Emptying the Notebook: Nelly Junior Joseph leaves his mark on Lobo basketball

Here are some extra quotes, notes, stats, videos, trends and other odds & ends I emptied out of the notebook after Friday's 81-67 UNM win over UNLV in the Pit:

Going out in style...

The loudest ovation in Friday's pregame senior night ceremony game to the lovable fan favorite from Nigeria.

Lobo center Nelly Junior Joseph, in his last game in the Pit in front of his home Lobo fans, went off in the 81-67 win over UNLV with the following impressive stats:

• POINTS: 26

• REBOUNDS: 16

• ASSISTS: 4

• BLOCKS: 3

• STEALS: 2

There have been only five games ever where a Mountain West player had at least 20 points, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 steals.

Junior Joseph had one to start the regular season (Nov. 4. vs Nicholls State — 28 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals) and one to end the regular season Friday night.

The other three were UNLV's Christian Wood in 2015 vs. Fresno State, UNLV's Louis Amundson at Auburn in 2004 and San Diego State's Marcus Slaughter vs. UNLV in 2006.

"We thought Nelly had the advantage down there (in the post), and he was phenomenal," UNM coach Richard Pitino said of Junior Joseph's game on Friday night.

Added point guard Donovan Dent: "We needed Nelly tonight. We knew 'Bear' Cherry (we could get him into) foul trouble kind of early. Their bench isn't as strong as him down in the post. So getting Nelly going early — 'Bear' Cherry had three early fouls. That's a great game for Nelly. I mean, did he have a double? 26 and 16? That's a monster game and we act like it's a regular game. It's crazy."

The game moved Junior Joseph into UNM's Top 5 for single season rebounds (and counting).

UNM single season rebounds:

1. Drew Gordon, 2012 — 388 (15 games/11.1 avg.)

2. Tom King, 1961 — 375 (23 games/16.3 avg.)

3. Tom King, 1960 — 374 (25 games/14.9 avg.)

4. Nelly Junior Joseph, 2025 — 345 (31 games/11.1 avg.)

5. Willie Long, 1970 — 335 (26 games/12.9 avg.)

6. Ira Harge, 1963 — 331 (25 games/13.2 avg.)

7. Luc Longley, 1990 — 330 (34 games/9.7 avg.)

t8. J.T. Toppin, 2024 — 326 (36 games/9.1 avg.)

t8. Morris Udeze, 2023 — 326 (34 games/9.6 avg.)

And his eighth 15-rebound game ties the UNM record for a season.

UNM most 15-rebound games in a season:

(Last 50 years, per UNM)

8 — Nelly Junior Joseph, 2024-25

8 — Bill Hagins, 1974-75

7 — Lewis Lamar, 1993-94

5 — Drew Gordon, 2010-11

5 — Larry Gray, 1975-76

Steve Kirkland Stat of the Game ...

UNM hoops sports information director Steve Kirkland offered up an appropriately timed Senior Night/Nelly Junior Joseph Stat of the Game.

Junior Joseph's 26 points and 16 rebounds was his second game of at least 22 points and 16 rebounds in conference play this season.

Both came against UNLV (he had 22 points and 18 rebounds at UNLV on Jan. 25).

He is the first Lobo to ever have two 22/16 games in a Mountain West game.

Lobos with 22 points, 16 rebounds in MW game:

• Nelly Junior Joseph — 26 pts, 16 rebs vs. UNLV (Friday)

• Nelly Junior Joseph — 22 pts, 18 rebs at UNLV (1/25/25)

• Carlton Bragg — 22 pts, 20 rebs at Wyoming (3/9/19)

• Drew Gordon — 27 pts, 20 rebs vs. UNLV (2/18/12)

• *J.R. Giddens — 28 pts, 17 rebs vs. Utah (3/13/08)

* In MW Tournament, the rest were in MW regular season play.

