The 1990s were good to UNM hoops, and now they're back

A 1990's Retro Night? For someone born during the Truman administration, the ‘90s are an eyeblink ago. 

Even so, whatever one’s age, the night’s theme made sense — because the ‘90s were the best, or at least the winningest, decade the University of New Mexico’s men’s basketball program has seen. 

Why? Continuity, something we’ll likely never see again in college basketball. But living in the moment has its benefits too, in particular for the 14,639 fans who watched the Lobos beat Nevada, and former UNM coach Steve Alford, 80-73 Saturday at the Pit. 

Talk about no continuity: first-year UNM coach Eric Olen, in succeeding Richard Pitino, had to assemble an entirely new roster and educate his new charges in his somewhat (at least) complicated system.

After the game, Olen was asked how pleased he was to be, under those circumstances, 16-4 on the season. 

He kind of was. Then again, it’s kind of what he expected, noting that the job is far from over. 

“I think we’re playing pretty good basketball right now,” he said,  expressing, perhaps, mild surprise that anyone might be surprised at where his team sits. “We feel like we can continue to get better. 

“… I think each experience is a learning opportunity, an improvement opportunity, and I think our guys are embracing that and understanding that.”

Saturday was, in part, about embracing the past.

Before the game, I walked the concourse and took a cell photo of the faux 1990s living room/den that UNM had assembled for 1990s Retro. No lava lamps? Oh, wrong decade. One forgets. 

Certainly, from a UNM standpoint, there’s a lot to remember about the ‘90s. 

Seven NCAA Tournament appearances. Two Western Athletic Conference Tournament championships. One regular-season WAC title. 

And all under one coach: Dave Bliss. Yes, I know he got into a little trouble at Baylor later on, but that’s another story. 

Players? Kenny Thomas, one of dozens of former Lobos introduced at halftime on Saturday: four years as a Lobo. Charles “Spider” Smith: four years. Royce Olney: four years. Clayton Shields: four years. Lamont Long: four years. 

At the beginning of the decade: Luc Longley, four years. Rob Robbins, four years.  

Will it ever happen that way again, at UNM or elsewhere? Of course not. The transfer portal and NIL, though not necessarily in their exact current form, are here to stay. 

Is Olen here to stay? If he keeps winning 16 out of every 20 games, probably not.

Will any  of UNM’s star freshmen — you couldn’t call 23-year-old Croatian Tomislav Buljan precocious, but that word aptly describes Jake Hall and Uriah Tenette — still be wearing Lobo uniforms four years from now, or even a year from now? In the 2020s, we simply can’t know.

We know that Deyton Albury, Luke Haupt, Tajavis Miller, Milos Vicentic and Chris Howell won’t be back next year because they’re seniors or graduate students — or do we? With Volcano Vista grad Diego Pavia and Miami quarterback Carson Beck the poster “children,” college athletes in the so-called revenue sports are finding new and creative ways to keep playing for dear old (insert school). 

So, yeah, the word nostalgia is being redefined on almost a daily basis. Remember that game at the Pit on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026? That was something.

And, hey, it was. 

Alford and Nevada assistant and former Lobo head coach Craig Neal, UNM’s Badman and Robin, got their ceremonial booing as the reached the bottom of the ramp before the game. Will Lobo fandom ever forgive Alford for messing with happy in 2013? It appears not. 

Alford and Neal were the last guys Lobo fans would have wanted to see them snap UNM’s now 23-game home winning streak. They didn’t.

Still, lest anyone forgets, Alford’s six years as UNM’s head coach constitute the program’s longest tenure since Bliss’ 11 (1988-99).

Will Olen, or anyone, ever match Alford’s six years, let alone Bliss’ 12?

Next season, assuming he’s still here, Olen likely won’t again have to assemble an entirely new roster. But just as second-year UNM football coach Jason Eck is having to balance portal losses with portal gains, that will be his job.

Do Lobo fans care? 

Some of us thought free agency in pro sports would ruin things for the fans. It did not.

If Olen (or whoever’s next, whenever) can keep turning out teams that win 16 out of every 20 games, no matter how much the names and faces change, the turnstiles will keep turning.