Lobo hoops notebook: UNM to face Nebraska, Lobos make official signing of two European players

One of the first big games in the Eric Olen Lobo basketball era will be against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

The Big Ten team was announced Thursday as UNM’s first-round opponent in the four-team Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Missouri, Nov. 20-21.

Nebraska went 21-14 this past season including 7-13 in the Big Ten (tied for 12th).

Thursday’s bracket reveal for the event has the Lobos and Cornhuskers playing at 5 p.m. MT with Kansas State and Mississippi State — coached by former NMSU coach Chris Jans — playing the late game at 7:30 p.m. MT.

The winners of those two games play the following day at 7:30 p.m. MT, and the two first-day losers play at 5 p.m. MT on Nov. 21.

All games will be streamed on the Peacock app and NBC Sports Now.

At the end of the 2025 season, KenPom ranked the four teams scheduled for November’s Hall of Fame Classic, with Mississippi State being the highest, at 33. New Mexico was second at 41. Nebraska was ranked 46 and Kansas State 65. Olen’s UC San Diego team, for context, was ranked 39.

UNM and Nebraska have played once before, an 83-71 Lobos win in the Pit on March 17, 2009, in the NIT.

Albuquerque’s own Daniel Faris went off for a game-high 28 points and 13 rebounds in the win, while Dairese Gary dished out seven assists, Tony Danridge had 18 points and five assists, while Chad Toppert had 15 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

It’s official-er

UNM on Thursday officially announced on Thursday the signings of 6-foot-8 guard Timéo Pons of France and 6-9 power forward Tomislav Buljan of Croatia, though the pair made public their commitments several weeks ago and Olen even talked about them publicly at a news conference last week.

It’s unclear when either will get to Albuquerque — Pons is playing for the France U19 national team in the FIBA World Cup in Sweden starting this weekend and Buljan is awaiting his student visa paperwork approval, but there is optimism that will happen next week.

Buljan also still needs an NCAA ruling on his eligibility as he did play in a professional league — Croatian Premijer Liga — a league several other players who have been granted NCAA eligibility have played in.

Buljan earned second-team All-League honors this past season and lead the league in rebounding after averaging 12.5 points and 8.8 rebounds, including posting one triple-double in May, for KK Cedevita Junior.

“From the moment I connected with the coaches and felt the energy around the program, I knew New Mexico was where I belonged,” said Buljan in a team release. “This isn’t just a team to me – it’s a family I’m ready to fight for. I’m honored to be a Lobo and I’m all in.”

Added Olen of Buljan: “His combination of size, athleticism and physicality will create matchup problems on the offensive end and on the glass. Lobo fans will love the tenacity and passion he plays with.”

He had a similar sentiment noting the fit Pons has in his system.

“Timéo has the size and skill we value in our perimeter players with his ability to shoot, pass and create defensive activity,” Olen said. “His best basketball is ahead of him, and we look forward to being a part of that.”

NBA Draft

Colorado State’s Nique Clifford was drafted in the first round of Wednesday’s NBA Draft, technically by the Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 24 overall, but it was a pick that was actually already traded to Clifford’s new home, the Sacramento Kings.

Clifford is the 16th Mountain West player drafted in the first round (entering the NBA from an MW school since 2000), and 13th highest pick at 24.

CSU now joins UNLV and the Lobos with the most first round draft picks as members of the Mountain West (not picks made before the league existed).

• Lobos: Danny Granger, 2005 (No. 17 overall); J.R. Giddens, 2008 (No. 30); Tony Snell, 2013 (No. 20).

• UNLV: Marcus Banks, 2003 (No. 13); Anthony Bennett, 2013 (No. 1); Rashad Vaughn, 2015 (No. 17).

• CSU: Jason Smith, 2007 (No. 20); David Roddy, 2022 (No. 23); Clifford, 2025 (No. 24).

Arizona’s best?

Two former Lobos — Lamont Long at No. 30 and Jaelen House at No. 33 — made Arizona Republic high school sports guru Richard Obert’s list of the Top 50 players in Arizona over the past 40 years.

Before Long became UNM’s No. 3 all-time scorer from the 1997 to 2000 seasons, he starred at Tempe Corona Del Sol. As noted by Obert, “His rivalry with (Mike) Bibby in high school was one of the all-time best.”

Long and Bibby, who happens to be House’s uncle and graduated from Phoenix Shadow Mountain, graduated in 1996.

As for House at No. 33, the 2019 Shadow Mountain graduate who is UNM’s No. 11 all-time scorer and No. 2 in steals, Obert notes: “One of the best defensive guards in state history, he started the fast break with his steals and sometimes finished with points on the other end. Scored in flurries.”

Give the man a whistle

Giddens, who has played professionally much of the past 17 years and was head coach of the women’s team at Northern New Mexico College for two seasons, has joined ABC Prep as one of the program’s coaches.