I'll add this to Steve's stat of the game:

If you count the Nicholls State game in nonconference play and wanted to extend the criteria to Lobos with 22-point, 16-rebound games in an entire season (nonconference and league games) in the Mountain West era, here's the list:

• Nelly Junior Joseph — 3 times (2024-25)

• Drew Gordon — 2 times (2011-12)

• Carlton Bragg — 1 time (2018-19)

• Darington Hobson — 1 time (2009-10)

• J.R. Giddens — 1 time (2007-08)

The gamer...

Here is the gamer I filed Friday night from the Pit:

• UNM outlasts UNLV to claim outright Mountain West regular-season title

UNM's season summed up in one play...

If ever there was one play to define a season, this one with 5:40 left in the first half may be it.

Why do I say this was so representative of the season? Well, I'm glad I asked.

• It starts with defense. More specifically, it starts with a Nelly Junior Joseph rebound. He's still on a tear that may have him end up as UNM's single season rebounds leader.

• It turns immediately into an outlet pass and the Lobos sprinting the other direction into their transition offense and another fast break. UNM ranks third in the nation in fast break points (17.0 per game).

• Donovan Dent doesn't just get to the rim, as he did with regularity all season, he does so by maneuvering his way acrobatically through three UNLV defenders. (How many defenders has he gone through this season to attack the basket?)

• It ends with a jaw-dropping finish by Dent, who finishes the regular season averaging 20.9 points per game.

• And for good measure, it happened at home, so the exclamation point to the play was the eruption of a Pit crowd that helped UNM to a 16-1 home record and another Top 25 finish in average home attendance.

If those weren't the highlights of the 2024-25 Lobos basketball season, I don't know what were.

UnpreceDENTed season...

What more can be said about Donovan Dent's season that just keeps hitting new milestones?

Maybe his 15,411 friends in the Pit who were chanting "MVP! MVP! MVP!" anytime he touched the ball in the closing minutes of the game said it best.

The latest round of ridiculous accolades and accomplishments this season come in the form of the following end of regular season stats and bullet points:

The stats...

• 20.9 points per game

• 6.0 assists per game

• 1.6 steals per game

• 48.9% FG shooting

• 5.3 fouls drawn per 40 minutes

The achievements...

• First player in Mountain West history to average 20.0 points and 6.0 assists per game in league play

Let me reiterate. In 26 seasons of Mountain West basketball — 26 years of Jimmers, Grangers, Kendalls, Kawhis, Merrills and more — Donovan Dent is the first player to average 20 points and 6 assists in the season.

• Second Lobo ever (Kelvin Scarborough 1987) and second player in Mountain West history (Wyoming's Hunter Maldonado in 2022) to have more than 600 points and 200 assists in a season.

• He's the 14th player in Division I history with 600 point/200 assist regular season and 82nd overall if you count those who needed postseason play to achieve the feat.

• One of only two Mountain West players to score double figures in every game this season (Ian Martinez of Utah State the other)

• Only Mountain West player to score 40 points in a game this season (Dec. 18 vs. VCU).

• More 30 point games (four) than any other Mountain West player (Nique Clifford, Ian Martinez and Kobe Sanders each had two)

• In the Lobos’ own championship week:

> Dent had 33 points, 7 assists, 2 steals in Tuesday's road win at Nevada to clinch at least a share of a MW championship.

> Dent had 20 points, 6 assists, 1 steal in Friday's home win over UNLV to clinch the outright Mountain West championship.

Dent vs. the best...

Unlike some of the other players in the league who were shut down at times by the best teams, Dent did his thing every, single, game.

Here are his averages vs. the other four teams in the top five of the league standings who got byes into the MW quarterfinals and who all are hoping to play in the NCAA Tournament:

• CSU: 16.5 ppg, 5.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 2-0

• USU: 18.5 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2.0 spg, 2-0

• BSU: 16.5 ppg, 9.0 apg, 0.5 spg, 1-1

• SDSU: 21.0 ppg, 6.0 apg, 1.5 spg, 1-1

Sweep, sweep success...

