Lobos to Host Nevada in Lubbock on New Year's Eve

New Mexico vs Nevada
Game 1: Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020 – 7 p.m. MT / 8 p.m. CT 
Rip Griffin Center, Lubbock, Texas (Capacity: 1,050)

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team is set to continue Mountain West play on Thursday, Dec. 31 against Nevada in Lubbock, Texas at Rip Griffin Center. The game will be considered a home game for UNM and will tip off at 7 p.m. MT / 8 p.m. CT.

The Lobos (3-2, 0-2 MW) enter Thursday’s game coming off of a sweep by Boise State in their first conference series of the season. Nevada is 6-3 overall, 1-1 in the Mountain West and enters coming off of a two-point loss to Air Force. Wolf Pack wins on the season include a 17-point win over Air Force in game one of their series, as well as non-conference victories over Nebraska (69-66), Pacific (70-58), North Dakota State (62-48) and San Diego (79-72).

UNM and the Wolf Pack will face off with familiar head coaches as not only did current Nevada head coach Steve Alford and associate head coach Craig Neal serve as New Mexico head coaches, but current New Mexico head coach Paul Weir served on the same staff with the pair for two seasons at Iowa from 2005-07.

The Lobos are led by two players scoring in double figures including senior Makuach Maluach (15.2 points per game) and junior Rod Brown (10.0 points per game). Maluach is also leading the squad in rebounding with 7.4 boards per game.

Nevada has three players averaging double digits including sophomore Grant Sherfield (15.7),  junior Desmond Cambridge (14.4) and sophomore Zane Meeks (10.9). Meeks leads the Wolf Pack on the glass with 6.6 rebounds per game.

SERIES HISTORY
Nevada leads the all-time series over New Mexico 8-7 with the Wolf Pack claiming seven of the last eight contests. Nevada has also won the last three straight games in the series.

The last time UNM claimed a victory over Nevada was on the now-infamous night of Jan. 5, 2019 when UNM pulled off a stunning 85-58 upset over then-ranked No. 5/6 Nevada wearing special gold “We Are New Mexico” uniforms. Fans stormed the court in The Pit as UNM registered its largest victory over a top-10 ranked team in program history (27 points) and snapped Nevada’s undefeated, 14-win streak. The Wolf Pack ended 29-5 that season with an NCAA berth.

Last season the Wolf Pack and topped UNM twice: 96-74 in Reno and 88-74 in The Pit.

THE COACHES
Head coach Paul Weir is 55-49 in his fourth year at the helm of the Lobos, 83-55 in his fifth season as a head coach. Nevada head coach Steve Alford is 25-15 in his second season with the Wolf Pack and is 612-313 in his career.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Thursday’s game will be available to watch live on FS1. Fans can also follow live via live stats or listen in on the radio LIVE. Robert Portnoy and former Lobo Hunter Greene will be on the call on 96.3 FM/770 AM KKOB.