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To Lobo hoops fans with early-morning classes on Tuesday: Good luck. It’s going to be a late night.
The time has come for the UNM men’s basketball team to begin its regular season, and that time is 11:59 p.m. tonight. The Lobos take part in ESPN’s 24-hour long college basketball marathon when they host Davidson at The Pit.
UNM against Davidson will be the second of 11 games during the marathon, which includes high-profile matchups such as Michigan State vs. Kansas and Duke vs. Kentucky. Those teams all played in last year’s NCAA tournament, which Kentucky won.
It’s hard to beat that level of national exposure to kick off the season, even at that late hour, said junior guard Kendall Williams.
“It starts with game one, day one. We’re going to take it as that, every game, every second at a time,” Williams said. “We’ve been practicing late at night, and we’re preparing for a late game and a great opportunity to be on a national stage.”
UNM may not enter the season as highly ranked as Mountain West Conference rivals UNLV or San Diego State, who are rated No. 18 and No. 20, respectively, in The Associated Press Top 25 Poll. The Lobos, however, enter the season as the defending MWC regular-season and tournament champion.
Although conference play doesn’t start until Jan. 9, a grueling nonconference schedule awaits the Lobos, with several rival teams slated among the top 100 in the Rating Percentage Index.
Davidson returned eight players, including all five starters, from last season’s Southern Conference championship squad. Among those returning are their top two scorers. Junior forward De’Mon Brooks averaged 15.7 points per game in 2011-12, while senior forward Jake Cohen scored 14.3 points per game.
The Southern Conference coaches named Brooks the conference’s preseason player of the year, while Cohen took those honors in the media poll.
UNM head coach Steve Alford called Davidson a potent scoring offense with strong shooting and a solid inside-out presence.
“They really like to play up-tempo,” Alford said. “It’s a school that’s had a lot of good basketball tradition. It makes for a great opener for us.”
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Davidson already has a game under its belt. The Wildcats captured a 93-67 win over Emory University on Friday. Davidson had four players reach double-figure scoring, led by Brooks’ 24 points.
Davidson is 1-3 all-time at The Pit. The Lobos and Wildcats have played each other once: a 92-77 UNM victory in 1978. Davidson went 1-1 at the 2000 Lobo Invitational with a 84-73 loss to Drexel and a 75-70 win over William & Mary. At the 2002 NCAA Tournament, the Wildcats lost to Ohio State 69-64.
UNM, returning eight players and three starters, plays its first regular-season game, following two exhibition wins over Victory University and New Mexico Highlands. While experimenting with different lineups in both exhibitions, UNM displayed its four-guard sets for several minutes.
The Lobos will be without senior guard Jamal Fenton, as he begins his three-game suspension handed down by the NCAA for an improper-benefits violation.
Alford said his team is “very healthy, as healthy as we’ve been” heading into the season.
Changes were required to prepare for the unique midnight start.
Alford said the team has held practice this week from around 8-10 p.m., instead of its regular afternoon sessions. Its 11 a.m. shootarounds were moved to 3 p.m., and Monday’s pregame meal has been rescheduled from 3:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
“It’s a matter of changing up the style you’re accustomed to, staying up a little later,” Williams said. “The days are a little longer, but we’re going to do a good job of getting rest.”
The NCAA does not allow practice between midnight and 4 p.m., Alford said.
He said he is requiring the players to go to class today and Tuesday morning. UNM will depart Albuquerque for the Virgin Islands on Tuesday afternoon to participate in the Paradise Jam later this week.
“There are a lot of changes just for this one game,” Alford said, “but I think our guys are prepared.”
Opening-night events for fans
The Lobos hope to make the game a “Red Out.” Fans are asked to fill The Pit with red by wearing red Lobos shirts.
There will also be a “Howl Glow” at the northwest parking lot of The Pit from 8:30-11 p.m. with music and Papa John’s Pizza for $1 per slice. Three hot air balloons will conduct a balloon glow in the west lot from 8-10 p.m.
The Pit doors will open at 10:30 p.m.
