Basketball racks lined the court as the steady sound of 3-pointers shredding nylon sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Friday night at The Pit signaled the return of college basketball with the annual Lobo Howl.
"We just wanted to let the teams run up and down the court a bit and let the fans get a first look at the players," men's head coach Steve Alford said.
But before the men could storm the court, it was the women's turn.
After some two-on-two drills, redshirt freshman guard Nikki Nelson showcased some of her dribbling skills.
Nelson re-enacted a routine she performed during halftime of a Seattle SuperSonics game when she was an eighth grader in her home state of Washington.
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Junior Amy Beggin won the 3-point contest, defeating sophomore Amanda Best in the final round, while the women prepared to compete in their Cherry-Silver game.
The game ended in a tie, 38-38.
"We have an outstanding team this year," women's head coach Don Flanagan said. "We are excited about this team. We have a terrific schedule."
Mountain West Conference preseason polls picked the Lobo women to finish fourth in the MWC.
As the women exited and the anticipation mounted, the men busted out of the tunnel.
And it didn't take long to get the fireworks started.
The men began with a slam-dunk competition that was easily won by senior Tony Danridge.
Lobo fans boisterously welcomed Danridge in his return from a broken leg that sidelined him all last season.
"It feels real good to be back," Danridge said. "The reception was crazy, and the turnout tonight was great."
Three-point specialist Chad Toppert displayed his soft touch from the outside and won the men's 3-point contest, beating out freshman Curtis Dennis.
But all of that was an undercard to the main event.
Phillip McDonald, who was rated among the top 100 recruits in the nation, dazzled the crowd in his first appearance as a Lobo.
McDonald challenged Danridge in the finals of the slam-dunk contest but showed he has great shooting range in the two-on-two drills and in the Cherry-Silver scrimmage.
Alford said he was impressed with his recruiting class, which ranked No. 9 in the country.
"We have a lot of guys that can put the ball in the basket," he said. "It is very similar to last year. We are extremely athletic. When I look out there on the court, it is kind of hard to see who isn't going to play a lot of minutes this year."
