EDITORIAL: Don’t fret, UNM basketball is in good hands after unforgettable season
Former UNM men’s basketball player and new UNM head men’s basketball coach Eric Olen pose for a photograph after UNM
The 2024-25 UNM men’s basketball season was truly a season to remember.
After being predicted to finish second in the Mountain West Conference behind Boise State and ahead of Nevada, the Lobos exceeded the lofty expectations placed on their collective shoulders.
With an unusually tough pre-conference schedule which included the likes of UCLA, at St. John’s, Arizona State, and USC, the team played as well as expected and only lost pre-conference games to the Red Storm and the Sun Devils and a shocking home court loss to archrival New Mexico State, in a game that seemed to refocus the team’s attention.
Star point guard Donovan Dent played as well as expected and routinely put up big numbers in points, assists, steals and surprisingly …blocked shots!
The team’s conference play exceeded expectations. With veterans Nelly Junior Joseph, Mustapha Amzil, and Tru Washington demonstrated marked improvement from the previous season.
Newcomers C.J. Noland, Filip Borovicanin and Jovan Milicevic played surprisingly well.
The new Lobos gave the team an additional boost in trying to win the regular season conference crown over foes Boise State and Nevada. Don’t forget another surprising season from Utah State. The Aggies were picked to finish sixth in the preseason poll and Colorado State, picked to finish 7th.
Following a thrilling regular season race, the Lobos were able to hold off Colorado State, Utah State and Boise State for their first regular season MWC championship since 2013.
UNM found itself Las Vegas, Nev. as the MWC tournament as the No. 1 team in the MWC - along with what appeared to be half of Albuquerque.
In UNLV’s arena, which the Lobo faithful affectionately refer to as “The Pit West”.
The team beat conference door mat San Jose State in its opening game of the MWC tournament, but succumbed to a hot Boise State team in the next round.
As March Madness descended upon Albuquerque, the team drew a disappointing a No. 10 seed for the NCAA tournament and was matched up against perennial basketball power and No. 7 seed Marquette.
Dent and Joseph led the way and UNM gutted out an exciting 75-66 win that had Albuquerque buzzing with excitement.
Would the team make a much-desired run to the Sweet 16? Next up was Big Ten Champion regular season champions and No. 2-seed Michigan State.
After a spirited first half that saw the Lobos jump out to a 10-point lead, Michigan State flexed its size, physicality, and yearly March Madness experience to grind out a 71-63 victory over UNM, ending the Lobos’ season.
Following the great season, all eyes in New Mexico, and the MWC in general, turned to the Transfer Portal, as Lobo fans hoped and prayed their beloved players with remaining eligibility would “keep the band together” and return next season.
This as they had the potential to be the odds-on favorite to “run it back” and win a second consecutive regular season MWC championship.
To the disappointment of many, but not surprisingly at all, top players Dent, Washington, Borovicanin and Milicevic elected to enter the Transfer Portal.
Dent went to UCLA and Borovicanin to Xavier. Washington and Milicevic could return to UNM.
Shortly afterwards, head coach Richard Pitino opted for a change of scenery and agreed to become the head coach at Xavier.
In less than a week, UNM’s new rising star of an athletic director, Fernando Lovo, hired another rising star, former UC San Diego basketball coach Eric Olen, to replace Pitino.
In summary, this past Lobo basketball season was a huge success, as evident by the team winning the MWC championship outright, participating in the NCAA tournament and winning their opening tournament game against a good Marquette team.
Fan interest in New Mexico was at an all-time high and once again, The Pit was the place to be and the place to be seen at.
UNM men’s basketball tickets were again the hottest in town.
It resulted in numerous sold-out games at the Pit, as fans clamored to see MWC Player of the Year Dent, first team All-MWC selection Joseph, defensive stalwart Washington, MWC Coach of the Year, and, to coin a baseball term, utility mainstay Amzil.
Amzil battled a nagging yearlong foot injury to finally silence his critics and play very well on the big stage of the NCAA tournament.
Going forward, the future appears to be bright for the program with a rising star of a new coach on board, coupled with renewed fan interest.
UNM’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) program - 505 Sports Venture Foundation, spearheaded by visionary Kurt Roth, continues to be the key to outstanding recruiting, the lifeblood any collegiate sports program.
All things considered, this past season was truly a season to remember.
-George Scott
Lobo Basketball 82-85
UNM 1985 B.A.
UNM Hall of Honor inductee 2021