Feb. 25, 2008
Albuquerque Journal
Lobos' Actions Speak Volumes
By Mark Smith, Journal Staff WriterSALT LAKE CITY— Talk is certainly cheap. Actions, however, are priceless.
Earlier this month the University of New Mexico men's basketball team did the first. This past few weeks, it accomplished the latter. As a result, the Lobos have created plenty of action in the Mountain West Conference, heading into two of their biggest back-to-back home games in school history.
"It will be a fight, a huge fight," UNM senior guard Darren Prentice says of Brigham Young's visit to the Pit on Tuesday. "We got the wins we needed to set this up. We're ready, that's all I can say, we're ready. I can't wait. I know the fans will be ready."
Any Lobo fans who doubt University Arena can still become the inferno it once was, need only to purchase a ticket for Tuesday night's battle with the Mountain West Conference-leading Cougars (21-6, 10-2) or second-place UNLV (20-6, 9-3). It is expected to be a near sellout— and in a complete frenzy— as the Lobos blaze into the game on a six-game winning streak.
Earlier this season, UNM looked vastly improved in the three Ds— demeanor, defense and discipline— from the past five years under former coach Ritchie McKay. But record-wise, not much had really changed at the Mountain West Conference season's midway point.
Before blowing out Colorado State 91-51, the Lobos were 16-6 overall and 3-4 in the league. The latter represented just a one-game improvement from the same time last season.
The CSU romp had first-year UNM coach Steve Alford, his staff and his players all talking about making a run in the second half.
Their words weren't new around Loboland.
Their actions were.
McKay's bunch said the same stuff last season, then lost seven of its final eight on the way to a last-place finish and a play-in game exit from the MWC tournament.
Following the CSU romp this year, New Mexico bombed Wyoming 100-55 in its next outing and the talk increased.
And why not? ALL the Lobos had to do was win at San Diego State, at home against TCU, then beat Air Force and Utah on the road.
Win those four, and the Lobos would play host to the league's top two teams on their home floor with a chance for a top-two league finish.
That wasn't asking much, right?
Shoot, the Lobos had won at Air Force before.
The last time in the 1999-2000 season.
And they had beaten the Utes in Salt Lake City five times already.
In 51 years!
Isn't it amazing when a plan comes together?
"That was our goal," said junior post Daniel Faris. "Now we've set ourselves up where we wanted to be. ... Every game we're now playing is the biggest game of the season. We're trying to make it to the NCAA Tournament, and we need every win on our schedule now for our résumé."
New Mexico's NCAA credentials were certainly bolstered with a 68-51 rout of Air Force and 72-71 squeaker at Utah, the latter ending the Lobos' 18-game losing streak in Salt Lake City.
The Lobos have seven road wins, one shy of the school's all-time single-season record. To give that number even more perspective, it's just one fewer than McKay captured in his five seasons as UNM coach.
After the two big home games, the Lobos have a chance to tie the record on March 8 at Colorado State (6-20, 0-12).
"We're not going to lie down like we did last year," says UNM senior J.R. Giddens. "We're a lot tougher, more mentally tough. That's why we can win key victories like this on the road. Whenever we're down, we think we can win."
Think, say and do.
MAGIC NUMBER: So how many wins will carry the Lobos to the NCAA Tournament?
While it makes for great conversation, the only sure answer is three.
As in, win three in the MWC tournament.
Had the 2004-05 team lost the MWC title game to Utah that season, it would have finished 25-7— and would have missed the Big Dance.
Both former coach Ritchie McKay and then-athletics director Rudy Davalos said that NCAA Tournament folks informed them the Lobos would not have gotten an at-large berth that season, despite winning eight straight heading into the MWC title game.
Even with the league title, the Lobos only received a No. 12 seed and lost to fifth-seeded Villanova in the opening round.
However, the Lobos' Ratings Percentage Index was in the mid-80s prior to the 2005 MWC tournament. It's in the mid-40s this week.
WHIPPING POST: The Utes trailed 69-61 with 45 seconds remaining Saturday before nearly making an amazing comeback. When asked if he was encouraged with his team's late run, despite the loss, Utah coach Jim Boylen said, "I don't know, whipped cream on a turd— it still tastes like s--t."
FAN CLUB PRESIDENT: The Lobos were greeted by about 20 fans upon their return to Albuquerque on Saturday night. UNM president David Schmidly was among those on hand.
No word if he had a new contract in his pocket.
I'M A BELIEVER: Last spring, Alford says just about everyone told him Giddens wasn't worth the trouble. Word was, the 6-foot-5 wing wouldn't make it to the fall under the new coach.
Last week, when asked by KOAT sportscaster Bob Brown about how much Giddens has helped the coaching transition, Alford said, "It's hard for me to believe what you all said, when I got here, about J.R.— just like it was hard for me to believe the president (Schmidly) and my boss, Mr. (Paul) Krebs, that the weather was great here all the time; that it never rained. And the first two weeks, that's all it did.
"We've had fun with it. I think J.R. has appreciated the tough love that was thrown at him early. He's grown in a lot of areas, not just basketball."
'T' FOR TWO: Alford received his first technical of the season Saturday, tying him with associate head coach Craig Neal for the team lead.
"Well Noodles (Neal) and I are tied 1-1. We'll see who wins this thing, we've still got some games left."
"It's match play, we're all squared up," Neal said. "But I won't get another one. If he gets it, I win."
Up Next
Tuesday: BYU at New Mexico, 8 p.m. Radio: KKOB-AM (770) TV: The Mtn. Tickets: 4,000 remaining; for more info call 925-5626