Lobo Men’s Basketball Announces Non-Conference Schedule
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The New Mexico men’s basketball team announced its 2025-26 non-conference schedule Monday, featuring the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, trips to New Mexico State and VCU and eight games at The Pit.
Overall, the Lobos will play 18 games at The Pit in 2025-26 with seven home regular-season non-conference games, hosting 10 Mountain West teams during the 20-game conference schedule, in addition to one home exhibition game.
Game times and TV designations for the 2025-26 schedule will be announced at a later date, as will the 20-game Mountain West schedule. Season ticket information is available at GoLobos.com/tickets. New season tickets will go on sale Sept 22.
2025-26 New Mexico Men’s Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Oct. 4 The Lobo Howl
Oct. 30 Northern Arizona (exhibition)
Nov. 5 East Texas A&M
Nov. 8 UT Arlington
Nov. 11 UC Riverside
Nov. 15 at New Mexico State
Nov. 20 vs. Nebraska (Hall of Fame Classic – Kansas City, Mo.)
Nov. 21 vs. Kansas State/Mississippi State (Hall of Fame Classic – Kansas City, Mo.)
Nov. 26 Alabama State
Dec. 1 New Mexico Highlands
Dec. 6 Santa Clara
Dec. 10 at VCU
Dec. 14 Florida Gulf Coast
2025-26 New Mexico Men’s Basketball Non-Conference Schedule Breakdown
OCT. 4 – The Lobo Howl • The Pit • 7:00 pm
A New Mexico basketball tradition returns on Oct. 4 when The Lobo Howl will be held at The Pit. The free event will be fans’ first chance to meet the Lobo men’s and women’s basketball teams during a fun and entertaining night.
OCT. 30 – Northern Arizona (exhibition) • The Pit
Lobo fans’ first chance to see the 2025-26 team will be on Oct. 30 when UNM hosts Northern Arizona for a preseason exhibition at The Pit. Due to new NCAA rules, teams can now play preseason events against Division I opponents that are open to the public. This exhibition is a ticketed event, like a regular season game. It will be included in the season ticket package, just as exhibitions against Division II opponents have been in recent years.
The Lobos and Lumberjacks haven’t met since the 2009-10 season, a 96-57 UNM win in The Pit. In conjunction with scheduling this year’s exhibition, the teams have agreed to play in the 2026-27 season opener on Nov. 10, 2026, at The Pit.
NOV. 5 – East Texas A&M • The Pit
The Eric Olen era officially begins on Nov. 5 when the Lobos host East Texas A&M in the season opener. It marks the second straight season that UNM has opened the season against a team from the Southland Conference.
The Lobos have won all three of the previous meetings, all at The Pit, but the teams haven’t played since the 1981-82 when ETAMU was known as East Texas State.
NOV. 8 – UT Arlington • The Pit
The first weekend of the season sees the Lobos host UT Arlington for a Saturday matchup at The Pit.
It marks the second time in three seasons that the Mavericks have visited The Pit, with UNM edging UTA 82-80 in 2023-24 at The Pit on Donovan Dent’s game-winner. Overall, the Lobos have won all five previous meetings in the series, four of which have come at The Pit.
NOV. 11 – UC Riverside • The Pit
The third straight home game to open the season will be a Veterans Day matchup against UC Riverside. The Highlanders are coming off a 21-win season in 2024-25, when they made an NIT appearance.
The teams have met only once before, a 67-51 Lobo win in The Pit in 2009-10. Eric Olen’s teams at UC San Diego played UCR twice a season over the past five years, with the teams splitting the 10 meetings (5-5).
NOV. 15 – at New Mexico State • Pan American Center (Las Cruces, N.M.) • 7 pm
The 2025-26 edition Rio Grande Rivalry will be played on Nov. 15 in Las Cruces. The Lobos have won each of the last three matchups at the Pan American Center, most recently a 73-72 win in 2023-24.
It will be the 230th all-time meeting, with the Lobos holding a 125-104 advantage. The Aggies hold a 61-49 advantage in Las Cruces.
NOV. 20-21 – Hall of Fame Classic • T-Mobile Center (Kansas City, Mo.)
New Mexico joins Nebraska, Kansas State, and Mississippi State for the 2025 Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City. The Lobos will play Nebraska in Thursday’s first semifinal (6:00 pm CT/5:00 pm MT), followed by the KSU-MSU game. Thursday’s winner will play in Friday’s championship game (8:30 pm CT/7:30 pm MT), following the consolation game (6:00 pm CT/5:00 pm MT). Peacock and NBC Sports Now will broadcast all games of the tournament.
The Lobos are making their first appearance in the tournament and their first game in Kansas City since a loss to Kansas during the 2013-14 season. UNM won the only previous matchup with the Cornhuskers, a victory to open the 2009 NIT at The Pit.
NOV. 26 – Alabama State • The Pit
A 2025 NCAA Tournament team visits The Pit on Thanksgiving Eve as UNM hosts reigning SWAC Champion Alabama State. It marks the second straight season the Lobos have hosted the reigning SWAC Champion (hosted Texas Southern last season).
The teams haven’t met since 1999-00, a 68-47 Lobo victory in the Lobo Invitational at The Pit.
DEC. 1 – New Mexico Highlands • The Pit
The Lobos’ annual game against a non-Division I opponent will be against Division II New Mexico Highlands.
While UNM and NMHU have played numerous times recently in preseason exhibitions, most recently in 2023-24, the teams have not played in the regular season since 2003-04. The Lobos have won the last 15 meetings with the Cowboys’ last win in the series coming in 1929.
DEC. 6 – Santa Clara • The Pit
New Mexico and Santa Clara begin a home-and-home series with a matchup in The Pit (the Lobos will visit Santa Clara in 2026-27). The teams last played in 2023-24, a UNM victory in Henderson, Nev. at the Jack Jones Classic as the Lobos hold a 5-3 edge in the all-time series.
Santa Clara, who had a 21-13 record last season, reached the second round of the NIT. The Broncos haven’t visited The Pit since 2004-05, while next year’s trip to Santa Clara will mark the Lobos’ first visit to the Leavey Center.
DEC. 10 – at VCU • Siegel Center (Richmond, Va.)
The Lobos complete a home-and-home with VCU with a trip to Richmond on Dec. 10. UNM won last year’s meeting over the Rams, 78-71, at The Pit. VCU is the reigning Atlantic 10 Champion and is coming off a 28-7 season last year, including a 15-1 home record.
It will be UNM’s third-ever trip to Richmond, but first visit to the Siegel Center. The Lobos lost to Virginia in the 1992 NIT Semifinals at the Richmond Coliseum. Four years later, in 1996, UNM played first and second round NCAA Tournament games at the Coliseum, defeating Kansas State before falling to top-seeded Georgetown.
DEC. 14 – Florida Gulf Coast • The Pit
The Lobos conclude the non-conference schedule by hosting Florida Gulf Coast on Dec. 14. It will be the first-ever meeting between the schools and the Eagles’ first visit to a Mountain West school.
FGCU is coming off a 19-15 season and a 13-5 record in the Atlantic Sun. The Eagles reached the second round of the NIT.