March 2, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
What: Lobos vs. Utah
When/Where: 7 p.m., Tuesday, The Pit
On The Air: 770-AM KKOB; The mtn. (276 Comcast/616 DirecTV)
Online: GameTracker on GoLobos.com
With a sellout crowd of 18,018 expected for Senior Night, the New Mexico Lobos (19-10, 10-4 MWC) entertain the Utah Utes (20-8, 11-3 MWC) Tuesday in a game with some rather large implications. Picked to finish 5th in the MWC preseason poll, the Lobos enter the final week of the regular season with a chance for at least a share of a conference title, something that has eluded them since 1994. At 10-4, UNM is tied with BYU for second place in the MWC, one game behind 11-3 Utah with two games to play. San Diego State is 9-5.
Tip-off is 7:05 p.m. Mountain Time from The Pit /Bob King Court. The game will be televised live on The mtn., which is channel 276 on Comcast cable in Albuquerque and channel 616 on DirecTV. Bill Doleman and Dave Bollwinkel will call the game. Game sponsors are Fidelity Investments, Kiss 97.3 and Coyote 102.5.
A look at the remaining conference games for the contenders:
Utah (11-3): at New Mexico, TCU
New Mexico (10-4): Utah, at Wyoming
BYU (10-4): at Wyoming Wednesday, Air Force
San Diego State (9-5): Colorado State Wednesday, UNLV
UNBELIEVABLE FINISH IN FORT COLLINS – The Lobos completed a 6-1 February slate Saturday with a Houdini-like 81-79 double-overtime victory at Colorado State. Down 62-57 with 13 seconds left in regulation, the Lobos used the following script to send it into overtime:
A 3-pointer from Chad Toppert with 7.6 seconds left
Forced a held ball/turnover with 5.3 seconds left
Grabbing a partially deflected 3-point attempt by Toppert, Daniel Faris scored on a near over-the-head putback with 0.7 seconds remaining to tie the score at 62
Knotted at 71 near the end of the first overtime, the two teams played on when UNM survived a charging call by Dairese Gary with 5.9 seconds followed by an errant shot by Marcus Walker that would have won it for the Rams. In the second OT, UNM led 81-79 following a made FT by Toppert with 7.2 ticks left. The Lobos escaped for the final time when CSU’s Willis Gardner missed a short runner and Travis Franklin’s tip rolled off as the clock expired. Walker led the CSU with 33 points.
Toppert paced the Lobos with 19 points on five 3-pointers. Gary scored all 18 of his points and dished six of his game-high eight assists after halftime. Junior Roman Martinez notched his 4th double-double with 12 points and 12 boards, tying a career-high.
New Mexico led 30-16 before the Rams came storming back. They closed the half with a 7-0 run to trim the deficit to 30-23. CSU held a 53-45 advantage with five minutes to go.
Utah had an 8-game wining streak snapped Saturday at BYU, falling 63-50. Luke Nevill had 9 points and 16 rebounds. Utah shot 29.5% for the game. The Utes converted only 25.8% (8-31) in the second half, includiing 0-9 from 3-point.
RECOGNIZING THE SENIORS – The three New Mexico seniors – Tony Danridge (San Bernardino, Calif.), Daniel Faris (Albuquerque) and Chad Toppert (Albuquerque) – will be recognized after the game. All three are scheduled to graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree. Danridge is majoring in University Studies, Faris in Mass Media/Communications and Toppert in Business. All three have participated in at least 118 games in their careers at New Mexico: Danridge (124), Toppert (122) and Faris (118). They have combined to score 2,994 points.
18,018 FOR THE LAST TIME??? – A sellout crowd of 18,018 is anticipated for Utah. However, due to impending renovations at The Pit, it probably will be the last time that many people are in the sunken arena to watch the UNM men’s basketball team. The upper mezzanine level – and it’s 2,300 seats – will be off limits next season due to construction, lowering capacity to approximately 15,700 for 2009-10. The mezzanine level will be transformed into club seating in the north end and 40 suites will be constructed on the east, west and south sides. Once renovations are complete in late 2010 or early 2011, capacity will be around 16,500.
UNM GUNNING FOR 20 WINS AGAIN – New Mexico seeks its 22nd 20-win season. All of the previous landmark campaigns have occurred since 1964. After a 24-9 record last season, the Lobos are trying for back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since four in a row from 1996-99. Steve Alford looks for his 10th 20-win season in 17 full seasons as a head coach.
THE NEW MEXICO-UTAH SERIES – Four of the last six games between the two rivals have gone into overtime – one requiring double OT. Two games have been decided by one point, two by two points, one by four and the other by 10, and that was the OT thriller in Albuquerque last season.
It’s game No. 124 in a series that started Jan. 3, 1952. The Utes have a 78-45 lead, although it’s 8-6 in the Lobos’ favor the past 14 games. New Mexico has won the last 6 meetings in The Pit, including 77-67 in overtime last year. Utah’s last win was in 2002.
NOTES TO KNOW BEFORE THE GAME – Steve Alford has posted 43 wins in his first two seasons as New Mexico head coach, tied for the most in school history
Alford is 30-4 in The Pit, 13-2 in MWC games
New Mexico has 21 conference wins the past 2 seasons, the most in consecutive years since 22 in 1997 and `98
UNM’s 10 conference wins have been by an average of 16.4 points while their 4 losses – all on the road at UNLV, San Diego State, Utah and BYU – have been by a combined 19 points, or 4.8 points
The Lobos are 7-0 in home MWC games this season, winning by an average of 19.3 points…in four of those games, UNM held the opponent to a season scoring low: BYU (62), Colorado State (50), Wyoming (57) and San Diego State (49)
The last time New Mexico was undefeated in conference home games was 7-0 in 2005…UNM was 8-0 in 1991-92 and 1996-97 and 9-0 in 1993-94
Including last year’s home win over UNLV, the Lobos have won 8 straight MWC home games…the victory margin in those games is an impressive 19.3 points