Payback at the Pit: UNM Downs Steve Alford, Nevada on Throwback Night
UNM guard Jake Hall brings up the ball in UNM’s 80-73 win over Nevada. Photo: Erik Moulton/The Pit Press
Throwback Night in the Pit quickly turned into Payback Night by the Pit.
And it finished that way as well.
Former University of New Mexico coach Steve Alford -- once the hoops darling of Albuquerque -- was on the Pit hit list on Saturday night. And a season-high announced throng of 14,639 made sure he and his Nevada Wolfpack weren't about to spoil the festive evening.
But before UNM men’s basketball walked out of the Pit with an 80-73 win over Nevada for its 23rd consecutive home victory, Alford’s Wolfpack squad used a 9-0 run to start the second half to go up 44-36. It was the first time the Lobos trailed in the second half at home since their Nov. 26 defeat of Alabama State.
“We haven’t let too many teams come in here and do that to us this year,” said UNM center JT Rock who finished with 11 points, eight of which were in the second half, to go along with four rebounds. “Just keep our focus and make sure we’re talking on defense was the main message (from coach Eric Olen) there,” Rock said after Olen called a timeout to try and stop Nevada’s run.
New Mexico’s Deyton Albury (1) drives around Nevada’s Myles Walker (2) at The Pit Saturday night in Albuquerque, NM. Photo: Erik Moulton/The Pit Press
The Wolfpack largely shut down UNM’s ability to score in the paint, holding the Lobos to a miserable 6-of-22 on layups and limiting Tomislav Buljan to just one-shot attempt in the first half.
“They were aggressive, they were doubling me,” Buljan said. “I didn’t have a lot of chances. When I wanted to penetrate, they were bringing a lot of bodies… they did a good job of getting me away from the paint.”
With UNM trailing 44-36, the Lobos activated “Better Call Hall,” and Jake answered the bell, scoring 16 of his team high 19 points in the second half and draining five 3-pointers after he shot only 1-of-7 in the first half.
“Terrific freshman,” Alford said after the game. “He can really shoot it. Coach’s kid, smart, really understands how to play. He never gets hurried up and he made big shots and you got to give him credit for that.”
Hall’s 3-point shooting stretched Nevada’s defense, allowing UNM’s guards to penetrate and set up Buljan and Rock for easy baskets down the stretch that the Lobos could not find in the first half.
“It felt a little bit like some of the shooting spread them out more and so there was less traffic,” Olen said. “A couple of those drives were like a lot of space where the big had to help up and maybe they’re too attached weak side to cover that down. In the first half it felt like there was a little more traffic it felt like when we were getting to the rim.”
Buljan finished with 11 points and 15 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season.
UNM’s knockout punch came from senior guard Deyton Albury, who first found Buljan for any easy layup to give UNM a 71-67 lead. After Albury got a block on Nevada’s Tayshawn Comer, he came down and drilled a step back 3-pointer to give the Lobos a 74-67 lead with 2:29 to play that would prove to be the killer blow.
Fellow freshman Uriah Tenette had another balanced game with 13 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals.
Nevada had four players score in double figures, led by senior Corey Camper who had 20 points and 8 rebounds. Elijah Price chipped in 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Boos for Alford and Neal: From the moment Alford and Nevada assistant Craig Neal -- also a former UNM head coach -- came down the ramp, the hallowed arena was ready to rock.
Neal, who was fired in 2017 after four seasons -- the last three a combined 49-45 -- with the Lobos, got thunderous boos when announced.
But it was nothing compared to Alford's introduction, which sounded more like the host school had just been called for 15 straight fouls by an officiating crew that mooned the crowd.
"I've come back here several times," Alford said after the game, officially billed as Retro Night. "I love this place. I had a great six years here. It was a special community and nobody enjoys the Pit or loves the Pit or has anymore respect than I do for the Pit.
Nevada head coach Steve Alford and New Mexico head coach Eric Olen greet each other prior to tipoff at The Pit in Albuquerque, NM. Photo: Erik Moulton/The Pit Press
"That was a Pit crowd. When I was on the other bench, that's the way that crowd [was]; the crowd is still the same. And if I'm going to be on the other bench, that's what I expect. It's a tremendous homecourt advantage and I thought our guys played really hard and really well and we'll learn from this."
While the Pit crowd torched Neal for failing as Lobo coach, it went after Alford for bailing as Lobo coach,
In 2013, Alford -- the most successful coach in UNM history -- inked a 10-year contract extension after his sixth season.
He soon left to take the head job at UCLA.
The fans weren't about to let Alford's forget his Burque Bolt, and the Lobos weren't about to let the fans forget their performance.
UNM takes on UNLV on the road on Tuesday.
