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Sports

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week — NBA Play-In Tournament edition

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | April 19

Where there’s a victor, there’s a loser, and sometimes certain athletes contribute to their team’s shortcomings. These athletes are favorably called bobbleheads. The NBA Play-In Tournament is a place no team wants to be. It is the ugly middle ground between being a true contender for a championship and being a mediocre team hoping to sneak into the playoffs. In this no-man’s land of basketball, there are quite a few athletes who decided to force their team backwards and into the offseason.

Sports

Rough fifth inning leads to Isotopes loss

Rodney Prunty | April 19

On Friday, April 18, the Albuquerque Isotopes took on the El Paso Chihuahuas for the fourth game of their series. The Isotopes came into the game leading the series 2-1 over the Chihuahuas, after beating them 11-8 on Thursday, April 17. This game, however, did not have the same outcome for the Isotopes, as a 10-run fifth inning by the Chihuahuas fueled the Isotopes’ loss, tying the series at 2-2. That fifth inning was nightmarish for the Isotopes. Going into it, they found themselves up 3-1 due to a solid third inning. Pitching up until the fifth inning for the Isotopes was decent, but something switched going into the fifth.

Sports

Chihuahuas take second game of the series against Isotopes

Elizabeth Bolke | April 18

On Wednesday, April 16, the second game of the six-game series between the Albuquerque Isotopes and the El Paso Chihuahuas ended in a 9-6 loss for the Isotopes. The Isotopes started the game with pitcher Carson Palmquist, who pitched for the first five innings. In the first inning, both teams came out of the gate putting up zeroes on the board. While the game started off slow, it picked up speed in the third inning when El Paso scored two runs, capitalizing off of errors by the Isotopes. At the bottom of the third, the Isotopes responded by scoring three runs.

Sports

Baseball: Lobos dominate against Texas Tech

Elizabeth Bolke | April 18

The University of New Mexico baseball team took on the Texas Tech Red Raiders on April 8. The Lobos wasted no time during the game, starting the night off with two home runs that ignited a scoring surge — racking up seven runs in the first inning alone. UNM ended the game with a 15-5 win. UNM Head Coach Tod Brown said he was pleased with the team's aggressive start. “I thought our guys came out and had a great plan and executed it very well,” Brown said.

Sports

OPINION: Is Derrick Rose a Hall-of-Famer?

Rodney Prunty | April 14

Former basketball player Derrick Rose is eligible to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame after the 2027-28 season. But the question is: is he a Hall-of-Famer? As much admiration as I have for the way D-Rose played the game of basketball, I do not believe that he is a Hall-of-Famer. There is a lot of evidence pointing to the case for Rose being in the Hall of Fame. For starters, D-Rose was a crucial piece to the Chicago Bulls’ success during his early years with the team.

Sports

REVIEW: New Isotopes concessions taste like a home run

Elizabeth Secor | April 13

Another year has passed, meaning another new lineup of food has been unveiled at Isotopes Park. Chef Jim Griego hit it out of the ballpark yet again, with seven new delightful dishes, including the Ballpark Sandwich, Spicy Roasted Half Chicken, Hungarian Hot Smoked Paprika Chicken Wings, Fanfare Milkshake, Ice Cream Nachos, Piña Colada Ice Cream Float and Brownie Sundae. Not one, not two, but four new desserts round out the bases this year at the Sweet Spot stand. Sadly, I only got to try the Fanfare Milkshake and Brownie Sundae. However, from the looks of the Piña Colada Ice Cream Float and Ice Cream Nachos, they’ll also be fan favorites.

Sports

Isotopes take out the Bees again

Austin Bishop | April 9

On Saturday, April 5 the Albuquerque Isotopes saw a different story with the same outcome as Friday’s game when they played the Salt Lake Bees for the fifth game of the series. It was Mariachi Night, and the Isotopes certainly put on a show themselves, securing a 14-3 victory over the Bees. The Isotopes started the game off strong, clocking in a run in the first inning. In the second inning, the Bees returned fire with a run of their own, tying the game at 1-1. However, it didn’t stay like that for long. When the Isotopes went up to bat, they secured a run right back, taking the lead 2-1.

Sports

Isotopes shake back with a win in fourth game of the series

Elizabeth Bolke | April 8

The Albuquerque Isotopes took on the Salt Lake Bees for their fourth game of the series on Friday, April 4. The temperature during Friday's game was frigid, with fans cozied up together and both teams wearing long sleeves under their jerseys to watch the Isotopes come out on top 5-4. At the beginning of the game, neither team could get their batters around the bases to score any runs — until Salt Lake’s Niko Kavadas hit the first home run of the night in the fourth inning. In the fifth inning, both teams left double zeros up on the board, leaving the score at Salt Lake 1 and Isotopes 0 going into the sixth inning.

Sports

The Eric Olen era begins for men's basketball

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | April 7

On March 30, the University of New Mexico announced its hire of the 23rd head coach of the men's basketball team, Eric Olen. He took over the job less than a week after previous head coach Richard Pitino announced he would move to Xavier University. This marks the third major hire in Lobo athletics over the last four months, alongside new athletic director Fernando Lovo and head football coach Jason Eck. Olen is under contract with the Lobos for five years, with a base salary of $1.2 million and an additional $50,000 per year, for a total payout of $6.5 million. He can receive further compensation by achieving athletic performance goals, like a Mountain West regular season championship or NCAA Tournament.

