"The Pit," Home of New Mexico Lobo Basketball

The University of New Mexico (UNM) established basketball as a varsity sport in 1899, but it wasn't until 1920 when they hired a new basketball coach. It was at that point the UNM athletic department became competitive among colleges in the Western United States. Image File history File links ThePit3. ... Image File history File links ThePit3. ... Sara Giauro shoots a three-point shot, FIBA Europe Cup for Women Finals 2005 Basketball is a sport in which two teams of five players each try to score points by throwing a ball through a hoop (the basket) under organized rules. ... The word varsity can refer to several things. ... 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Coach Roy W. Johnson (1920-59)

When Johnson arrived in 1920, the school's gym was a small wooden building where the walls were out-of-bounds markers for basketball games. Johnson soon oversaw the construction of Carlisle Gym. He also built the first grass football field and bleachers at UNM.

Near the end of his career, he oversaw construction of the 7,800-seat arena that bears his name, Johnson Gymnasium, which opened in 1957. For many years, Johnson Gym was the most prominent feature of the UNM campus for those driving along Central Ave./Route 66.

During a seven year stretch of Johnson's time as basketball coach, the Lobos posted a 95-31 (.754) record. The Lobos won 157 games with Johnson as head basketball coach, a school record for thirty years and third on the all-time list.

The Bob King Era (1962-71)

New Mexico Lobo Basketball achieved national prominence for the first time under Coach Bob King.

The Lobos had just two winning seasons between 1947 and King's arrival in 1962, and the team had gone a dismal 42-149 (.220) over the previous eight seasons.

King's impact was immediate. The Lobos won as many games in his first two seasons as they had won in the past seven seasons combined.[2] They compiled a record of 116-44 (.725) in King's first six seasons. The Pit, Home of New Mexico Lobo Basketball The University of New Mexico (UNM) established basketball as a varsity sport in 1899, but it wasnt until 1920 when they hired a new basketball coach. ...

The Lobos won their first Western Athletic Conference (WAC) championship in King's second season, 1963-64, and won the championship again in the 1967-68 season. The Western Athletic Conference (commonly referred to as the WAC, pronounced whack) was formed in 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 College Athletic Conferences currently affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I-A. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States, with member institutions...

After New Mexico State University hired Lou Henson in 1966, both programs became perennial winners, and a fierce rivalry grew statewide. The teams play twice every season, once at each home site, although they are not in the same conference. Many star players of the King era include Ira Harge, Mel Daniels, and Willie Long. All went on to post-colligiate careers in the ABA and NBA. New Mexico State University, or NMSU, is a land-grant university that has its main campus in Las Cruces, New Mexico. ... Lou Henson (born January 10, 1932 in Okay, Oklahoma) was a collegiate basketball coach. ... Mel Daniels, a 6-9 center, played for the University of New Mexico Lobo basketball team from 1964-67. ... Look up ABA in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The National Basketball Association of the United States and Canada, commonly known as the NBA, is the premier professional basketball league in North America. ...

UNM has been among national attendance leaders regularly since the opening of The Pit in 1966

After his years at UNM, Bob King coached at Indiana State University. His 1978-79 team featured future Hall of Famer Larry Bird and reached the final of the NCAA tournament. King and Bird lost in the final to another future Hall of Famer, Magic Johnson, and his Michigan State University team. The game marked the beginning of a legendary rivalry between Bird and Magic that would revitalize and dominate the NBA for the following decade. Image File history File links The Pit, University Arena, Albuquerque, NM File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links The Pit, University Arena, Albuquerque, NM File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Indiana State University Indiana State University located in Terre Haute, Indiana, was created by an Indiana statute on December 20,1865. ... The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame honors players who have shown exceptional skill at basketball, all-time great coaches and referees, and other major contributors to the game. ... Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is a former NBA basketball player. ... Magic Johnson Earvin Magic Johnson, Jr. ... Michigan State University (MSU) is a public university in East Lansing, Michigan. ...

