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Women's basketball: Lobos play tough against UNLV

Thomas Bulger | February 5

The University of New Mexico’s women's basketball team lost to the University of Nevada Las Vegas 62-56 on Saturday, Feb 3. Both teams were on winning streaks, UNLV improved to four straight wins and ended UNM’s five-game winning streak. UNM fell to 16-7 overall and 7-3 in conference play – putting them in third place in the standings past the halfway mark of the season. The Lobos played well but fell a couple shots short of sweeping the back-to-back conference champs. Going back to the 2022-23 season, the Rebels are 30-1 against Mountain West opponents, including the conference tournament with their one loss coming from the Lobos a few weeks ago.

Sports

Men's basketball: Broncos responsible for the first home loss

BillyJack Davidson | February 2

The Lobo men's basketball team hosted the Boise State Broncos on Wednesday, Jan. 31 and saw the end of their four-game winning streak. The Broncos won 86-78 and are the only team this season that have been able to take down the Lobos at home. The Lobos fell to 18-4 overall and 6-3 in conference play. They are in third place in the standings through Feb. 1. The game started off with the Lobos breaking away with the score in the first five minutes.

Sports

Men’s Basketball: Lobos bring home their fifth straight win

BillyJack Davidson | January 30

The University of New Mexico’s men’s basketball team played their seventh conference match of the season at The Pit against the Nevada Wolf Pack and took home a sound victory for their fifth win in a row. The Lobos put on a dominant performance with five players scoring double figures and closing the game out with a 34-point lead at 89-55. On Monday, Jan. 29, the team swept the weekly conference awards with Jaelen House (#10) earning conference player of the week and JT Toppin (#15) earning another “Freshman of the Week” award. The team also improved to the #19 place in the Associated Press’ poll and now stands 18-3 overall, 6-2 in conference play and 11-0 at home.

Sports

Men’s Basketball: Lobos charge into the Top 25 rankings

BillyJack Davidson | January 29

On Wednesday, Jan. 24, The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team won their second road game of the season against the San José Spartans. Two days before, the Lobos jumped onto the Associated Press' Top 25 and took 25th place, landing them on the national level. The victory over the San José Spartans came only four days after they defeated the Air Force Falcons. During both games, the Lobos left their opponents in the dust when it came to scoring – 19 points over the Falcons (85-66) and 20 points over the Spartans (95-75). They are looking to dominate as they come home for their game against Nevada Wolf Pack, going into the match with a 17-3 seasonal record and a conference play of 5-2.

Sports

United promotes Luke Sanford

Thomas Bulger | January 29

New Mexico United announced Luke Sanford will be promoted to first assistant coach in a press release on Jan. 25. Sanford first joined the team in Jan. 2022 and has held a variety of positions. He has served as an assistant to the team but has acted as the head coach of both the U-23 team and the United Academy. He also served as the director of the Academy, according to the press release. United’s Sporting Director, Itamar Keinan, said in the press release that Sanford has earned his promotion due to his leadership.

Sports

Women’s basketball: Lobos defeat Fresno State 84-77

Thomas Bulger | January 26

The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team took down the Fresno State Bulldogs 84-77 on Wednesday, Jan. 24, making the Lobos third straight win. The Lobos are now 14-6 overall and 5-2 in conference play. The Lobos had a very balanced offense against the Bulldogs with four Lobos scoring in double-digits. Nyah Wilson led the team in scoring with 24 points and went 10-12 at the free throw line. Wilson is going through Mountain West play for the first time this season. After the game, she talked about how fun it is to play against teams that have different styles.

Sports

Opinion: Lobo football transfers to watch

Francesca Cicconetti | January 22

After what felt like a mass exodus via the transfer portal for Lobo football at the end of the 2023 season, the official mid-year transfer class was announced on Tuesday, Jan. 16. Hailing from the Power 5, Football Championship Subdivision and Junior University College, 19 players have been added to the Lobos roster. With the spring semester in full swing, the new coaching staff has wasted no time whipping the team into shape on the field and in the training room. In no particular order, here are five new rostered athletes to watch in spring ball and the 2024 season later this year.

