Rio Grande Rivalry Returns to The Pit Saturday Night
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M – The Rio Grande Rivalry between New Mexico and New Mexico State returns to The Pit on Saturday night. Game time is 7:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network and on the Lobo Radio Network.
As of Friday afternoon, approximately 1,000 tickets remain for the contest, so fans are encouraged to buy online at GoLobos.com/tickets. Saturday night’s game is a Cherry Out as fans should wear red to the game.
Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. (90 minutes prior to tipoff for all UNM men’s basketball home games this season) and the first 3,000 fans to arrive will receive a Lobo rally towel. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to avoid lines while going through the security procedures upon entry to The Pit, and due to the potential of increased travel times in the area due to construction on nearby roads and the Albuquerque Twinkle Light Parade causing a closure of a stretch of Central Ave beginning at 3 p.m. With new traffic flow patterns in place, fans are encouraged to click here for a map detailing the best route to take for an efficient arrival to their designated parking lot.
The Lobos are 6-1 this season and are riding a five-game win streak after downing Louisiana Tech 74-65 on Wednesday night at The Pit to open the three-game homestand. Jemarl Baker, Jr. scored a season-high 18 points to lead the Lobos, while Jaelen House scored 16 points in his return to the lineup after missing five games due to injury.
New Mexico State enters the game with a 4-5 record, posting victories over Sul Ross State, Western New Mexico, Northern Colorado and University of Southwest. The Aggies are led by Femi Odukale, who is averaging a team-best 13.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
The Lobos lead the Rio Grande Rivalry, which dates back to the 1903-04 season, 123-103 overall. New Mexico is 74-42 in the series in Albuquerque, including a 38-18 record in The Pit. The teams will meet again this season on Dec. 15 in Las Cruces.
The Lobos’ three-game homestand concludes Wednesday with a matchup with preseason Big West favorite UC Santa Barbara. Game time at The Pit is 7 p.m. and tickets are on sale at GoLobos.com/tickets.