In a formal ceremony on December 1, 1992, the basketball court at University Arena was dedicated and named Bob King Court in honor of the man who built the program and made The Pit possible. Coach King passed away on December 10, 2004 at the age of 81. He was remembered for his great integrity and ability as a basketball coach and educator.

The Norm Ellenberger Era (1972-79)

When Bob King moved on to coach at Indiana State, his assistant, Norm Ellenberger, was named head coach. The Lobo program thrived in the 1970s, and Ellenberger became a local celebrity, restauranteur, and man-about-town, earning the nickname Stormin' Norman for his flashy attire, fiery coaching style, and flamboyant personality. Norm Ellenberger was the head coach of the University of New Mexico (UNM) Lobo basketball team from 1972 to 1979, when he was forced to resign due to a recruiting scandal known as Lobo-gate. ...

Under Ellenberger, the Lobos won WAC championships in 1974 and 1978 and compiled an overall record of 134-62 (.684).[4] His teams were frequently ranked among the Top 25 in the nation. His ability as a teacher of defense made him a frequent participant in basketball coaching camps, where he became friends with University of Nevada-Las Vegas coach Jerry Tarkanian, leading to a heated rivalry between their teams during the late 70s. The Pit, Home of New Mexico Lobo Basketball The University of New Mexico (UNM) established basketball as a varsity sport in 1899, but it wasnt until 1920 when they hired a new basketball coach. ... The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a public, coeducational university located in Las Vegas, Nevada, known for its programs in computer science, English, engineering, and hotel administration. ... Jerry Tarkanian (born August 8, 1930), known as Tark the Shark, was a college basketball coach. ...

Ellenberger coached Michael Cooper for two seasons at UNM before "Coop" went on to become one of the greatest defensive players in National Basketball Association (NBA) history.

Ellenberger managed to remain popular in Albuquerque even after the Lobo-gate recruiting scandal decimated the program, forced him to resign as head coach, and left him with criminal liability. An NCAA investigation into Lobo recruiting practices found 57 rule violations, and Ellenberger himself was convicted on 21 counts of fraud in 1981. The program was sanctioned by the NCAA, including a ban on post-season appearances for three years. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA, often said NC-Double-A) is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletics programs of many colleges and universities in the United States. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In the wake of Lobo-gate, assistant Charlie Harrison was elevated to head coach for the 1979-80 season, leading a team made up of mostly walk-on players. The team limped to a woeful 6-22 record, as the program was forced to rebuild virtually from scratch. Harrison and his players gained fan sympathy for perservering under difficult circumstances, but he served primarily as a caretaker until a new coach was named.

The Gary Colson Era (1980-88)

Gary Colson was brought to the program in 1980, inheriting the messy aftereffects of Lobo-gate. Colson was known as a genuinely nice man who took on the task of turning the Lobos into a winning team. However, he did fail to live up to the high expectations of Lobo basketball fans. Colson prided himself on integrity and honesty, which are values he tried to instill into the recruits that played for him.

It took four years for Colson to reach postseason play. In 1984, they reached the National Invitational Tournament. This started an 11 year postseason streak for the Lobos. The 1986-87 was Colson's best season as Lobo coach. His team posted a 25-10 win-loss record, but lost in the Western Athletic Conference finals to Wyoming. When Colson returned the team to the NIT in 1988, he was abruptly fired.

Fans took the decision pretty hard since Colson was looking at his best season ever with returning players, such as, Luc Longley and Rob Loeffel. Luc Longley Lucien James Luc Longley (born January 19, 1969 in Melbourne, Australia) was the first Australian to play in the NBA. He attended college at the University of New Mexico. ... Rob Loeffel played basketball for the University of New Mexico Lobos from 1985-89. ...

The Dave Bliss Era (1988-99)

Bob King Court, as seen from the arena ceiling

Bliss helped the Lobos return to glory. He took the team to the NCAA tournament six of last seven seasons, reaching the second round in the last three years. Longley had left in 1991 for a career in the NBA. Bliss also had forward Kenny Thomas to work with from 1995-99. Image File history File links Pit-ceiling2. ... Image File history File links Pit-ceiling2. ... Kenny Thomas (born July 25, 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American basketball player. ...