UNM's win on Friday completed the sweep of the Runnin' Rebels, the Lobos' seventh sweep of the season.

Lobo sweeps this season:

• Air Force

• Colorado State

• Fresno State

• Nevada

• UNLV

• Utah State

• Wyoming

Lobo non-sweeps this season:

• Boise State (1-1 record)

• San Diego State (1-1 record)

• San Jose State (1-1 record)

Senior night...

Four Lobo players and three managers were honored before the game for Senior Night: players Nelly Junior Joseph, Mustapha Amzil, C.J. Noland and Atiki Ally Atiki and managers Nolan Murphy, a graduate assistant, Logan Russell and Nate Castillo.

It was their senior night, too...

UNM put together a nice pregame video of family members wishing good luck to their Lobo seniors, Nelly Junior Joseph, Mustapha Amzil, C.J. Noland and Atiki Ally Atiki.

A Tru stat...

Tru Washington has scored in double figures 18 times this season. (He had 19 points against UNLV.)

UNM is 18-0 when Washington scores in double figures.

Those dubs...

UNM finishes its home season with a 16-1 record in the Pit, the best home record since UNM's 30-win season in 2009-10 went 17-0 in the building during the year it was being renovated.

As for the 17 conference wins...

Most Mountain West wins for UNM:

• 17 — 2024-25 (20 game season)

• 15 — 2013-14 (18 game season)

• 14 — 2009-10 (16 game season)

• 13 — 2012-13 (16 game season)

• 12 — 2017-18 (18 game season)

• 12 — 2008-09 (16 game season)

Most Mountain West wins:

• 17 — San Diego State, 2019-20 (17-1)

• 17 — New Mexico, 2024-25 (17-3)

• 16 — San Diego State, 2015-16 (16-2)

• 16 — San Diego State, 2013-14 (16-2)

• 16 — Colorado State, 2024-25 (16-4)

They showed Pitino some love...

Whether it's his last game coached in the Pit or not, Lobo fans showed Richard Pitino some love on Friday night.

Stealing the show...

UNM had nine steals on Friday night. They had just five at UNLV on Jan. 25.

Friday's nine pushes UNM's season total to 280 (9.33/game). That would be the highest per-game steal average in program history. And with at least two more games left to play, assuming they get those 9 steals per game, they'll at least get to the No. 2 spot all-time for a season.

Most steals in a season at UNM:

312 — 2024

294 — 1987

*280 — 2025

267 — 2020

258 — 1992

254 — 1978

*At least two more games to play.

Highest steal average in a season at UNM:

*9.3 — 2025

9.1 — 1978

8.7 — 2024

8.4 — 1987

8.1 — 2020

7.8 — 1992

*At least two more games to play.

$1 million donation...

Chet and Diana Stewart were recognized on Bob King Court during a first half media timeout and it was announced that they have made a $1 million donation to Lobo Athletics.

Attendance...

The announced attendance for Friday night's UNLV at UNM game in the Pit: 15,411 (sellout)

Hat tip to the go-to crowd show contributor for a couple seasons now, Eric Romero!

Top 25, again...

This will be the second-consecutive season that UNM is back in the Top 25 of average home attendance after some off years and then, of course, that whole COVID thing.

But it was close.

NCAA average home attendance rankings entering Friday:

No. 24 — NC State (13,063)

No. 25 — Texas Tech (13,042)

No. 26 — New Mexico (12,903)

No. 27 — San Diego State (12,411)

NC State and Texas Tech have no more home games and San Diego State will have a sold-out 12,114 on Saturday against Nevada.

That means that, with Friday's sold-out 15,411 in the Pit (and factoring in ahead of time SDSU's sellout), these will be the final average home attendance rankings for the four teams, short of any playing an NIT or other postseason home game.