Sports

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week — UFC Fight Night edition

Austin Bishop | April 7

Where there’s a victor, there’s a loser, and sometimes certain athletes contribute to their team’s or their own shortcomings. These athletes are favorably called bobbleheads. This week in the UFC, we had firework fights and lackluster fights. Here are some athletes who fell off.

Sports

Isotopes get a sting in their swing after loss to the Bees

Esmeralda Lozano | April 4

On Thursday, April 3, the Albuquerque Isotopes played the Salt Lake Bees for the third game in the series. Both teams battled for the win, which led to a fairly close game with a 5-3 Salt Lake win. This loss marked the second for the Isotopes in the series. It was a tough 15-1 loss for the Isotopes on Tuesday, April 1, but they quickly recovered for Wednesday's game, winning 17-2. Thursday’s game was a challenge for both teams and it was tough to make runs, making the game one of the longest in the series so far.

Sports

Bulls and cowboys ride into town for Ty Murray Invitational

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | April 4

Even though basketball season has ended, there is still noise, excitement and a lot of dirt in The Pit. But this time, some of the athletes are of a more bovine variety. From March 28-30, The Pit hosted its annual Professional Bull Riding Ty Murray Invitational. Over the three days of action, Albuquerque was home to some of the top bulls and bull riders in the world, and The Pit was packed with a sea of denim, turquoise jewelry and cowboy hats. The riders are fighting for a chance to go to the PBR world finals, which the top 40 riders are all invited to.

Sports

Isotopes rebound from rough opener, crush Salt Lake behind explosive fifth inning

Simon Reseigh and Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | April 3

After a brutal 15-1 loss on Tuesday, April 1, the Albuquerque Isotopes flipped the momentum completely. They dominated the Salt Lake Bees in a 17-2 blowout at Isotopes Park on Wednesday, April 2. The Isotopes struck early and never looked back. In the bottom of the first inning, Adael Amador stole home on a wild pitch to open the scoring, and a Salt Lake error brought in two more. Ryan Ritter extended the lead with a solo home run in the second, and by the time the fifth inning rolled around, the home team was up 5-0 and still heating up.

Sports

Isotopes drop first game of the series against the Salt Lake Bees

Rodney Prunty | April 2

The Albuquerque Isotopes had a 15-1 loss against the Salt Lake Bees on Tuesday, April 1. This was the first game of the series between the Isotopes and Bees. To add insult to injury, this was also the Isotopes home opener for the season — one they will look to forget. Pitching and batting were the two biggest issues for the Isotopes all night. The weather for the game could have been a factor in the Isotopes’ struggle, as the wind was intense. But it cannot be used as an excuse, considering the Bees played in the same conditions and scored 15 runs.

Sports

Lobo men’s basketball loses Richard Pitino and key players

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | March 26

After their season ended with a loss to Michigan State, the University of New Mexico men’s basketball team is already being reshaped for next season. Head Coach Richard Pitino will not be back next season, and as of Wednesday, March 26, four players have declared that they entered the transfer portal. Pitino, who has been head coach of the men's basketball team for the last four seasons, accepted a job as head coach of the Xavier University men's basketball team, according to The Associated Press.

Sports

Men’s basketball: Lobos’ season ends at the hands of Michigan State

Rodney Prunty | March 24

The University of New Mexico men's basketball season came to an end on Sunday, March 23 after a loss against Michigan State. The Lobos squared off against the Spartans in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Things looked good at first for the Lobos, but as the game went on, things slowly declined. When all was said and done, the Lobos were sent home after falling to the Spartans 71-63.

Sports

Men’s basketball: Lobos continue to dance

Rodney Prunty | March 22

For the first time since 2012, the University of New Mexico men’s basketball team won a game in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the next round. This was the Lobos’ second year in a row making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament after falling short against Clemson last year. This year, however, the Lobos went head-to-head against the Marquette University Golden Eagles, beating them 75-66 on Friday, March 21. Both teams felt each other out in the first few minutes of the game. Then, the Lobos got hot offensively as they started to rack up points.

Sports

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week — NBA, March 9-14

Rodney Prunty | March 16

Where there’s a victor, there’s a loser, and sometimes certain athletes contribute to their team’s shortcomings. These athletes are favorably called bobbleheads. Another week of NBA basketball has gone by — and with that, another week filled with bobbleheads.

Sports

Albuquerque Isotopes announce ‘City Roots’ alternate identity and five-game series

Elliott Wood | March 14

On Monday, March 10, the Albuquerque Isotopes announced five promotional games for the 2025 season as part of an upcoming “City Roots” series. The new alternate identity features designs by Rebecca Zook, the Isotopes’ manager for digital and social media marketing, with a Zia sun symbol in a “505” emblem and a stylized “Duke City” logo.

Sports

OPINION: Men’s basketball — Mountain West Championship predictions

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | March 10

Starting on Wednesday, March 12, the Mountain West Championship will be must-see TV. With five teams that conceivably have a shot at the title and a few more teams looking to make some noise, the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada is sure to be packed with excitement. Two teams I would look out for are Nevada and Wyoming. They have both had very close games against some of the league's best teams, but haven’t quite been able to get over the edge and secure victories. Wyoming especially is fueled by one of the league's top players: Obi Agbim. Either team could get a few upsets and make a run deeper into the tournament.