Steve Alford’s return to the Pit headlined an emotional Throwback Night as UNM held off his Nevada Wolfpack 80–73 before a season-high crowd of 14,639. Alford, once the face of Lobo basketball, was greeted with loud boos as Nevada briefly seized control with a 9–0 run to open the second half. UNM responded behind freshman Jake Hall, who scored 16 of his 19 points after halftime and stretched the defense with five three-pointers. That surge opened the floor for the Lobos to rally. Deyton Albury delivered the late dagger, sealing UNM’s 23rd straight home win.

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico—In UNM’s season opener, the Lobos shifted their offensive focus from perimeter shooting to attacking the paint against East Texas A&M. The Lobos won the rebound count 43-39 and scored scored 38 points inside the paint. Freshman Uriah Tenette made a strong debut off the bench with 14 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals. Hall also chipped in 14 points while Tajavis Miller added 11 off the bench. UNM’s defense forced 21 turnovers and held ETA&M to 34% shooting. Olen emphasized the team’s defensive strength and expects offensive execution to improve. UNM next faces UT Arlington on Saturday at The Pit.