Sports

Men's basketball: Lobos defeat the giants of the Mountain West

BillyJack Davidson | January 19

The Lobo men's basketball team went up against the top ranked Mountain West team, the Utah State Aggies, on Tuesday, Jan. 16 – taking a victory. They improved to 15-3 overall and 3-2, and gave the Aggies their second loss of the season, falling to 16-2. It was a hard-fought victory for the Lobos as they took the game 99-86. "It's great to have back-to-back wins against Division I teams. It was special, and we broke their 15-win streak," Head Coach Richard Pitino said. The game started off evenly matched. Nelly Junior Joseph (#23) scored quick in the match with a layup and a dunk, assisted by guards Donovan Dent (#2) and Jamal Mashburn Jr. (#5). In the first 12 minutes, the Lobos put on a solid offensive display passing into the paint, allowing for players like Junior Joseph and JT Toppin (#15) to pick up basket after basket

UNM women's basketball vs. University of Wyoming

Sports

Women's basketball: Lobos end Cowgirls undefeated streak

Thomas Bulger | January 19

On Wednesday, Jan. 17, the Lobos took down the Wyoming Cowgirls in a 68-61 win. The Cowgirls were one of the two undefeated teams in the four conference games of the season. The Lobos are now 12-6 overall and 3-2 in conference play. In a game where the Lobos missed seven of them, free throws were a huge factor in the game. The Lobos went 21-28 from the free throw line that came from constantly driving to the basket. The Cowgirls shot five free throws in the entire game and missed two. From the three-point line, the Cowgirls shot 7-30 but made a couple late to keep the game close. The Lobos went 3-10 in the game.

Sports

Men's Basketball: Lobos make a statement win

BillyJack Davidson | January 15

The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team took on No. 19 San Diego State University this past Saturday, Jan. 13 and earned a statement win – defeating the Aztecs 88-70. The team came in after a 83-73 loss against the University of Las Vegas, but rallied hard for fans. The Pit saw a record breaking 15,437 fans pack the seats – the most since 2009. The Lobos improved to 14-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play. The team remains undefeated in their nine home games. The game was a hard one from the beginning. San Diego State fell to a record of 14-3. This was the first time the Lobos faced the Aztecs since their March Madness title run last season.

Sports

Men’s basketball: living legends show for New Mexico’s birthday game

BillyJack Davidson | January 8

This past Saturday, Jan. 6, the University of New Mexico men’s basketball defeated the Wyoming Cowboys 77-60. The game took place on the 112th anniversary of New Mexico’s statehood and living legends came to celebrate it with fans. Former Lobo and Los Angeles Laker Michael Cooper and former Laker Shaquille O’Neal were present in The Pit supporting the Lobos in their gold and red jerseys. The Pit felt electric even before the game started and kept growing as the game went on. The first half started off strong with Nelly Junior Joseph (#23) stealing a pass and securing the first points of the game. From then on, the Lobos explosiveness, led by Jaelen House (#10), brought a strong offense and defense presence.

Sports

JT Toppin claims his Lobo fame

Francesca Cicconetti | January 8

JT Toppin has been named the Mountain West's Freshman of the Week four times this season and was recently ranked at #12 in Andy Katz’s top freshmen. However, he said basketball wasn’t always his sport of choice. He started playing football but after watching basketball with his grandparents, he decided to switch it up. From Dallas, Texas, freshman forward for the Lobo basketball team, Toppin, has been making his mark at The Pit. With his ability to produce on both ends of the court, Toppin has a talent that is helping push the Lobos basketball ahead this season. Toppin has continued to excel on the court and work to make a name for himself. With 17 points and 11 rebounds at No. 13 Colorado State on Tuesday, Jan. 2, Toppin is the second Lobo freshman to get a double-double against a ranked opponent.

Sports

The Bronco Mendenhall era begins

Francesca Cicconetti | December 11

On Wednesday, Dec. 6, The University of New Mexico announced Bronco Mendenhall as the new head football coach. Mendenhall signed a five-year contract, making him the 33rd head coach for the Lobos. This is not Mendenhall’s first time in Albuquerque, as he was the defensive coordinator and associate head coach for the Lobos under Head Coach Rocky Long from 1998-2002. Mendenhall has been coaching college football for 32 years and has been a head coach for 17. Out of his years as a head coach, his teams were bowl eligible 16 out of 17 seasons and snagged seven bowl victories.

