New Mexico-Creighton Game Notes 
Dec. 18, 2009
MWC vs. MVC Challenge/New Mexico Bowl – Dec. 19 – $40 ticket includes 2:30 p.m. New Mexico Bowl and 7 p.m. Lobos vs. Creighton. CLICK HERE for the UNM Ticket Office Online.
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Saturday: Creighton at Lobos, 7 p.m., The Pit
On The Air: The Mtn.; 770-AM KKOB, Lobo Radio Network
Online: GameTracker, game story on GoLobos.com
By Richard Stevens — Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
In a way, Darington Hobson had to be happy for his cousin when P’Allen Stinnett called and gave Hobson the good news.
“I just put up 30 on New Mexico,” was the message from Hobson’s kin by heart, not by blood. A year ago, that message wasn’t all that painful for Hobson. He was playing JC ball in Utah and his love for Lobos and The Pit was yet to reach full bloom.
Come Saturday, Hobson is hoping “Cus” gets shutout when the Bluejay gunner and Creighton invade The Pit hoping to shoot down the quick-draw, No. 19 ranked University of New Mexico Lobos.
“We grew up together since we were about 10-years-old,” said Hobson of his Bluejay buddy, who also has Las Vegas, Nev., roots. “We’d spend the night at each other’s house. He’s one of my best friends and we call each other cousins. We still talk to each other every day.”
The news from cousin “P” came after a dark day for the Lobos and a breakthrough day for Stinnett. The Lobos had pushed Creighton up against a hard wall of defeat leading the Bluejays 59-43 with 10:10 to play and 72-63 with 3:39 to go.
Then something amazing happened. The Bluejays scored 23 points on their final 10 possessions, including a 17-0 run and beat the Lobos to the finish line, 82-75. Stinnett scored 10 points in that run and ended with a career high 30 points.
You could say that Cousin “P” had earned the right to brag.
“He called me right after the game last year and said, `Cousin, I just put up 30 on New Mexico,” said Hobson. “I said, `For real?` He said, `Yeah.` I said I don’t think you’re going to get that next year. He just started laughing.
“There hasn’t been too much trash talking (this week). He texted me (Thursday) and told me I had better be ready. He knows he has a tough job ahead of him this weekend and vice versa.”
If you know anything about Lobo coach Steve Alford and defense, you can bet that Creighton run isn’t something Alford has yet to sweep from his mind — or the minds of his young Lobos. “He’s talked about it,” said Lobo A.J. Hardeman, who was a sub on that UNM team that lost at Creighton.
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Of course, there are a few differences about that collapse at Creighton and Saturday’s game in The Pit. That UNM loss came in the second game of the 2008-09 season. It wasn’t in The Pit.
And last year’s UNM team wasn’t on a roll like the bunch of gunslingers Alford has watched run to an 11-0 record including a humiliating slap down of No. 16 Texas A&M on Texas soil.
“We felt we played really well (last year at Creighton), but didn’t handle things down the stretch,” said Alford. “(Creighton) is a very good basketball team. We have a lot of respect for the way they go about doing things. This is going to be a great college basketball game.”
The Bluejays surely are respectful of the way the Lobos have been doing things, too. Especially in the Pit where the Lobos have romped and toyed with most of their opponents, winning by an average of 17 points.
Creighton is 4-5 on the season and winless in five games outside Omaha. The Bluejays lost to No. 21 Dayton and No. 15 Michigan. Creighton ran to a 27-8 mark last year, including its 82-75 come-from-behind win over the Lobos.
The Bluejays have some talent as they return three starters and eight lettermen. Junior center Kenny Lawson Jr. is solid inside with an 11.7 scoring average and 6.7 rebounds per game and will be another good test for UNM`s Hardeman. The Bluejays have a lot of balance on the perimeter in Stinnett (10.2 points per game), Ethan Wragge (9.0), Darryl Ashford (9.2) and Justin Carter (9.5).
“Creighton is a big-time program and P’Allen is a big-time shooting guard, so it’s going to be fun,” said Hobson.
Said Alford: “They are going to play 11, 12 guys. You have to do a good job of concentrating for 40 minutes against this team.”
It will be interesting to see what kind of defenses Creighton throws at UNM. You zone the Lobos, they shoot over it. You man the Lobos, they drive you or come off picks and shoot over you. You press them, they break it. This is a very balanced UNM team with young depth that is getting better.
There are a lot of keys for the Lobos to find victory, but so far those keys have been turning on the right motors for Alford. Hardeman has been more than solid in the paint. Senior Roman Martinez has been providing points, leadership and hustle. Junior point guard Dairese Gary has been smart with the basketball and strong on his drives to the hoop.
Hobson probably goes down as the most versatile of these Lobos as he can score like Martinez, pass like Gary, and rebound like Hardman. Phillip McDonald has been clutch with his perimeter shooting.
Another key for UNM is the bench. That bench scored 35 points in the second half in UNM’s romp over Northern Arizona and that young talent is gaining confidence with playing time — and victories.
“Winning becomes contagious and they are enjoying this,” said Alford.
Said Hardeman: “We just have to go out and do what we’ve been doing.”
Game Notes: The Lobos are the nation’s only 11-0 team, which means UNM has the longest winning streak in D-I ball. … Creighton coach Dana Altman told his local media that he hasn’t been in The Pit since the 1983 NCAA Final Four. … Three members of the Creighton athletic department have played or coached in The Pit. They combine to post an 0-12 mark vs. Lobos. … The Bluejays are 0-5 against teams ranked No. 19 and 2-63 in true road games against ranked teams. That road mark includes 25 straight losses against ranked teams. …Creighton’s last road win against a ranked team was in 1978 against Larry Bird’s No. 13 Indiana State team. … The Lobos opened their last game with a 17-2 run. Creighton opened its last game with a 16-2 run.