Sports - The Daily Lobo

Forward A.J. Hardeman blocks a shot by NMSU’s Jonathan Gibson in the Lobos’ 75-58 rout over the Aggies on Saturday at The Pit. UNM (8-0) is still undefeated.

Sports

Lack of competition makes rivalry no fun

Damian Garde | December 6

Despite all the hoarse voices, painted faces and vague threats of violence, it’s about time we all admitted something: Basketball-wise, the Rio Grande Rivalry just isn’t what it used to be. Look no further than Saturday night, when the UNM men’s basketball team dominated the Aggies at The Pit. The 75-58 rout was the Lobos’ seventh straight home victory over NMSU, the longest mark for any UNM squad since the Lobos won 10 straight home contests from 1941-51. And the disparity is unlikely to change.

Roman Martinez wraps his arm around assistant coach Craig Neal after a Dec. 2 win over California. Martinez again was key in UNM’s victory over NMSU on Saturday. He had 21 points and eight rebounds.

Sports

Teammates find big brother in senior player

Ryan Tomari | December 6

Roman Martinez walked up The Pit ramp on Saturday with the smile he always wears after a UNM men’s basketball victory.

Sports

Transfer request reluctantly granted

Isaac Avilucea | December 6

All Adam Watson wanted for Christmas was his transfer release from the Lobo football team. Until Sunday, Watson’s wish was in jeopardy of not being granted. The former UNM freshman wide receiver, who redshirted this year, was earlier reported to be transferring to play football at another school.

Phillip McDonald shields the ball away from Cal’s Max Zhang during the Lobos’ 86-78 win Wednesday. The Lobos will try to remain perfect on Saturday, when they face New Mexico State at The Pit.

Sports

After crushing California, ready to dominate State

Isaac Avilucea | December 3

Let it ride! Essentially, the UNM men’s basketball team is playing roulette — whether Russian in nature, Saturday might tell — and the stakes are high. Potentially, the Lobos (7-0 overall) could parlay their early success into a spot in the top 25. With that said, Saturday’s game against New Mexico State, for which only 400 tickets remained available as of 4 p.m.

Sports

Putting on game faces for the road

Ryan Tomari | December 3

UNM women’s head coach Don Flanagan wants the Lobos to remain patient in the face of Texas Tech. The Lobos (5-2) will need all the offensive patience in West Texas on Saturday when UNM heads east to duel with the Lady Raiders on Saturday. “We have been successful when we’re patient,” Flanagan said.

Jamal Fenton raises his arms to a boisterous throng of 13,549.

Sports

Second half seals the deal for Lobos

Ryan Tomari | December 3

The clock hit zero, and the buzzer sounded; Section 26 rushed Bob King Court, and students hoisted UNM guard Nate Garth above their shoulders at The Pit on Wednesday. The UNM men’s basketball team defeated No.

Roman Martinez launches a 3-pointer in this file photo. Martinez and the Lobos will face No. 25 California today.

Sports

No. 25-ranked Cal brings tough challenge to Pit

Ryan Tomari | December 1

Ask UNM men’s head basketball coach Steve Alford about his Lobos’ undefeated start, and he’ll say he is “pleasantly pleased.” But an Alford mood swing might be forthcoming on Wednesday when No.

In this file photo, Amy Beggin slices between multiple Florida Gulf Coast defenders on the way to the basket. UNM travels to Las Cruces to face the Aggies today.

Sports

Lobos transition without point guard's play time

Mario Trujillo | December 1

All the players are the same — it’s only the minutes that will change. The Lobo lineup will remain intact when the UNM women’s basketball team (4-2) travels to NMSU on Wednesday, but point guard Amy Beggin will see diminished minutes due to a fatigued ankle — the same ankle she had minor surgery on in the offseason, said head coach Don Flanagan. Beggin, who played nearly 40 minutes per game last year, started off the season in similar fashion, playing all but two minutes through UNM’s first three games.

Amy Beggin lofts up a floater in UNM’s 77-55 win over North Carolina A&T on Friday at The Pit. The Lobos defeated North Carolina A&T to get to the finals of the Midtown Thanksgiving Tournament, where UNM lost to Toledo on Saturday, 62-56

Sports

Solid zone defense locks in win for Toledo

Isaac Avilucea | November 30

Unfortunately, at the conclusion of Saturday’s Thanksgiving Midtown Tournament, the UNM women’s basketball team (4-2) wasn’t able to say “Winner, winner — turkey dinner!” University of Toledo’s (5-2) menacing zone was the brainteaser the Lobos could never decipher, especially at the tail end of the game, resulting in a 62-56 loss for UNM.

Sports

Last game ends in crushing defeat

Ryan Tomari | November 30

Opposites might attract, but it was fatal attraction for the UNM football team and head coach Mike Locksley when the Lobos faced TCU on Saturday. The Horned Frogs (12-0 overall, 8-0 in the MWC), at the other end of the spectrum record-wise, trounced the Lobos (1-11 overall, 1-7 in the MWC), 51-10, in Fort Worth, Texas, capturing the Mountain West Conference championship outright and getting a bid for a Bowl Championship Series game.