Sports

Opinion: Top candidates for UNM football

BillyJack Davidson , Francesca Cicconetti and Thomas Bulger | December 6

After the dismissal of Danny Gonzales, three of the Daily Lobo’s sports reporters have listed their top candidates for the position.

Sports

Men's basketball: Lobos hot streak continues after win over Louisiana Tech

Rodney Prunty | December 4

The men's basketball team faced off against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs on Wednesday, Nov. 29. In the first half, the Lobos started hot, going on a 14 to one run mid-way through the half, led by freshman guard Tru Washington. Offensively, he shot an efficient 4-6 – two of those buckets coming from the three-point line. Washington finished with 10 points and four rebounds in the game.

Sports

Men's basketball: Men beat NMSU

BillyJack Davidson | December 4

Saturday, Dec. 2 saw the University of New Mexico Lobos and the New Mexico State University Aggies men’s basketball teams meet for the first time since November 2022. Last November, a conflict between UNM students and former members of the NMSU basketball team ended in the death of Brandon Travis – a UNM student. Head Coach Pitino commented on the conflict during a press conference on Friday, Dec. 1 and how that would affect Saturday night’s game. “It was obviously a huge tragedy, but I don’t think it had anything to do with the rivalry,” Pitino said. UNM’s Athletic Director Eddie Nuñez and NMSU Athletic Director Mario Moccia felt the rivalry could resume safely with security precautions, according to the Albuquerque Journal. Saturday night, The Pit was filled to capacity as the Lobos put on a show-stopping performance, winning 106-62 and taking their seventh game in the season, almost doubling their opponents' score.

Sports

Women's basketball: Lobos outplay Aggies

Thomas Bulger | December 4

The Lobos defeated the New Mexico State Aggies 67-52. The University of New Mexico improved to a 6-2 record and NMSU fell to 4-3. UNM had four players in double-digit scoring. Paula Reus and Charlotte Kohl led the team in scoring with 15 points each. Reus added eight rebounds and five assists. Kohl finished with 13 rebounds and four blocks. Aniyah Augmon scored 10 points and had five steals in the game. Vianè Cumber had an injury to her shoulder and was unable to play the second half so Lara Langermann came off the bench and played the third most minutes on the team with 32. She hit two three-pointers to keep up the Lobos' offensive momentum.

Sports

Danny Gonzales no longer leading program

Thomas Bulger | November 27

In a press release Saturday night, the University of New Mexico announced the dismissal of the football Head Coach Danny Gonzales. Gonzales coached for four years and had an overall record of 11-32 and 5-26 in conference play. In a press conference on Sunday, Nov. 26, Athletic Director Eddie Nuñez stated that the level of success of the program is not what they are looking for, especially in this era of college sports. “The landscape is changing in college athletics and we want to make sure that we stay not just part of the picture, but a true contributor in the future,” Nuñez said. Gonzales, in the statement, said he will continue to support Lobo athletics and was grateful for the chance to coach the team he played for.

Womens Basketball: Texas Southern vs Lobos

Sports

Women's basketball: Lobos win close game against some familiar faces

Thomas Bulger | November 20

The women's basketball team defeated the Texas A&M-Commerce Lions 75-74 on Wednesday, Nov. 15. It was a back and forth game with the largest lead being seven from the University of New Mexico. The team improved to 4-0 on the season. The Lions are coached by Valerie King. King had spent the last 13 seasons working with Head Coach Mike Bradbury – seven of them being at UNM. Former Lobo star Jaedyn De La Cerda is in her first coaching position and is one of the winningest players in program history – being 10th all-time in scoring. Both were treated to cheers from the crowd before the game. After the game, Bradbury talked about the state of King’s team.

Sports

Prospective United stadium brings mixed emotions

Jaymes Boe | November 20

As New Mexico United continues its search for a permanent home to host games, surrounding businesses and homeowners look towards the incoming crowds and form their gameplan. Currently, the City hopes to lease seven acres of land at Balloon Fiesta Park where New Mexico United would be able to build their stadium. The stadium itself would be funded privately and the team would be required to put down $30 million for it to be built, according to the City’s website. Jeff Jinnett, owner of the brewery La Reforma, spoke about his excitement surrounding the possibility of a new stadium.