Lobos to Play Toledo, Rice and Pepperdine in 2023 Ball Dawgs Classic
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Matchups for the 2023 Ball Dawgs Classic have been announced as the New Mexico men’s basketball team will play three games in the event this November. The Lobos will play Toledo, Rice and Pepperdine Thanksgiving week at the Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, Nev.
New Mexico will open play in the event on Tuesday, November 21 against Toledo at approximately 8:15 PM PT (9:15 PM MT). The Lobos will play Rice on Wednesday, November 22 at approximately 6:45 PM PT (7:45 PM MT). UNM concludes the event against Pepperdine on Friday, November 24 at approximately 3:45 PM PT (4:45 PM MT). Indiana State and UC Irvine round out the six-team field, but the Lobos will not play them in the event.
The opener will be the first ever meeting between New Mexico and Toledo. Last season the Rockets posted a 27-8 record, won the MAC regular season title and played in the NIT.
New Mexico leads the all-time series with Rice 6-2, as the teams last played in the 2020-21 season opener with the Lobos winning 72-61 in Houston, the first of three straight games UNM played at Rice’s Tudor Fieldhouse to open the year. The teams have played once before in Las Vegas, a 51-49 UNM victory in the 1999 WAC quarterfinals at the Thomas & Mack Center. Rice, who is moving to the American Athletic Conference this season, went 19-16 last season and reached the quarterfinals of the CBI.
The Lobos are 5-2 all-time against Pepperdine, with the teams meeting on a neutral court for the first time. The last six matchups have all come at The Pit, including a 101-96 UNM victory in the 2006 Lobo Invitational in the last meeting of the schools. The Waves are coming off a 9-22 season in 2022-23.
Information on streaming coverage of the event will be announced at a later date. The Ball Dawgs Classic will be the Lobos second Thanksgiving tournament in Las Vegas in the last three seasons, having played in the 2021 Las Vegas Invitational at the Orleans Arena.
Tickets for the event are on-sale now at www.thedollarloancenter.com and www.axs.com. Full event information can be found at www.balldawgsclassic.com.