March 9, 2009
University of New Mexico head coach Steve Alford has been named the 2008-09 Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Lobos to a share of the league title at 12-4. UNM was picked to finish 5th in the preseason poll. It’s the Lobos’ first MWC title and first conference crown of any kind in 15 years.
Alford is the first Lobo head coach to earn the award in the Mountain West. The last UNM coach to be honored was Dave Bliss, who was recognized by the Western Athletic Conference in 1993-94 and 1995-96.
Surprisingly, this is Alford’s first accolade at the NCAA Div. I level. He was a three-time Indiana Collegiate Conference coach of the year in 1993, `94 and `95 while at NCAA Div. III Manchester (Ind.) College.
Picked to finish 5th in the MWC preseason poll, the Lobos won their final five games of the season to tie BYU and Utah for the regular season title at 12-4. Just two years removed from a 4-12 league mark and losing in the MWC Tournament play-in game, New Mexico has its first conference crown in 15 years, since winning the 1994 Western Athletic Conference championship at 14-4.
After a 73-62 loss at BYU on Feb. 17, the Lobos were 7-4 in the MWC and knew they would have to run the table to give themselves a chance at a championship. The Lobos blasted San Diego State at home 75-49 in arguably their most complete game of the season. That was followed by a 76-62 home win over TCU.
Trailing at Colorado State by five with 13 seconds left in regulation, the title chase was in serious jeopardy. However, UNM pulled out an 81-79 triumph in double overtime. A roof-raising sellout crowd of 18,018 and senior Tony Danridge’s career-high 29 points willed UNM to a 77-71 victory over league leader Utah last Tuesday. It was Danridge elevating his game again last Saturday, scoring another 29 as the Lobos escaped Laramie with a 74-73 decision over Wyoming.
ALFORD IN 2 SEASONS AT NEW MEXICO – The list of superlatives in just two years are extremely impressive for the former Indiana All-American:
2007-08 (24-9 / 11-5 MWC / 3rd)
Set a school record for most wins by a New Mexico head coach in his first season and tied the record for most victories by any Lobo coach during the regular season
New Mexico was a +9 in wins from the previous season, the 5th-biggest improvement in school history…UNM was a +7 in conference games, from 4-12 to 11-5
An 8-6 road record, tying a school record set three other times: 8-4 in 1972-73, 8-2 in 1977-78 and 8-3 in 1995-96
Broke three long losing streaks in road games: 7 in a row at Air Force, 10 straight at Wyoming and an 18-game drought at Utah
Mentored his first NBA 1st-round draft choice in MWC co-Player of the Year J.R. Giddens, who was taken by the World Champion Boston Celtics
2008-09 (Currently 21-10 / 12-4 MWC / T1st)
UNM’s first conference championship in 15 years…it’s also Alford’s first in 14 seasons as a head coach at the NCAA Div. I level…he won two titles with NCAA Div. III Manchester (Ind.) College in 1994-95
45 wins, the most by a New Mexico head coach in his first two seasons
A school record 14 road wins (8-6 and 6-6) in consecutive seasons…the previous record was 13 in 1973 and `74…UNM was 14-60 on the road in 7 seasons before Alford arrived
9-7 in MWC road games…UNM was 9-42 in MWC road titls in 7 seasons before Alford arrived
23 conference wins, the most in consecutive years since 25 in 1996 (14) and 1997 (11)
Senior Tony Danridge earned a spot on the All-Mountain West Conference first team. Fellow senior Daniel Faris was named to the second team while senior Chad Toppert and junior Roman Martinez received honorable mention recognition.
Danridge made a strong bid for MWC Player of the Year honors over the last month of the season. He really closed his final regular season with a bang, lifting the Lobos to a pair of wins and a share of the MWC regular season title. Danridge scored a career-high 29 points in a 77-71 victory over league-leader Utah, then matched that total Saturday with 29 in a 74-73 win at Wyoming.
Against Utah, Danridge scored 18 of his 29 points in the second half as the Lobos forced a tie atop the MWC standings with the first-place Utes. He connected on 13 of 16 free throws, career-highs in both categories.
Last Saturday at Wyoming, Danridge converted a career-best 14 of 20 shots from the floor. For the week, Danridge scored 58 points on 22 of 35 FGs and 14 of 18 free throws. He added 6 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 steals in 72 minutes of action. The 58 points in consecutive games is the most since J.R. Giddens had 58 a year ago against Wyoming and San Diego State.
Danridge has averaged 22.4 points during the Lobos’ current five-game winning streak, and 21.4 points over the past eight contests.