Sports - The Daily Lobo

Sports

Women’s basketball: Lobos take down Air Force 77-74 in final home game

Esmeralda Lozano | March 10

On Tuesday, March 4, the University of New Mexico women's basketball team defeated Air Force Academy 77-74 in the final home game of the season before heading to the Mountain West Championship. There was an electric atmosphere in The Pit, as both teams were filled with high intensity and determination. The first quarter was rocky for the Lobos in certain areas, mainly on the defensive end. The Falcons took the lead and ended the quarter 24-19. The Lobos’ rebounding was solid for the majority of the second quarter. Both teams battled hard offensively. On the defensive side, the Lobos tightened up a bit, only allowing 14 points in the quarter. The Lobos led 42-38 at the end of the second.

Sports

Men’s basketball: Lobos close out regular season with a win over UNLV

Rodney Prunty | March 10

The University of New Mexico Lobos became Mountain West regular season champions for the first time in over 10 years on Friday, March 7 in front of a sold-out crowd at The Pit. The men’s basketball team finished their final regular season game against the University of Nevada Las Vegas 81-67. Offense was the name of the game for both teams, and when the game tipped off, neither looked back. The Lobos came in offensively, disrupting things in the paint as center Nelly Junior Joseph was unguardable down low. Junior Joseph did it all in the paint — whether it was scoring, rebounding or defending the rim. He finished the first half with 18 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

Sports

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week — NHL playoff push

Simon Reseigh | March 10

As the NHL season rages on, teams from each conference continue to make their push toward the playoffs as each game becomes more important. While some players will be the reason for their team’s success, others will be the reason they spend April on the couch. These athletes are favorably called bobbleheads. Here are this week’s bobbleheads who didn’t help their teams’ case for any playoff optimism.

Sports

Lobo fans ready to roll to Las Vegas for Mountain West Tournament

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | March 7

The University of New Mexico men’s and women’s basketball teams secured another debut in the Mountain West Tournament this year, which may prompt fans to take advantage of “Lobos in Las Vegas,” a discounted travel option. The trip will take place March 12-15 and includes round-trip transportation with a three-night stay at Excalibur Hotel & Casino. Fans will trek through the desert on chartered Paradise Tours buses on their way to support Lobo basketball. The trip started with longtime fan Bobby Aragon, and it has been a tradition since 2010.

Sports

Baseball: Lobos win series against Rhode Island

Elizabeth Bolke and Esmeralda Lozano | March 4

The University of New Mexico baseball team won a four-game series against the Rhode Island Rams Friday, Feb. 28 through Sunday, March 2. The Lobos were in a game of tug-of-war with the Rams, but ultimately had a successful series with three wins and one loss. Friday's game was the first in the series and it truly showed how hard the Lobos were going to have to work that weekend. There was no moment of Friday's game that wasn’t competitive, but they ultimately lost 13-14.

Sports

Men’s basketball: Lobos fly past Air Force

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | March 3

After losing two games in a row for the first time this season, the University of New Mexico Lobos added another win to their record on Saturday, March 1, beating the Air Force Academy Falcons 92-71. The Lobos had no trouble against the Falcons, as they led the other team for the entire game. The only time the game was tied was between tipoff and the first Lobo basket. The Lobos were simply too fast and tenacious for the Falcons to handle. The Falcons were rattled by the Lobos' defensive pressure and ended up turning the ball over 20 times, which created 28 points of offense for the Lobos.

Sports

Baseball: Lobos come out swinging against the Aggies

Elizabeth Bolke and Esmeralda Lozano | March 3

The University of New Mexico baseball team took on New Mexico State University on Tuesday, Feb. 25, walking away victorious with a 7-0 win. Head Coach Tod Brown said he saw improvement compared to the previous weekend’s games against Northern Colorado University. “It's much better. I mean, Stevie Wonder could see that,” Brown said. “Look at nine zeros, two hits — very competitive.”

Sports

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week — NBA, Feb. 23-27

Rodney Prunty | March 1

Another exciting week of NBA basketball has gone by, and we saw highs, lows and a few players who could’ve played better. Those players in particular are this week's “bobbleheads.” San Antonio Spurs — Chris Paul Chris Paul has had an interesting career to say the least, and this week added to that. The 39-year-old point guard stumbled into the week with an abysmal performance in a loss against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, Feb. 23, only putting up 4 points on 1-10 shooting, going 1-7 shooting from three.

Sports

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the Week — 4 Nations Face-Off edition

Simon Reseigh | February 24

The inaugural Four Nations Face-Off hockey tournament came to an exciting conclusion Thursday night when Canada defeated the United States in a 3-2 overtime victory. 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. With three other nations falling short, here are the bobbleheads who helped ensure the teams walked away from the tournament empty-handed.

Sports

UNM Mixed Martial Arts Club goes the distance and becomes official

Nate Bernard | February 24

What started as a small group of University of New Mexico student fighters meeting in the mat room to train has now become the official Mixed Martial Arts Club. Founded by experienced fighters, the club meets every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 4-5 p.m. in Johnson Center to kick ass and take names. Prior to the club’s conception, a fighting community at UNM built its ground game through word of mouth, according to black belt karate fighter and MMA Club Treasurer Mark Evans.

