Feb. 2, 2009
Get your tickets for Wyoming and UNLV!
Lobo Men’s Basketball Game Notes vs. Wyoming
The first half of the Mountain West Conference season comes to an end for New Mexico (13-9, 4-3 MWC) Tuesday as it plays host to Wyoming (14-7, 3-4 MWC). Tip-off is 8:05 p.m. Mountain Time from The Pit / Bob King Court.
The game will be televised live nationally by CBS College Sports, which is channel 274 on Comcast cable in Albuquerque, channel 613 on DirecTV and channel 152 on Dish Network. Tom Hart and Steve Lappas will call the game. Game Sponsors are Alltel Wireless, Kiss 97.3 and La Jefa 105.1.
After Saturday’s teeth-gnashing 69-68 loss at Utah, the Lobos, BYU and TCU start the week at 4-3 in the MWC. That’s one game behind San Diego State, UNLV and Utah for first place in the Mountain West Conference. Those three teams are all 5-2.
The Utah game was decided when Lawrence Borha put in a 10-foot baseline runner with 10 seconds remaining. Chad Toppert had a chance to win in, but his contested 3-pointer bounced off the rim.
The Lobos had taken a 64-58 lead with 5:32 remaining when Roman Martinez nailed his fourth 3-pointer of the half. At that point in the game, UNM was 13 of 16 from the floor in the second half. It got tougher down the stretch as the Lobos missed 7 of their final 9 shots, the front end of a 1-and-1 and committed two turnovers. New Mexico did not score the final 2:57 of the game after leading 68-65.
Senior post Daniel Faris got the better of Utah’s Luke Nevill with 18 points and 8 rebounds in a season-high 35 minutes. Nevill was held to 11 points, 6 boards and just 2 of 8 shooting.
The Lobos shot 54% from the floor and 62% (8-13) from 3-point, while holding the Utes to 41% shooting. However, Utah was 10-of-21 from beyond the 3-point line.
UNM’s last six meetings against Utah have been decided by 3 points or less – a total of 20 points – or in overtime.
New Mexico’s three losses in conference play – all on the road at UNLV, San Diego State and Utah – have been settled by a combined 8 points.
Despite an 84-60 loss Saturday at BYU, Wyoming has already surpassed its win total from last year when it finished 12-18. The Cowboys boast four of the MWC’s top-9 scorers in Brandon Ewing (18.2), Afam Muojeke (15.6), Tyson Johnson (15.5) and Sean Ogirri (14.7) and is 2nd in the MWC in scoring at 79.3 points a game.
Ewing leads the MWC in scoring (18.2), assists (5.38) and minutes (38.29).
The Lobos have done a great job of defending Ewing, especially in The Pit. In three career games against UNM in Albuquerque, Ewing has scored a total of 13 points on 4 of 31 FGs (13%) and 1 of 13 (7.7%) tries from 3-point. His season scoring low in 2007 (4 points) and 2008 (6 points) came in The Pit.
THE NEW MEXICO-WYOMING SERIES
It’s game No. 117 in a series that started Dec. 18, 1950. Wyoming has a slight 62-54 lead. After sweeping the season series from the Cowboys last year for the first time since 1994, UNM looks for its first 3-game winning streak against the Pokes since a 5-game run between 1992-94.
Last year in Laramie, UNM staged its largest second-half comeback in a road game in school history in the 99-92 double OT victory. UNM trailed 48-32 at halftime. New Mexico’s largest comeback was Jan. 15, 1993, at Hawai’i when it came back from 20 points (31-11) down in the first half to win 61-58.
The Lobos snagged their first win at the Double-A since Feb. 18, 1995, snapping a 10-game slide in Laramie.
UNM won 100-55 in Albuquerque, recording its widest margin of victory ever over the Cowboys. The Lobos lead the series 34-23 in Albuquerque, 29-14 at The Pit and they have won five in a row. Wyoming’s last win here was in 2003, however, only BYU with 17 has more wins in The Pit than the Cowboys.
SCOUTING THE COWBOYS
Wyoming returns three starters and four letterwinners from last year’s team that finished 12-18 and 5-11 (8th) in the MWC. Heath Schroyer is 61-72 in his fifth season as a collegiate head coach, 26-25 in his second year with the Cowboys.
GRANGER SELECTED TO NBA ALL-STAR GAME
Former University of New Mexico All-American Danny Granger (2003-05) was chosen as a Eastern Conference reserve for the 58th NBA All-Star Game Feb. 15 in Phoenix. Granger is in his fourth year with the Indiana Pacers. He was a 1st-round draft pick in 2006.
