Steve Alford Brings Nevada to the Underground Arena that is Up Top on His List: The Pit
Former New Mexico head coach and current Nevada head coach Steve Alford cuts down the net after the Lobos won the Mountain West title in 2013. Photo: UNM Athletics
He's heard the roars, and he's heard the boos.
And the most successful coach in the history of Lobo men’s basketball will certainly hear his share of both on Saturday in the Pit.
On an evening paying tribute to the good ol' days, Steve Alford makes his latest return to University Arena in a fitting reminder. His Nevada Wolfpack visits the New Mexico's Wolfpack in a key Mountain West game.
There will be plenty of Lobo fans paying tribute to Alford when he comes down the famous ramp prior to the 6 p.m. tipoff.
And there will be plenty of boos for the Nevada coach as well – for the way he left the Duke City.
Alford coached UNM from 2007-13 and led the program to national prominence.
But days after signing a long-term contract that had Lobo Nation honking horns in celebration and the Albuquerque Journal honking for all things Lobo - calling Alford "Lobo for Life" – the Bobby Knight protégé headed to UCLA.
Yes, he's been back a handful of times since becoming coach at Nevada in 2018 – as has his assistant and former Lobo head coach Craig Neal – but that won't make Saturday any less meaningful.
"There's no question," Alford told The Pit Press. "During press conferences, when the topic of courts comes up, I always say the Pit is Top 5 in the country in arenas and home-court advantage.
"(While coaching at UCLA,) I was at Arizona, which is really good, and now Grand Canyon in our league is really good. But there's nothing like the Pit. Being underground; 15,500 (fans), it's a whole different element."
The theme on Saturday is Retro Night, in which the Lobos will wear throwback uniforms, and fans are encouraged to wear their own throwback styles.
But while the past will be honored, the present has both Nevada and UNM in full focus.
The Wolfpack (14-5, 6-2) and the Lobos (15-4, 6-2) are part of a three-way tie for second place in the MW, just a game behind San Diego State (13-5, 7-1).
Utah State (15-3, 6-2) also shares the current runner-up spot while Grand Canyon University (12-6, 5-2) and UNLV (10-8, 5-2) are a half-step back and tied in the loss column.
GCU beat both Utah State and SDSU within the past week to further tighten the league race.
"I just think it's going to be another tightly contested league race," Alford said. "... In the Mountain West, trying to get road wins is very, very difficult in these environments.
"We were picked seventh. I'm not sure where Grand Canyon was picked. But we've pushed forward. I love our team. We have a highly competitive group."
That group is led by senior guards Corey Camper (16.3 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game), Tayshawn Comer (13.7 ppg, 3.9 apg) and 6-foot-9 sophomore forward Elijah Price (12.3, 8.8 rpg).
Nevada has been without injured 6-10 center Joel Armotrading "since Thanksgiving,” Alford said, “but have gone 10-2, and we were without Camper for a month but didn't lose. The guys have handled adversity very well. They are a very close-knit group and are learning to talk more (on the court). They are going to have to be a good-talking group because it's hard to hear in the Pit.
"We're making some strides in a lot of areas. Now, we're in the meat of the schedule, getting to the midpoint. The third week in January until the end is when it gets cranked up."
Alford almost always had UNM cranked up for the MW stretch run during his time at the helm.
The Lobos won or shared the regular season title four times in Alford's six seasons and won two conference tournament crowns.
UNM was 155-52 (.749) overall and 68-26 (.723) in league play with three NCAA Tournament appearances and three National Invitation Tournaments under Alford.
In his seventh season at Nevada, Alford is 126-78, 67-49 and made the NCAA Tournament in 2023 and 2024.
In between the Mountain West stints were the UCLA years, where Alford went 124-63 record and 55-35 in the Pac-12. The Bruins made four NCAA Tournament showings in the five years he finished, including three Sweet 16s.
But at UCLA, that wasn't the standard. Alford was fired during his sixth season with a 7-6 record.
The Bruins lost their last four games under Alford with the last being 73–58 at home to Liberty.
The Flames, ironically, were – and still are – coached by another former Lobo coach in Ritchie McKay, who Alford replaced at UNM when the former was fired in 2007.
While at UNM, Alford left his mark on the basketball program in numerous ways, including the renovation of the Pit.
He said that – and Albuquerque – will always be a big part of his life.
"I was there for the remodeling, everything behind the scenes," he said. "We remodeled the locker room and the weight room, the training room. We were part of all that building. You're always going to feel that.
"My time there was incredibly well spent and had it not been a UCLA-type deal, I would have stayed there. I just felt that was best long term for my family. Both of my boys (Kory and Bryce) ended up marrying Albuquerque girls, and my daughter, Kayla, met her wonderful husband in LA. It always works out for the best.
"If it was all about self, it's different. But when you have to think about everybody, it was the right decision. I'm glad my path was taking the path it's taken. But when it's all said and done, that Pit and that six-year experience I had at UNM is going to be way, way, way toward the top when I look at my coaching career."
Steve Alford wears the famous Cherry Blazer New Mexico fans got accustomed to. Now Alford wears the Nevada royal blue quarter-zip on the opposing bench. Photo: UNM Athletics
HOOSIERS HISTORY: Alford was a legend during his playing days, becoming Indiana's all-time leading scorer during his four years while leading the Hoosiers to the national championship in 1987.
Do his players talk about it?
"I'm not sure they're even aware of it," he said with a laugh. "I'm 61 now. ... It's an afterthought. Kids are getting paid now. Unfortunately, history isn't talked about the way it used to be talked about."
As for the history his alma mater made this week by going 16-0 and winning college football's national championship, Alford said "That was awesome. I enjoyed seeing a lot of teammates and classmates who got to go (to IU's win over Miami in the title game). They sent me videos and that kind of stuff.
"In my four years at Indiana, we saw 13 wins (in football). (Now) we had 16 in one year. It's pretty cool to experience that."
NOTE: Mark Smith was the Albuquerque Journal Lobo basketball beat writer for 15 years and covered Steve Alford's first five seasons at the University of New Mexico.