Sports

Santa Fe’s indoor soccer team strives for community first

Addison Fulton and Rodney Prunty | February 24

Overseeing Santa Fe’s indoor soccer team comes with a lot of responsibility, which Santa Fe Gloom’s owner David Fresquez proudly handles. Fresquez started the team in December 2023 because he wanted children and families to have fun in Santa Fe even when the weather was too cold or too hot for outdoor sports. Initially, Fresquez tried to base the team out of the Genoveva Chavez Community Center’s ice rink, but city officials did not approve the plan. Fresquez, however, was not discouraged.

Sports

Women's basketball: Lobos’ unforgettable finish leads to victory against Boise State

Esmeralda Lozano | February 17

On Thursday, Feb. 13, the University of New Mexico women's basketball team took on Boise State University. Both teams came into the game on losing streaks and were hungry for a win. At the end of regulation, the score was 75-75, sending the teams into overtime. The Lobos secured an 88-83 victory with a game-sealing 3-pointer by Vianè Cumber. The first quarter started off rocky for the Lobos. They had a hard time with offensive rebounds making it hard to seek the rest of the game. They ended the quarter on a tight score of 14-15 due to a pick-up on offense.

Sports

City Council approves $30 million bond for New Mexico United stadium

Maria Fernandez | February 17

On Feb. 3, the Albuquerque City Council approved the issuance and sale of a $30 million Industrial Revenue Bond to fund the construction and maintenance of a stadium for New Mexico United. Plans for the stadium were first approved by the City Council by an 8-1 vote in August 2024.

Sports

Men’s basketball: Tru Washington takes over

Rodney Prunty | February 17

The Pit saw a sold-out stadium with 15,411 fans on Sunday, Feb. 16, as people came to see the University of New Mexico men’s basketball team in a Mountain West showdown against the Utah State University Aggies. Both teams put on a show and the game was closely fought throughout. Guard Tru Washington had a huge impact on the game, making his presence known especially in the second half. Washington was one of the major factors that went into the Lobos leaving The Pit with a 82-79 win.

Sports

Men’s Basketball: Lobos lasso Cowboys in comeback win

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | February 17

The University of New Mexico Lobos were able to scratch out a tough win against the University of Wyoming Cowboys, beating them 71-67 Wednesday, Feb.12. This extends their win streak to seven straight games. It was like deja vu at The Pit, as the game started similarly to when the two teams faced off earlier this season. The Lobos struggled early and found themselves down 39-29 by halftime. They had 10 turnovers in the first half and only made 32% of their shots.

Sports

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week — Super Bowl edition

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | February 17

In a Super Bowl stunner, the Kansas City Chiefs were thrashed around by a suffocating Philadelphia Eagles defense that clipped their hopes for a three-peat with a 40-22 loss. The Chiefs grossly underestimated a brutal Eagles roster, and on the world stage, the Eagles shut down the Chiefs’ offense and dominated their defense. Great success doesn’t come without a losing team, and sometimes athletes jeopardize their team’s chances. These athletes are favorably called bobbleheads. Here are two Chiefs bobbleheads who inadvertently helped the Eagles win the Super Bowl. Patrick Mahomes’ misfires

Sports

Men’s basketball: Lobos remain on top with win over Rams

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | February 11

The University of New Mexico Lobos tacked on another dominant win on Wednesday, Feb. 5, when they faced off against the Colorado State Rams. The Lobos launched an aerial attack on the Rams and were able to respond to the physical style of play, coming away with a 87-65 win. The Lobos had an impressive shooting night, especially from beyond the arc. They finished 9-14 (64.3%) on 3-point attempts. Three of those nine makes came from guard CJ Noland. Noland shot the lights out, scoring 19 points without missing a shot. He was 7-7 from the field and nailed two free throws on top of it. He accomplished this despite only playing for 22 minutes.

Sports

Black athletes represent UNM, then and now

Maria Fernandez | February 10

Over the years, many brilliant Black athletes have worn the University of New Mexico’s cherry and silver colors. From basketball to track and field, each player has left an indelible mark on the University’s history and put UNM Athletics on national stages. From winning national titles to setting records in their sports, everyone has a unique story. Here are five Black athletes who hit it out of the park during and after their time at UNM. Ira Harge When Ira Harge joined the Lobo basketball team in 1962, he was the tallest player to ever don a Lobo uniform at 6 feet 9 inches, according to UNM Athletics. Harge helped the team beat both New York University and Drake University during the 1963-64 season. Over the course of two seasons, Harge scored over 1,000 points for the Lobos.

Sports

Lobo football player Richard Pearce speaks on family, career goals and Black history

Rodney Prunty | February 10

For University of New Mexico offensive lineman Richard Pearce, family is everything. Raised by his parents in Alabama, Pearce always had a close relationship with his family. Pearce grew up with two sisters in a small community. His family supports him through and through, he said, as they all take turns showing up for his games. “Once everything falls, that's all you have left,” Pearce said. “It's about having someone there through everything in life.”

Sports

Honoring legacy and progress with Black History Month in UNM Athletics

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | February 10

As February unfolds, Black History Month serves as a time of reflection and recognition, honoring the past while celebrating progress in all fields, including sports. At the University of New Mexico, two basketball staff members, Assistant Coach Tarvish Felton and Director of Player Development Isaiah Fernandez, shared their perspectives with the Daily Lobo on the significance of Black History Month and athletics in shaping opportunities for future generations.