Lobo hoops notebook: UNM adds nonconference games, UNLV coach wants your boos

Lobo basketball has another game fans can plan for.

The team on Wednesday announced a home-and-home series against Santa Clara (a member of the West Coast Conference) — a series that will start Dec. 6 in the Pit and see the Lobos return the game in the Leavey Center in Santa Clara, California, during the 2026-27 season.

The two teams were to play in a closed-door scrimmage in California in October, but that has now been canceled. The schedule opening allows the Lobos to add one more preseason contest to the schedule. The NCAA allows teams to have two preseason “contests” — an open-to-the-public game with regular season rules in place or a closed-door, no fans/no media allowed scrimmage in which the teams can agree to certain in-game scenarios, additional time on the clock, etc.

UNM has an Oct. 30 exhibition game, open to fans, in the Pit against Northern Arizona, but it is unclear what they will do with their second preseason contest.

UNM and Santa Clara last played ahead of last season in a closed-door scrimmage in the Pit. Publicly, they last played Dec. 9, 2023, when the Lobos beat the Broncos 93-76 in the Jack Jones Classic played in Henderson, Nevada.

Former Lobo point guard Donovan Dent had 22 pointes, six rebounds, four assists and three steals in the win.

UNM holds and all-time 5-3 series lead over Santa Clara. The last Broncos win versus UNM was Nov. 24, 2011, when a Santa Clara team that ended up just 8-22 that season beat the eventual 28-7 Lobos 79-76 in overtime in the 76 Classic in Anaheim, California.

Santa Clara, coached by Herb Sendeck, went 21-13 last season — 12-6 in the WCC — and ranked in the Top 60 in both KenPom and the NCAA’s NET rankings.

More from California

UNM also recently announced a Nov. 11 home game in the Pit against UC Riverside.

The Big West’s Highlanders won 21 games last season.

2025-26 UNM Lobo MBB schedule

As of Aug.20

• Oct. 30 — Exhibition vs. Northern Arizona (the Pit)

• Nov. 5 — vs. East Texas A&M, the Pit

• Nov. 8 — vs. UT Arlington, the Pit

• Nov. 11 — vs. UC Riverside, the Pit

• Nov. 15 — at New Mexico State, Pan Am Center (Las Cruces)

• Nov. 20-21 — Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Missouri (vs. Nebraska on Nov. 20 and then either Kansas State or Mississippi State on Nov. 21).

• Nov. 26 — Alabama State, the Pit

• Dec. 10 — at VCU (Richmond, Virginia)

• date TBD — UNM will host one non-Division I opponent, most likely one of the state’s three Division II schools, but that game will likely be the final one scheduled.

Bring on the boos

In Episode 115 of the Talking Grammer podcast, new UNLV head coach Josh Pastner said he not only expected to be booed when his Rebels come to the Pit this coming season, he wants it to happen.

A player on the 1997 University of Arizona National Championship team, Pastner explained how former coach and mentor Lute Olson told his players to never play in the Pit again because he felt a timing error led to a Wildcats loss. But as a Mountain West member, Pastner and his team will be in the Pit, and he thinks the intensity from fans can only help the league.

“When they announce me as head coach and they announce our starting five, I want to hear the echo chambers of the Pit so loud with boos, I want to hear it so loud that all throughout the state of New Mexico they think it’s an earthquake or something,” Pastner said.

“That’s the kind of reception that I want from everyone there — the loudest boos that they can have. And then, when we play at UNLV, at the Thomas & Mack (Center), I want the same thing.”