Sports

Hardwork earns first bid in 15 years

Brandon Call | November 30

It’s tournament time for the UNM volleyball team. After finishing the regular season 20-9 and clinching third place in the Mountain West Conference, the Lobos received one of 33 at-large bids into the NCAA Tournament, marking the sixth postseason appearance in program history and the UNM’s first tournament trip since 1994. Head coach Jeff Nelson said his team earned the distinction. “We’re so thankful to the NCAA Selection Committee for putting us back into the tournament after a little bit of a drought,” he said.

Sports

Runners race past expectations

Mario Trujillo | November 30

Lobo runner Jacob Kirwa started off lost in a sea of 209 runners at the NCAA Cross Country Championship in Terre Haute, Ind., last Monday. By the end of the race, he outperformed 198 of them, climbing to the 11th spot and finishing with a career best in the 10,000-meter run (29:46.1). “When we started I just hoped I could go fast at the beginning, but I ended up in like the 100th position, so I had to fight back,” he said.

Sports

NBA age rule waste of time and talent

Damian Garde | November 30

You may have heard of Brandon Jennings. He was a standout high school point guard from Compton, Calif., averaging more than 30 points and seven assists his senior year and winning a truckload of awards along the way. Then came the time for a new rite of passage for prodigious young ballplayers: Picking a college at which to waste a year before entering the NBA.

Lobo Nikki Nelson fires a basket during Tuesday’s game against Northern Arizona at The Pit. The Lobos won 72-40.

Sports

Lobos cut Lumberjacks no slack to ensure victory

Isaac Avilucea | November 25

Essentially, it was the run that never ended. Northern Arizona tumbled from the get-go as the UNM women’s basketball team just kept going and going and going, easily holding the Lumberjacks to their lowest point output of the season.

Point guard Jamal Fenton darts through the lane against Louisiana Tech on Saturday. The Lobos swept the weekend, defeating Nicholls State on Friday, Tech on Saturday and Miami of Ohio on Sunday. The Lobos quickly dispatched Miami 85-60.

Sports

Team wins all 3 games in weekend tournament

Mario Trujillo | November 23

It was a weekend of threes for the UNM men’s basketball team. Three games, three wins — over Nicholls State, Louisiana Tech and then Miami of Ohio on Sunday — three players on the All-Tournament team. Throughout the UNM-hosted Travelers Tournament, the Lobos put up three 80-point games, winning by double digits all weekend. In Sunday night’s tournament wrap up, the Lobos blew out Miami of Ohio University 85-60 to finish off a perfect 3-0 weekend.

James Aho boots a field goal during Saturday’s win over Colorado State. Aho kicked the game-winning field goal, propelling the Lobos to a 29-27 win at University Stadium, which is UNM’s first of the season.

Sports

Winning field goal redeems kicker

Mario Trujillo | November 22

Boom. Boom. Boom. Let me hear you say Aho! A name scorned last week is now celebrated. A 27-yard field goal in the waning seconds of the Colorado State game may overshadow any sour memory fans had about kicker James Aho.

Sports

Tides finally turn after season-long losing streak

Isaac Avilucea | November 22

Curse ye, Colorado State. Curse ye, for ruining the UNM football team’s quest for imperfection. The Rams, entering Saturday’s contest riding a seven-game losing streak — outdone only by the Lobos, who had lost 14 consecutive games dating back to last year — looked like they had swapped uniforms with UNM at University Stadium. (Note to Athletics Director Paul Krebs: This slim 29-27 win for the Lobos doesn’t merit a contract extension for Locksley.

Demond Dennis, middle, celebrates alongside fellow running back James Wright, left, and cornerback Anthony Hooks, right. UNM won its first game of the season, a narrow 29-27 win over Colorado State.

Sports

Won and ten

Ryan Tomari | November 22

Certain things weren’t meant to be set in stone. For example, an 0-12 season for the UNM football team.

Forward Justin Davis lies motionless on the field after the Lobos were downed 2-1 by Portland in overtime at the UNM Soccer Complex. Thursday’s game was the seniors’ last one in a UNM uniform.

Sports

Lobos lose momentum in overtime

Nathan Farmer | November 20

The UNM men’s soccer team’s season ended in heartbreak on Thursday. An overtime goal in the 98th minute by Portland midfielder Collen Warner sent the Lobos and an enormous crowd home disappointed, and Portland moved on to the next round 2-1. “This hurts,” said head coach Jeremy Fishbein, whose team finished 12-7-1 overall.

Sports

Football program urges fans to ‘Think Pink’

Ryan Tomari | November 19

Mike Locksley has battled on the football field for 20-plus years, but nothing could prepare him for the news that his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Locksley’s mother, Venita Locksley, a fighter, survived breast cancer.