSONNEL PICTURE
The Lobos return eight lettermen, including two starters, from last year’s team that finished 26-7, won the MWC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999. Chad Toppert, a redshirt last season, gives the Lobos nine players total returning from 2004-05.
The biggest loss from a year ago is Danny Granger, the 17th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, going to the Indiana Pacers. The versatile 6-8 forward led the team in scoring (18.8 ppg), rebounding (8.9 rpg), blocks (2.0 bpg) and steals (2.1 spg). He was an All-American (AP honorable mention, Basketball Times 3rd Team), two-time first team All-MWC and the 2005 MWC Tournament Most Valuable Player.
Other starters lost include Alfred Neale and Troy DeVries, both who are playing professionally as well.
The trio of Granger, DeVries (11.0 ppg) and Neale (10.3) combined to average 40.1 points a game.
Additionally, they were the top 3-pointer shooters on the team, making a combined 43% (197-of-455) of their attempts.
Other lettermen who did not returning are 6-7 forward Bambale Osby, 6-0 guard Ryan Wall and 6-9 forward Sean Phaler. Osby, Wall and Phaler all decided to transfer.
Returning starters include senior forward David Chiotti (10.4 ppg) and senior guard Mark Walters (10.5 ppg). Senior Kris Collins, who started 18 games before being sidelined with a foot injury, senior Jeff Hart, junior Kellen Walter and sophomores Tony Danridge, Blake Harden and Darren Prentice are also be back.
LOBOS IN THE PIT
The 2005-06 season marks the 40th year of basketball in The Pit/Bob King Court, which was completed in December of 1966. UNM has an all-time mark of 568-134 (81%) in the building that resides 37 feet below street level. The Lobos, who had won 21 straight before a Feb.1 loss to BYU, have had a winning record in The Pit in 39 of their 40 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 169-32 (84%) at home.
LOBOS IN THE NBA
Three former Lobos are currently on NBA rosters. Danny Granger (2004-05) is a rookie with the Indiana Pacers. Kenny Thomas (1996-99) plays for the Sacramento Kings and Charles Smith (1994-97) is with Portland.
SEASON NO. 103
The 2005-06 season is the 103rd 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 1,248-977 (.560). New Mexico was 418-495 (.458) from 1900-62, but has gone 830-482 (.633) over the past 44 seasons, an average of nearly 19 wins per year. The Lobos have made 27 trips to the postseason during that span, including 11 appearances in the NCAA Tournament and 16 showings in the NIT.
2005-06 SCHEDULE NOTES
UNM had four non-conference games away from Albuquerque for the first time since playing six in 1987-88 when it visited Washington, New Mexico State, Texas and Oklahoma, plus neutral games against Seton Hall and Iowa State in the Preseason NIT at New York. The non-conference schedule also featured four teams from BCS leagues (Ole Miss, Kansas State, Washington, Oregon). The last time UNM played four BCS schools in the regular season was 1997-98: Arizona, Texas Tech, Southern California and UCLA.
POSTSEASON PERENNIALS
UNM has appeared in the NCAA Tournament or NIT eight of the past 10 years and 19 times in the last 22 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 eight NCAA Tournament appearances since 1991, including a school-record four straight from 1996-99, moving to the second round each time.
NOTES FROM THE ARC
UNM has made a 3-point basket in 512 straight games, the 12th-longest active streak in NCAA Div. I hoops. UNLV is 1st at more than 610.
THREE SIGN IN EARLY PERIOD
The University of New Mexico received national letters-of-intent from three future Lobos during the November early-signing period: Jeffrey Henfield (Nassau, Bahamas), Roman (pronounced ro-MAHN) Martinez (El Paso, Texas) and Derek Oestreicher (Shasta Lake, Calif.) all committed to join New Mexico’s men’s basketball program beginning with the 2006-07 season.
Henfield is a 6-4 swingman who averaged 19 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists last year at Northeast Nebraska Community College. Martinez, a 6-7 wing from El Paso Montwood High School, averaged 15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks last season. Oestreicher (pronounced A-striker) is a 6-10, 240-pound center from Liberty Christian HS in Shasta Lake, Calif. He averaged 21 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks last year.
AND TWO SITTING OUT
The Lobos also have two pretty solid transfers sitting out. J.R. Giddens, who came to UNM from Kansas, will have two years of eligibility remaining starting with the 2006-07 season. Aaron Johnson is a transfer from Penn State who will be a senior in 2006-07 and have one year left.
A 6-5 wing, Giddens was a McDonald’s High School All-American in 2003 coming out of John Marshall HS in Oklahoma City. He was ranked as the 17th-best prospect in the country by ESPN.com. Giddens was a two-year starter for the Jayhawks, playing in all 63 games with 56 starts. He was KU’s third leading scorer last year, averaging 10.1 points. Giddens averaged 11.3 points per game his freshman season, receiving Big 12 All-Freshman Team and honorable mention all-Big 12 honors.
