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It’s been more than a decade since Darington Hobson wreaked havoc on opponents in an still-under-construction Pit during the Lobos’ 30-win 2009-10 season.
Lest anyone forgot, “Butta” doesn’t lack confidence.
With Sunday night’s Enchantment alumni all-star game tied 131-131, and with the unique Elam Ending game-ending format in play that in the final minutes set the game-winning score at 134 points, the versatile 6-foot-7 wing began dribbling the ball up court for his Team Kelvin Scarborough.
Sure, he had 3-point specialist Anthony Mathis on the court. and teammate Phillip McDonald had a game-high 25 points and hit five triples, but Hobson had his own message to send.
Roman Martinez’s face never cracked a smile.
Asked Saturday for a prediction for Sunday night’s 3-point contest that will be a part of the “Enchantment” alumni all-star basketball game in the Pit, the 33-year-old former UNM star fired back with a deadpan stare and the same sort of confidence he and his 30-win 2009-2010 Lobos carried on the court most nights.
“You mean who’s going to finish second?” Martinez asked.
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Moments later, the Lobo fan favorite who had three seasons of better than 41% 3-point shooting in the cherry and silver admitted his money is on Chad Toppert, a former Martinez teammate who is also No. 2 all-time in Lobo history with 266 3-pointers in his UNM career.
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UNM mens basketball head coach Richard Pitino works with his players during a practice in June in the Rudy Davalos Center. (Jim Thompson/Albuquerque Journal)The 2021-22 non-conference Lobo men’s basketball schedule is one game – and three dates – away from completion.
Based in part on game contracts reviewed by the Journal, the Lobos will play a 13-game non-conference schedule in Richard Pitino’s debut season as coach. There will be eight games in the Pit, three true road games and two neutral court games as part of the Las Vegas Classic Nov. 25 and 26 in the Orleans Hotel & Casino.
“We’ve still got to shore up one series that we’re trying to start on the road,” said Pitino when asked last week how close the school was to announcing its non-conference schedule.
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The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team lines up prior to its Wednesday home game in Lubbock, Texas, vs. Utah State. (Courtesy John Moore for UNM Athletics)
Here are some extra notes, quotes, tweets, stats and other odds & ends I managed to empty out of the old notebook after Wednesday’s 77-45 Lobos loss to Utah State in a game played in Lubbock, Texas:
Well, shoot
A couple games ago, it was the free throws what some would say is the easiest shot in basketball since there is nobody defending you that the Lobos just couldn’t seem to hit (they went 15-of-35 at the line against Nevada on Dec. 31).
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UNM Lobo Makuach Maluach drives while being defended by Boise State’s Emmanuel Akot during Monday’s game in Boise, Idaho. (Courtesy Boise State Athletics)
Here are some extra notes, quotes, tweets, analysis, videos and whatever other odds & ends I could empty out of the old notebook after the UNM Lobos’ 77-53 road loss at Boise State on Monday night in Boise, Idaho:
Maluach watch
I’m not going make featuring Makuach Maluach a regular thing in this ETN column, though I did last week when he was chasing 1,000 points and now, after Monday’s blowout loss for the Lobos, he was really the only player worthy of breaking down a little more after the game.