Through Saturday’s games, Granger was 5th in the league in scoring, averaging 25.5 points. Only Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki are scoring at a higher clip that Granger.
Granger is the first former Lobo to play in an NBA All-Star game. Mel Daniels (1965-67) was a 7-time ABA All-Star, ironically, six times when he played with the Indiana Pacers.
NOTES TO KNOW BEFORE THE GAME
In the last three home games, New Mexico has held Air Force (53), BYU (62) and Colorado State (50) to their lowest scoring totals of the season
In MWC games only, the Lobos lead the league in the following categories: Scoring Defense (61.0 ppg), FG% Def. (40.9). 3-pt. FG% (42.4), 3-pt FG% Def. (32.8), scoring margin (+10.1), turnover margin (+3.29)
In MWC games, Chad Toppert leads the league in FT% at 96% (22-23)
New Mexico is shooting 50.5% (95-188) from the floor the past 4 games
The Lobos are shooting 39% from 3-point this season, but a league-leading 42.4% in MWC contests, and 44.8% (39-87) in the past 6 conference games
UNM head coach Steve Alford is 26-4 all-time in The Pit, 9-2 in MWC games
Of UNM’s 33 games in 2007-08, six were decided by 3 points or less, and it went 2-4…the 2008-09 squad has already surpassed that total for nail-biters, recording a 4-3 mark
FG% defense has been a strength of UNM teams under Steve Alford…last year, UNM held opponents to 41.0%, the 4th-lowest by a Lobo team in the past 43 years…it’s even better this season at 39.8%, which currently ranks 1st in the MWC…the last time New Mexico held the opposition to under 40% for an entire season was 1964-65 (36.7%)…opponents have shot just 40.5% (1,115-2,750) in 55 games against Alford’s Lobo teams
Only one time in the past 27 games has an opponent made 50% of its FG tries against the Lobos…San Diego State hit an even 50% (23-46) on Jan. 21, 2009
The Lobos have won 27 straight games when allowing less than 60 points, and they are 48-2 in such games since 2004-05
Woeful from the FT line for most of the season, UNM has made 76.1% (134-176) of its FTs the past 7 games (73.8% in MWC games) increasing the season average to 68.7%
Senior Tony Danridge became the 25th member of New Mexico’s 1,000-point club when he scored 14 points at San Diego State…he has 1,042 points for his career to rank No. 22 on the all-time list…Ike Williams is No. 21 with 1,086 points
The Lobos are 3-5 in true road games this year, and 11-11 in head coach Steve Alford’s tenure at New Mexico…in the five seasons before Alford arrived, UNM had an 8-43 road record…UNM went 8-6 in 2007-08, tying a school record
Dating to last season, UNM is 5-3 in its last 8 MWC road games
Three Lobos did not play basketball last season: senior Tony Danridge was out with a broken leg while freshmen Will Brown and A.J. Hardeman were tending to academics
UNM has the top-3 single-game assist totals in the MWC this year: 29 vs. Ole Miss, 26 vs. Southeast Missouri and 25 vs. Grambling
The Lobos are 38-2 in their last 40 non-conference home games
New Mexico had to rally from 12 or more points twice during a 4-game winning streak in December…UNM trailed Southern Miss 30-18, before prevailing 60-58…there was a 34-19 hole against Oral Roberts, but the Lobos rallied for a 66-63 victory
Senior Chad Toppert ranks No. 1 at UNM, making 45% of his career 3s…he is 3rd at UNM and 4th in the MWC with 239 career 3s
It looks like four true scholarship freshmen will letter for UNM in 2008-09: Will Brown, Nate Garth, A.J. Hardeman and Phillip McDonald…that has happened only one other time in the history of Lobo basketball: 1983-84 when five Lobos – Paul Connery, Hunter Greene, Larry Markland, Kelvin Scarborough and Mike Winters – all saw time…freshmen became eligible to play with the varsity in 1973-74
ALL 3 LOBO SENIORS TO GRADUATE IN MAY
All three New Mexico three seniors – Tony Danridge, Daniel Faris and Chad Toppert – will graduate in May with their bachelor’s degree. Danridge is majoring in University Studies, Faris in Mass Media/Communications and Toppert in Business. All three have participated in more than 111 games in their careers at New Mexico: Danridge (117), Toppert (115) and Faris (111).