Johnson led the Big Ten in rebounding as a junior, averaging 9.9 boards a game. His career averages at Penn State were 10.2 ppg and 8.2 rpg. Johnson grabbed 24 rebounds in a win over Western Carolina, tying for the second-highest single-game total in the NCAA last season. He was the only player in the NCAA last year with multiple 20+ rebound games with three.
2004-05 REVIEW
It was a breakout season for the University of New Mexico in 2004-05 as it won the Mountain West Conference Tournament to culminate a sparkling nine-game winning streak and return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six years. The Lobos, picked to finish fourth in the MWC preseason poll, fell to 23rd-ranked Villanova 55-47 in the first round of the Syracuse Regional.
New Mexico finished 26-7 on the year, the second-highest win total in school history and a 12-win improvement from 2003-04. It’s also two more victories than the previous two seasons combined as UNM went 24-32 in 2002-03 and 2003-04.
Only national champion North Carolina and Texas A&M progressed by a greater margin that UNM did in 2004-05. The Tar Heels and Aggies each constructed 14 more wins than last year. The Lobos closed the season by winning 9 of 10 and 12 of 14, including their first conference tournament title since 1996.
The No. 2 seed in the MWC Tournament in Denver, UNM ran past BYU, San Diego State and 15th-ranked Utah to claim the league’s automatic bid to the Big Dance.
Before the loss to Villanova, the Lobos had won five straight games away from Albuquerque, a feat last achieved in 1977-78 when they won six in a row.
It was the first NCAA appearance for UNM’s Ritchie McKay, either as a player, assistant coach or head coach. McKay did have a 2-1 record in the 1999 NIT while at Colorado State. His previous eight teams had never won more than 19 games in a season.
After starting the conference season 1-3, the Lobos finished 10-4 in the MWC, placing second behind nationally-ranked Utah. The 10 wins came on the heels of four straight losing records in conference play and were the most since 11 victories in the Western Athletic Conference in 1998.
The Lobos’ nine-game winning streak began against Air Force on Feb. 14 when the quintet of David Chiotti, Troy DeVries, Danny Granger, Alfred Neale and Mark Walters started together for the first time. The nine-game skein is the longest for a Ritchie McKay-coached team and the Lobos’ best run since taking nine straight in 2000-01.
2004-05 NITTY-GRITTY
A 12-win improvement from 2003-04 and 16 games better than two years ago
The 26 wins are the 2nd-most in school history, trailing only 1995-96 (28-5)
10 conference wins for the first time in seven years
Had a 9-game winning streak between Feb. 14-March 12
26-4 record with Danny Granger, 0-3 when he was out with injury
Granger was 3rd team All-America by Basketball Times, MWC Player of the Year by CollegeInsider.com and MVP of the MWC Tournament
8-6 record away from The Pit, 3-4 in MWC road games
Won 5 straight games away from Albuquerque for the first time since 1977-78
Won consecutive MWC road games for the first time in five years
18-1 in The Pit – including nine straight wins to end the season – the only loss being dealt by nationally-ranked Wake Forest
DOUBLE YOUR FUN
Both the UNM men’s and women’s teams captured MWC Tournament titles in Denver last year, the first time that’s happened in school history. The Lobo women (26-5) won their third straight conference tournament and made their fourth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The only other time that both the men and women played in the NCAA Tournament in the same year was 1998.
A BOWL AND TWO BIDS
New Mexico was one of 11 schools in 2004-05 to have its football team play in a bowl game and also have both its men’s and women’s basketball teams qualify for the NCAA Tournament during the 2004-05 academic season. The others were Boston College, Connecticut, Iowa State, LSU, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech and Utah.
PLUS 12 IN THE WIN COLUMN
Finishing with a record of 26-7, the 2004-05 Lobos won 12 more games than the previous season, the 2nd-largest improvement in school history. A look at the biggest jumps:
13 15-15 in 1994-95 28-5 in 1995-96
12 14-14 in 2003-04 26-7 in 2004-05
10 6-20 in 1961-62 16-9 in 1962-63
2004-05 LOBOS AMONG NATION’S MOST IMPROVED TEAMS
Among the 330 NCAA Div. I men’s basketball teams in 2004-05, the University of New Mexico ranked in a tie for 3rd place in the category of “Most Improved Team” during. The list includes records from 2003-04 and 2004-05:
+14 North Carolina 19-11 to 33-4
+14 Texas A&M 7-21 to 21-10
+12 New Mexico 14-14 to 26-7