The Lobos were ranked among the AP Top 25 team almost every week during Thomas' four-season career, cracking the Top 10 seven times, and the team reached the NCAA tournament all four seasons.

Thomas was selected as the 22nd pick in the 1999 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets. He has also played for the Philadelphia 76ers and currently plays for the Sacramento Kings. Complete NBA stats The Houston Rockets are a National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas. ... The Philadelphia 76ers are a National Basketball Association team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, also known as the Sixers for short. ... The Sacramento Kings are a National Basketball Association team based in Sacramento, California. ...

Fran Fraschilla (1999-2002)

It is difficult for a fan of Lobo basketball to discuss the dark years of Fraschilla's coaching tenure dispassionately. The program reached its pinnacle in the final Dave Bliss years, only to be brought to ruins within months by the former St. John's University and Manhattan coach.

The Ritchie McKay Years (2002-present)

Ritchie McKay proclaimed coaching the Lobos was a dream come true. His father, Joe McKay, was a starter for the Lobos from 1960-63, and he said he was happy to return to Albuquerque. Lobo fans, weary from watching the program crumble, remained skeptical but hopeful. McKay had a mixed record coming in, but getting rid of memories from recent years provided relief and hope for fans. Ritchie McKay has been head basketball coach at the University of New Mexico from 2002 to the present. ...

Coach McKay faced a major rebuilding project when he took over as head coach in 2002. The team was short on talent and scholarships, and once again had to resort to walk-on players. One player, Ruben Douglas, would provide a bright spot for the 2002-03 squad, leading the NCAA in scoring with 28.0 points per game.

The Lobo program abruptly stopped its slide and began to recover in December 2003. After sitting out the first semester for eligibility reasons, Granger and Troy DeVries made their Lobo debuts. DeVries was a solid, experienced player who stabilized a young backcout -- and who will play professionally in the German Bundesliga beginning in 2005. Granger was among the best few players in Lobo history. The young Lobos became competitive by the end of the season led by the two vets, though a late run for a post-season spot fell short.

In 2004-05, Granger carried the Lobos to a 26-6 record, the Mountain West Conference (MWC) tournament championship, and back to the NCAA tournament. He was named to the All-MWC first team, and recognized as an AP Honorable Mention All-American. The Mountain West Conference (or MWC), the youngest of the College Athletic Conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I-A, officially began operations in July 1999. ...

In June 2005, Granger was selected as the 17th pick in the first round of the NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers have been a regular playoff team in recent years, and the organization includes former Lobo Mel Daniels and Hall of Famer Larry Bird. The Indiana Pacers are a National Basketball Association team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. ... Mel Daniels, a 6-9 center, played for the University of New Mexico Lobo basketball team from 1964-67. ... The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame honors players who have shown exceptional skill at basketball, all-time great coaches and referees, and other major contributors to the game. ... Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is a former NBA basketball player. ...

Lobo Basketball Program

Image File history File links UNM_Lobo_Logo. ...

Athletic Conferences

Lobo athletic teams began competing in the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association as a founding member in 1931, winning the conference basketball championship in 1944 and 1945. UNM left the Border Conference in 1951 to join the Skyline Conference. The Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association (sometimes referred to as the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Conference), an NCAA-affiliated college athletic conference founded in 1931, was disbanded following the 1961-1962 season. ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... The Skyline Conference, also known as the Mountain States Conference, was a college athletic conference based in the western United States. ...

In 1962, the Lobos became a founding member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), remaining until 1999. 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Western Athletic Conference (commonly referred to as the WAC, pronounced whack) was formed in 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 College Athletic Conferences currently affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I-A. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States, with member institutions... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

Lobo basketball led all teams in the WAC in overall winning percentage over the seventeen season span from 1962 to 1979, posting a won-loss record of 328-161 (.671). The Lobos won the WAC regular season championship four times during that period (1964, '68, '74, and '78). They later won the conference tournament championship twice (1993 and '96).

