New Mexico will host a home game in the first round of the NIT, tipping off against Utah Valley tonight in the Pit.
The invitation ends a nine-year hiatus from postseason play for the Lobos — the longest such drought in the nearly 60-year modern era of UNM basketball (the Pit era). mThe Lobos last played in the NIT in 2011.
New Mexico (22-11) won its first 14 games and was ranked as high as No. 22 this year. However, the team faltered down the stretch, losing Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Tournament to Utah State.
The Lobos earned a No. 2 seed in the NIT, which means being the host team in the first and second rounds.
Utah Valley finished 25-8 this season and was an automatic qualifier into the NIT field as the regular season champion of the Western Athletic Conference.
The Lobos are a 5.5-point favorite heading into the game, which tips off at 8 p.m.
Tickets for today’s game are on sale online at GoLobos.com/tickets and season ticket holders had until 10 a.m. to claim their seats. Now, those seats are available for all fans.
You can also follow the game on TV, radio or online:
- TV: Streaming on ESPN+
- RADIO: Listen on 96.3 FM or 770 AM
- TWITTER: For live coverage, follow Journal sports writer Geoff Grammer on Twitter.