No. 24 — NC State (13,063)

No. 25 — New Mexico (13,051)

No. 26 — Texas Tech (13,042)

No. 27 — San Diego State (12,411)

The Lobos should finish the season in the spot they were in for the first 50 seasons of the Pit's existence, in the Top 25. There were some off years, and COVID didn't help, but this is back-to-back seasons in the Top 25.

The Pit in Top 25 average home attendance:

• 50 consecutive seasons from opening through 2016

• Seven years outside the Top 25

• 2023-24 — No. 23 (13,042)

• 2024-25 — No. 25 (13,051)

Here's what that sold-out crowd looked like just before tipoff on Friday night...

Back in New Mexico...

UNLV's Jeremiah "Bear" Cherry starred at New Mexico Junior College a year ago before heading to Las Vegas to play for the Rebels.

Cherry had a nice 14 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 blocked shot game for UNLV.

Plus/minus...

Here are the plus/minus numbers for Friday's game with minutes in parenthesis:

NEW MEXICO

+16 Filip Borovicanin (29:23)

+13 Nelly Junior Joseph (39:17)

+11 Jovan Milicevic (11:23)

+10 Tru Washington (27:56)

+9 Donovan Dent (36:15)

+4 C.J. Noland (24:58)

+2 Mustapha Amzil (28:37)

+2 Kayde Dotson (00:43)

+2 Ibrahima Sacko (00:43)

+1 Braden Appelhans (00:45)

UNLV

0 DeMarion Yap (00:04)

-1 Pape N'Diaye (11:28)

-2 Julian Rishwain (6:22)

-7 Isaiah Cottrell (4:42)

-8 Jeremiah "Bear" Cherry (25:26)

-11 Jailen Bedford (36:19)

-13 Brooklyn Hicks (35:43)

-14 Jalen Hill (40:00)

-14 Jaden Henley (39:57)

Line 'em up...

The UNM Lobos played 10 players and used 11 unique lineup combinations. The UNLV Runnin' Rebels played nine players and used seven unique lineup combinations.

Here's a look at some of the Lobos lineup combinations, starting with the starters.

STARTING LINEUP and WORST LINEUP

• WHO: Donovan Dent, Tru Washington, Filip Borovicanin, Mustapha Amzil, Nelly Junior Joseph

• POINT DIFFERENTIAL: -4 (21-25)

• TIME ON COURT: 9:31

• NOTE: It wasn't like they got run off the court, but the Lobo starters were outscored when on the court together last night almost a fourth of the game. There wasn't much defense, allowing 25 UNLV points (the Rebels scored just 42 in the other 30 minutes).

BEST LINEUP

• WHO: Donovan Dent, Tru Washington, Filip Borovicanin, Jovan Milicevic, Nelly Junior Joseph

• POINT DIFFERENTIAL: +12 (13-1)

• TIME ON COURT: 4:46

• NOTE: Another huge run of minutes with Jovan Milicevic in with the starters in place of Mustapha Amzil. He's still better off the bench for now, but this group of five has been really good together ever since the Air Force game at Air Force when they posted a -10 with Milicevic in the starting five in place of Amzil.

VIDEO: Postgame with Pitino and Dent...

Here's the postgame presser with UNM's Richard Pitino and Donovan Dent...

VIDEO: Pregame from the Pit...

Here's the pregame preview video from the Pit on Friday night including me at the 6:30 mark previewing the game pretty much exactly as it played out)...

Meanwhile, in Boise...

Colorado State did its part to create some drama on Friday night.

First, the Rams beat Boise State, 83-73, at Extra Mile Arena to secure the No. 2 seed in the Mountain West Tournament (and they would have had a share of the MW championship had UNM lost to UNLV).

But they also happened to perform the perfect postgame trolling job of the Broncos with their customary road win snacks trip on the way out of town.

I'm sure the convenience store they chose to stop at and pose for the picture in front of was just a coincidence.

Around the Mountain...

There were two games around the Mountain West on Friday and three more on Saturday to conclude the regular season.

