New Mexico-Texas A&M Game Notes 
Dec. 10, 2009
Game 10 Houston Holiday Shoot-Out
New Mexico vs. (16/18) Texas A&M
Day/Date: Saturday, Dec. 12
Time: 4 p.m. MST
Location: Toyota Center (18,043) Houston, Texas
Tickets: www.toyotacentertix.com; 1-866-4-HOU-TIX; Houston area Randalls locations; Toyota Center box office; prices $15 to $125
Records:new=”” mexico=”” 9-0=”” (6-0=”” home,=”” 3-0=”” road);=”” texas=”” a&m=”” 8-1,=”” (5-0=”” home,=”” 1-0=”” road,=”” 2-1=””>
Radio: 770 KKOB / Lobo Radio Network (Scott Galetti and Scott Didrickson) with air time at 3:30 p.m. MST
TV: Fox Sports Southwest (Greg Lucas and Jim Haller); Channel 10 on Comcast in Albuquerque, DirecTV 676, Dish Network 416
Live Stats: GoLobos.com / GameTracker
Series: 7th meeting…UNM leads 5-1
Last Meeting: Dec. 3, 1992…UNM 71, Texas A&M 69 at Albuquerque
BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THE SEASON AWAITS LOBOS IN HOUSTON
New Mexico completes a two-game road trip Saturday when it faces No. 16/18 Texas A&M at the Toyota Center in Houston. Game time is 4 p.m. Mountain Time.
Led by senior forward Roman Martinez’s career-high 26 points on a school-record-tying 8 of 9 performance (89%) from 3-point, UNM improved to 9-0 by holding on for an 82-78 victory at San Diego. Junior guard Dairese Gary added a career-high 21 points. The duo of Martinez and Gary combined for 36 of the Lobos’ 50 points in the second half.
The current Lobo team is just the fifth in the past 76 years to start a season with nine straight wins. The last 9-0 beginning for UNM was 1995-96 when it started 10-0.
The best start for a Steve Alford-coached team in 15 seasons at the Div. I level is 10-0 at Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State) in 1996-97. His 2000-01 Iowa squad began 9-0.
The Lobos received 35 points in this week’s AP poll, good for 35th, and 37 points in the ESPN/USA Today rankings, which is No. 28. UNM has not been ranked since the end of 1998-99. The Lobos were No. 25 heading into the 1999 NCAA Tournament. They beat Missouri in the 1st round before losing to eventual champion UConn in the round of 32.
Texas A&M is 8-1 following a 75-65 victory over North Texas on Monday. Donald Sloan scored 21 points to lead four players in double figures. Bryan Davis added 15 points, David Loubeau scored 12 and Derrick Roland had 10 for the Aggies, who have won four straight.
Texas A&M has bounced MWC member BYU from the NCAA Tournament in the first round in each of the past two seasons.
SEVERAL LOBOS PLAYING IN FRONT OF FAMILY/FRIENDS ON SATURDAY – According to estimates from the Lobos themselves, there could easily be several hundred fans – all family and friends – cheering the Cherry and Silver Saturday at the Toyota Center. That’s because six players and UNM Basketball Director of Operations Duane Broussard have roots to either Houston or the state of Texas. The list:
Sophomore Will Brown 2008 graduate of Dallas Woodrow Wilson HS Freshman Jamal Fenton 2009 graduate of Houston Cesar Chavez HS; born in Houston Sophomore A.J. Hardeman 2007 graduate of Del Valle (Texas) HS outside Austin Junior Darington Hobson Attended Gulf Shores Academy from 2004-06 Sophomore Phillip McDonald 2008 graduate of Cypress Springs HS; born in Houston Freshman Matt Staff 2009 graduate of Houston Memorial HS; born in Houston Dir. of BB Ops Duane Broussard 1989 graduate of Willowridge HS; born in Sugar Land
THE SERIES WITH TEXAS A&M – It’s the 7th meeting with UNM holding a 5-1 advantage. The Lobos were ranked 5th in the nation when they first met in December of 1966. Steve Alford is meeting Texas A&M for the first time.
MARK TURGEON VS. NEW MEXICO – Just one prior matchup, but it was a memorable one for the Lobos. On Dec. 22, 2007, unranked New Mexico upset 8th-ranked Wichita State 71-68 in Las Vegas. Roman Martinez was the only current Lobo who played in that game. He had 2 points and 1 rebound in 12 minutes.
ALFORD, TURGEON HAVE A FEW THINGS IN COMMON
Both are in their 3rd season at their current schools and off to great starts…Alford is 55-21 at UNM, Turgeon 57-22 at Texas A&M
They were born less than 3 months apart…Alford (45) was born Nov. 23, 1964, in Franklin, Ind…Turgeon (44) was born Feb. 5, 1965, in Topeka, Kan.
Both graduated from college in 1987…Alford from Indiana in 1987 when the Hoosiers won the national championship, Turgeon from Kansas…KU won the national title in 1988 when Turgeon was a member of head coach Larry Brown’s staff
Both previously coached in the Missouri Valley Conference and beat Tennessee in the 2nd round to take their respective school to the Sweet 16…Alford was at Southwest Missouri (now Missouri State) for 4 seasons (1996-99), leading the Bears to the regional semifinals in 1999…Turgeon spent 7 seasons (2001-07) at Wichita State…the Shockers made the Sweet 16 in 2006
ANOTHER LOOK AT RO’S BIG NIGHT – Senior Roman Martinez put his name in the Lobo record book with his staggering performance at San Diego:
88.9% (8-9) shooting from 3-point ties the school record first set by Clayton Shields against TCU on Jan. 5, 1998…Shields was also 8 of 9
“Ro” made his first 7 tries from 3-point, and connected on 6 treys in the 2nd half…he finished with a career-high 26 points, 20 after halftime
The 8 3s ties for the 3rd-most in school history…Ruben Douglas had 9 against Pacific on Nov. 23, 2001, while Javin Tindall drained 9 against UNLV on Jan. 31, 2004
Martinez is 16 of 21 (76%) from 3-point the past 3 games…he was 16 of 39 (41%) the first 6 games of the season…Martinez leads the Mountain West Conference is 3s per game (3.56) and 3-point percentage (53.3%, 32-60)
NOTES TO KNOW BEFORE SATURDAY’S GAME
In Texas A&M, UNM is playing its second ranked opponent this season…the Lobos took down No. 25 Cal, 86-78, at home on Dec. 2
When New Mexico beat No. 25 Cal 86-78 on Dec. 2, it marked the Lobos’ first home win over a ranked, non-conference opponent since Jan. 16, 1999…No. 16 UNM edged 7th-ranked Arizona 79-78 more than 10 years ago
The Lobos are 51-112 all-time against ranked teams…the breakdown is 36-50 in Albuquerque (34-29 in The Pit), 10-52 on the road and 5-10 on neutral floors…before the 86-78 win over No. 25 Cal on Dec. 2, UNM’s last victory over a ranked team was Dec. 22, 2006, a 71-68 triumph over Mark Turgeon’s No. 8 Wichita State team in Las Vegas, Nev.
New Mexico leads the MWC in scoring offense (82.1 ppg), 3-point FGs per game (9.2) and defensive rebounds per game (25.8)
Under Steve Alford, New Mexico is 26-1 when scoring 80 or more points…the only loss was 82-80 to Utah in overtime in the quarterfinals of the 2008 MWC Tournament in Las Vegas…UNM is 28-0 when holding the opponent under 60 points
Junior Darington Hobson is 3rd in the MWC In rebounding (7.9), 4th in scoring (17.1) and 5th in assists (4.1)