In 1999, the Lobos left the WAC to become a founding member of the Mountain West Conference (MWC), their present league. The Lobos won the MWC basketball tournament championship in 2005. 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The Mountain West Conference (or MWC), the youngest of the College Athletic Conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I-A, officially began operations in July 1999. ...

National Rankings

The Lobos were ranked as high as #3 in the AP poll in the 1963-64 season. They reached #4 in the UPI poll in 1967-68 and in 1977-78. They were regularly ranked among the Top 25 nationally during the 1990s.

The Pit

Image File history File links The Pit File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links The Pit File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

The Pit

University Arena, commonly referred to as "The Pit," is located on the UNM campus and has a capacity of 18,018, including standing-room. University Arena, commonly known as The Pit, is a multi-purpose arena with a capacity of 18,018 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ...

UNM was the only team ranked in the top 10 in national attendance every season from the opening of The Pit in 1966 through the 2000-01 season.

Mike Roberts

Mike Roberts has been the voice of New Mexico Lobo sports since 1968, broadcasting football and basketball games, The Mike Roberts Show, and the coaches shows on KKOB-AM in Albuquerque. He was also the sports anchor for many years on KOB-TV, the NBC affiliate in Albuquerque. Mike Roberts Mike Roberts is a radio sportscaster in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he provides play-by-play for University of New Mexico (UNM) Lobo basketball and football games on KKOB-AM. Roberts began broadcasting Lobo football games in 1966 and Lobo basketball games in 1968, becoming known along the... KKOB-AM is a clear channel AM station operating out of Albuquerque, NM. It operates on 770 khz with 50,000 watts of power. ... KOB redirects here. ... The National Broadcasting Company or NBC is an American television broadcasting company based in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ...

In 1999, Roberts was named an inductee of the University of New Mexico Athletic Hall of Honor by the Alumni Lettermen's Association and received the Distinguished Service Award. 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

Lobo Basketball Records

Win-Loss Records

Pre-Bob King:

Notes:

• Johnson 102-46 (.689) after 1934 season, 140-80 (.636) after 1937, 17-58 in last 3 yrs
• Clements 41-19 (.683) after 1947
• Lobos 113-252 (.310) from 1948-62
• Seven seasons prior to Bob King, 35-133 (.208)

Bob King Era:

Norm Ellenberger Era:

Gary Colson Era:

Dave Bliss Era:

Time of Troubles:

Ritchie McKay Era:

Coaching Records

* - at least 75 games coached

Conference Championships

• 3, Dave Bliss (WAC: 1994; WAC tourmt, 1993, 1996)
• 2, Bob King (WAC: 1964, 1968)
• 2, Norm Ellenberger (WAC: 1974, 1978)
• 1, Ritchie McKay (MWC tourmt: 2005)
• 1, Woody Clements (Border: 1945)
• 1, George Ellis (Border: 1944)

NCAA Tournament Appearances

• 7, Dave Bliss (1991, 1993-94, 1996-99), 4-7 record in NCAA tourmt
• 2, Norm Ellenberger (1974, 1978), 2-2
• 1, Bob King (1968), 0-2
• 1, Ritchie McKay (2005), 0-1

20-Win Seasons

• 10, Dave Bliss (high: 28 - school record)
• 3, Norm Ellenberger (24)
• 3, Gary Colson (25)
• 2, Bob King (23)
• 1, Ritchie McKay (26)
• 1, HWSNBN (21)

External Sources & Links

• Go Lobos!
  
• Wolf Bytes -- Greatest Lobo Fan Site
  
• Lobo Basketball News
  
• Loboland News
  
• Red Menace Recruiting News
• Media Guide 2004-05

• Birth, Growth of Lobo Sports
  
• Bob King (1923-2004)
  
• The Pit