UNM-WYOMING LAST YEAR IN ALBUQUERQUE
J.R. Giddens scored 21 of his career-high 36 points in a lopsided first half as New Mexico beat Wyoming 100-55. Giddens, who was 15-of-24 from the field, also had 11 rebounds and six steals as the Lobos completed a season sweep of the Cowboys for the first time since 1994.
Chad Toppert added 18 points – making five 3-pointers – for New Mexico, which reached 100 points for the first time this season. It also marked the first time that Wyoming has given up 100 points this season. Brad Jones had 13 points to pace the Cowboys, who trailed 50-34 at halftime. Giddens scored seven points in an 18-2 run midway through the first half that gave the Lobos a 29-9 lead.
A 13-0 run midway through the second half made it 76-46 and New Mexico coasted from there.
UNM-WYOMING LAST YEAR IN LARAMIE
Jamaal Smith scored 27 points, including 11 in overtime, to lead New Mexico over Wyoming 99-92 in double overtime. Smith hit three 3-pointers in the second half to help the Lobos overcome a 16-point halftime deficit.
J.R. Giddens scored five straight points to put New Mexico ahead 73-71 with 22 seconds remaining in regulation, but Wyoming’s Joseph Taylor banked in a turnaround jumper on the ensuing possession to send the game into overtime.
Giddens scored four more points in the first overtime to give the Lobos an 82-81 lead with 22.2 seconds left, but a Taylor free throw with 17.9 seconds left tied the score at 82, forcing a second overtime.
Giddens finished with 16 points, and Darren Prentice added 12 points for New Mexico.
Ryan Dermody led Wyoming with 24 points. Taylor finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds, and Brad Jones and Brandon Ewing each scored 15 for the Cowboys.
Dermody hit three 3-pointers during a 19-4 run that gave Wyoming a 26-15 lead with 11:25 remaining in the first half. New Mexico pulled within 39-32 10 minutes later, but Wyoming scored the final nine points of the period to take a 48-32 lead into halftime. The Lobos got back into the game with a 16-2 run to open the second half.
POSTGAME NOTES FROM THE UTAH LOSS
It is the third straight game against Utah decided by 2 points or less…the past 6 games between the two teams have been decided by a total of 20 points with four going into overtime
All three of UNM’s MWC losses this season have come on the road – UNLV, San Diego State and Utah – by a total of 8 points
The Lobos took a 64-58 lead with 5:32 remaining after junior Roman Martinez nailed his fourth 3-pointer of the half…at that point in the game, UNM was 13 of 16 from the floor in the second half…it got tougher down the stretch, though, as the Lobos missed 7 of their last 9 shots, the front end of a 1-and-1 and committed two turnovers the final 5:32
UNM shot 54% for the game, including 60% (15-25) in the 2nd half, and 62% (8-13) from 3-point…in their last two road games, the Lobos have shot 55.4% (51-92) overall and 68% (15-22) from beyond the arc
The Lobos made 7 of their first 8 shots from the floor (to build an 18-10 lead), then went 5 of 17 the rest of the first half and trailed 38-30 at the break…38 points by Utah is the most allowed by UNM in the first half this season
UNM came into the game leading the MWC in 3-pt. FG% defense in conference games at 29.9%…Utah shot 47.6% (10 of 21) from beyond the arc
Utah’s 10 3-pointers tied a season-high against UNM this season
The Lobos set season lows for FTs made (6) and FTs attempted (10)
Utah outscored New Mexico 18-0 in 2nd chance points…it is the second time in 3 games the Lobos have been shutout in the category; also at TCU on Jan. 24 (11-0)…both times the Lobos only had 5 offensive rebounds
Senior Daniel Faris
Recorded game-highs of 18 points and 8 rebounds in a season-high 35 minutes…held Utah’s Luke Nevill to 11 points, 6 rebounds and 25% (2-8) shooting, all below his season averages of 18.0, 8.5, and 62%, respectively
32 points (14-20 FGs) and 16 rebounds the past 2 games
Junior Roman Martinez
12 of his 14 points and 4 of his 5 rebounds came in the 2nd half…was 4 of 6 from 3-point after halftime
Senior Tony Danridge
held to 9 points, ending a 14-game streak of scoring in double figures
UNM HEAD COACH Steve Alford
Steve Alford, 44, is in his second season in charge of Lobo hoops and his 18th year as a collegiate head coach. He was named UNM’s 19th head coach on March 23, 2007.
Alford, who has never been an assistant coach is his career, has a 345-201 (63%) career record in his 18th season as a head coach, 37-18 at New Mexico. His teams have qualified for postseason play 12 times, produced 14 winning seasons and reached 21 wins on nine occasions.