Lobos to Celebrate New Mexico Statehood During Saturday’s Mountain West Opener vs. Wyoming
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M – The New Mexico men’s basketball team begins the home portion of its Mountain West schedule on Saturday night when it hosts Wyoming at The Pit. Game time is 8:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network and on the Lobo Radio Network.
Saturday’s contest caps a pair of games at The Pit honoring the 112th anniversary of New Mexico statehood (January 6, 1912), with the women’s team hosting Boise State at 2 p.m. Both the Lobo men’s and women’s team will be wearing special uniforms on Saturday, inspired by the New Mexico flag.
Tickets for the game are on sale now at GoLobos.com/tickets. Gates will open at 6:30 p.m. (90 minutes prior to tipoff for all UNM men’s basketball home games this season). Fans are encouraged to arrive early to avoid lines while going through the security procedures upon entry to The Pit, and due to construction that has caused increased travel times in the area. 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.
Fans arriving early can meet Lobo legend and five-time NBA champion Michael Cooper on the concourse until tip-off.
The Lobos are 12-2 this season, 0-1 in the Mountain West, after having their 11-game win streak snapped on Tuesday with a 76-68 loss at No. 13 Colorado State. JT Toppin had 17 points and 11 rebounds in that contest, marking the first time a UNM freshman ever posted a double-double in a conference opener. Donovan Dent is one of two players nationally averaging over 16 points and six assists this season.
Wyoming enters the game with an 8-6 overall record and a 1-0 mark in the Mountain West after rallying for a 75-73 home win over San Jose State on Tuesday. The Cowboys trailed by 17 at one point before winning on a buzzer-beater by Akuel Kot. Sam Griffin leads Wyoming in scoring at 18.6 points per game.
The teams played three times last year, each winning on the other’s home floor during the regular season, before the Lobos defeated the Cowboys in the first round of the Mountain West Tournament. Wyoming’s win last year at The Pit snapped their five-game losing streak in Albuquerque.
The Lobos will return to action next week with a visit to UNLV on Tuesday before hosting San Diego State on Saturday. The game against the Aztecs will tip off at noon and air on CBS. Less than 2,000 tickets remain for that game and are on sale now at GoLobos.com/tickets.