UNM Game Notes | Live Stats | Live Audio | MW Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Almost 50 years ago a gym was built on the University of New Mexico’s south campus. Fifty years later, that same building has become an iconic arena known for its loud, intense fan base and successful men’s basketball program.
Wednesday night the Lobos will celebrate the 50th anniversary of WisePies Arena – The Pit, by playing their first-ever opponent in The Pit, Abilene Christian. The game will be televised on ROOT Sports at 7 p.m. MST. For more information on The Pit, click here.
The first time the Lobos ever met with the Wildcats in The Pit was on Dec. 1, 1966. The Lobos came out on top in that game by a score of 62-53. Since then, the Lobos have built a program that has a winning percentage of .814 inside the iconic building.
This season the Lobos are 3-0 on their home floor and 4-2 on the season. They are coming off a 1-2 week at the Wooden Legacy Classic. They most recently suffered their second loss of the season, falling 64-57 to Dayton on Sunday.
At the tournament, the Lobos were led by senior Tim Williams. He earned all-tournament honors after finishing the three games with 18.7 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per game. He shot 57.9 percent from the field and 85.7 percent from the foul line. He currently leads the team, averaging 20.8 points per game and 8.0 rebounds per game.
On the season, the Lobos are shooting 50.6 percent from the field, which leads the conference and is 16th in the nation. The Lobos are ranked 23rd in the nation in free throws made (133) and are ranked 27th in free throw attempts (179).
Abilene Christian comes into the game with a 3-2 record. The Wildcats are coming off a 71-55 win over Division III Howard Payne. They are led by Jaren Lewis, who is averaging 13.2 ppg and 7.8 rpg. He is shooting 54.3 percent from the field and 57.7 percent from the foul line. Three other Wildcats are scoring in double-figures but they will be without starting point guard Jaylen Franklin, who recently was injured in ACU’s loss to Oklahoma.
ABOUT THE COACHES:
Craig Neal is in his fourth season as head coach of the Lobos and 10th season with the New Mexico basketball program. He owns a 63-40 record in his career. He was just the third coach in program history to win his first three games this season by double-digits. The Wildcats are coached by Joe Golding. He has an overall career record of 37-61 in his six total seasons with the Wildcats.
SERIES HISTORY:
The Lobos and the Wildcats met each other a few times before The Pit was ever built. The first-ever meeting was on Dec. 20, 1948 in Portales, N.M. The Lobos won that one 46-44 and have won every game against the Wildcats since, leading the all-time series 8-0. The last time the Lobos met the Wildcats was on Nov. 10, 2006 in WisePies Arena – The Pit. The Lobos claimed that victory by a score of 91-54.
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
The game will be televised on ROOT Sports Wednesday night at 7 p.m. MST. For fans tuning in on the radio, Robert Portnoy will give the play-by-play action alongside analyst and Lobo great Hunter Greene on 770 KKOB, the flagship station of the New Mexico Lobos. This feed will also be available via the TuneIn Radio App.