FRIDAY

• New Mexico 81, UNLV 67

• Colorado State 83, Boise State 73

SATURDAY

• Air Force at Utah State, 1 PST/2 MST (TheMW)

• Fresno State at San Jose State, 2 PST/3 MST (TheMW)

• Nevada at San Diego State, 7:30 PST/8:30 MST (FS1)

— END REGULAR SEASON —

Mountain West standings...

Mountain West standings through Friday's games (107 of 110 games played):

17-3 New Mexico

16-4 Colorado State

14-5 Utah State

14-6 Boise State

13-6 San Diego State

11-9 UNLV

8-11 Nevada

6-13 San Jose State

5-15 Wyoming

2-17 Fresno State

1-18 Air Force

MW Home/Road standings...

Teams get +1 for a road win, -1 for a home loss.

+7 New Mexico

+6 Colorado State

+5 Utah State

+4 Boise State

+4 San Diego State

+1 UNLV

-2 Nevada

-3 San Jose State

-5 Wyoming

-8 Fresno State

-9 Air Force

Mountain West Tournament seeds...

Through 107 games and with just three left to play, here are all the seeds in next week's Mountain West Tournament we know for sure are locked in as of now:

1. New Mexico

2. Colorado State

3.

4.

5.

6. UNLV

7. Nevada

8. San Jose State

9. Wyoming

10.

11.

Mountain West Tournament schedule (men's)...

All information about the Mountain West Tournament can be found at this link here: MW Championship Central

First round: Wednesday

• No. 8 San Jose State vs. No. 9 Wyoming, 11 a.m. PST/noon MST (TheMW.com)

• No. 7 Nevada vs. No. 10 AFA/FS, 1:30 p.m. PST/2:30 MST (TheMW.com)

• No. 6 UNLV vs. No. 11 AFA/FS, 4 p.m. PST/5 p.m. MST

Quarterfinals: Thursday

• No. 1 New Mexico vs. winner 8/9, noon PST/1 p.m. MST (CBS Sports Network)

• No. 4 BSU/SDSU/USU vs. No. 5 BSU/CSU/SDSU/USU, 2:30 p.m. PST/3:30 p.m. MST (CBS Sports Network)

• No. 2 Colorado State vs. winner 7/10, 6 p.m. PST/7 p.m. MST (CBS Sports Network)

• No. 3 BSU/USU vs. winner 6/11, 8:30 p.m. PST/9:30 MST (CBS Sports Network)

Semifinals: Friday

• Semifinal 1, 6:30 p.m. PST/7:30 MST (CBS Sports Network)

• Semifinal 2, 9 p.m. MST/10 p.m. MST (CBS Sports Network)

Championship: Saturday (March 15)

• MW Tournament Championship: 3 p.m. PST/4 p.m. MST (CBS)

Stats and stats...

Here is the postgame stat sheet I posted late Friday night: New Mexico 81, UNLV 67

And if you prefer the digital version, here you go: New Mexico 81, UNLV 67

Grammer's Guesses...

Not that it matters since my daughter has already clinched the championship, but...

The Guesses went 1-1 on Friday night and, naturally, my daughter's coin flip picks went 2-0.

Standings through 107 of 110 games:

• My daughter's coin flip picks: 57-50

• Grammer's Guesses: 50-57

Up next...

For New Mexico: The Lobos open the Mountain West Tournament in the quarterfinal round next Thursday (March 13) at noon PST/1 p.m. MST vs. the winner of No. 8 seed San Jose State and No. 9 seed Wyoming.

For UNLV: The Rebels the No. 6 seed) will open the Mountain West Tournament in the first round on Wednesday (March 12) against either Air Force or Fresno State in the 6/11 game at 4 p.m. PST/5 p.m. MST.

Until next time...

Until next season, University Arena, better known as the Pit...

Lobo schedule/results...

Photos...

UNM's Senior Night against UNLV: Photos