From Bison Ball to Burque: Lobos land experienced Summit League guard Tajavis Miller

He spent three seasons in the Summit. Tuesday, he announced he’s ready to try the Mountain.

Tajavis Miller, who played 91 Division I games over the past three seasons at North Dakota State, announced Tuesday he’s transferring to UNM to play for Eric Olen and the Lobos.

“Next chapter. #100% committed,” he wrote beneath a photo illustration of himself in a UNM Lobos uniform and the Pit behind him with a large “COMMITTED” across the bottom.

The 6-foot-4 guard was voted Summit League Sixth Man of the Year this past season. He was a regular starter over his first two seasons at NDSU, but his production increased when coming off the bench his third year.

As a junior, in 30 games with zero starts, he averaged 10.6 points, 4.5 rebounds while shooting 36.7% from 3-point range on 3.0 attempts per game. He also drew 4.7 fouls per 40 minutes, second best on the team and 12th best in the conference, and ranked sixth in Summit League games in offensive rebound rate (9.6).

His career high 26 points came in a 85-84 loss to South Dakota on March 7 in the Summit League Tournament, ending the Bison’s season at 21-11. In that game, he hit 9-of-11 at the free throw line, had eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal before fouling out in 30 minutes.

Miller, who is one of seven children and is from Lubbock, is the son of two college athletes — dad Thavis played college football at Iowa Wesleyen and mom Brittany was a star pitcher at Iowa (then by the name of Brittany Weil). Brittany Miller is now the softball coach at East Texas A&M, the same school where former Lobo women’s basketball assistant Valerie King is now head coach of the women’s basketball team and former Lobo star Jaedyn De La Cerda is an assistant coach.

Officially official

Though they were two of the first transfers to publicly announced they were following Olen from UC San Diego to UNM last month, the Lobos on Tuesday officially announced for the first time the signings of transfer 6-6 guard Chris Howell and 6-7 forward Milos Vicentic.

Howell, a defensive stopper and the younger brother of UNM assistant coach Mikey Howell, started his college career playing at Saint Mary’s for two seasons before starting all 35 games this past season for the Big West champion Tritons. His 4.26 steal rate was the same as former Lobo Jaelen House during his senior season in 2024.

“Chris impacts winning as much as anyone I’ve been around, but it doesn’t always show up in the box score,” said Olen in a school release. “His feel for the game along with his versatility on both ends of the floor will raise the level of everyone around him. He’s exactly the kind of competitor and leader we want representing Lobo basketball. We’re fired up to welcome Chris and his family to the Lobo family.”

Vicentic, from Belgrade, Serbia, is a former Division II All-American who was lost for the season due to a foot injury in the opener against San Diego State. He averaged 21.5 points and shot 42% from 3-point range his last full season at McKendree University in Illinois before transferring to UC San Diego .

“We’re thrilled to welcome Milos to the Lobo family,” said Olen. “His ability to score in a variety of ways makes him difficult to defend. Lobo fans are going to enjoy getting to know Milos and his infectious personality.”