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Minnesota’s Jamal Mashburn Jr. shoots over Ohio State’s CJ Walker (13) at the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis on March 11. Mashburn on Friday became the second player in as many days from a major school to say he’s coming to UNM. (Michael Conroy/Associated Press)
Another day, another highly regarded point guard announcing his desire to transfer to play for the New Mexico Lobos.
Jamal Mashburn Jr., a 6-foot-2 former four-star recruit who started eight games and averaged 8.2 points and 1.6 assists this past season as a true freshman for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, announced on social media Friday that he will follow his old coach, Richard Pitino, to Albuquerque and play for the Lobos.
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New Mexico coach Paul Weir gestures during the second half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against Fresno State in the first round of the Mountain West Conference men’s tournament Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
LAS VEGAS, Nev. Paul Weir never did don that Cherry blazer.
Four seasons after the young, hotshot coach plucked away from rival New Mexico State was introduced as the new head coach of University of New Mexico men’s basketball at an unconventional press conference during which he quoted a Greek philosopher and bucked the program tradition of wearing a cherry blazer until he felt he earned it Weir walked alone off the Thomas & Mack Center court on Wednesday for the final time as the Lobos’ coach.
LAS VEGAS, Nev. The 11th-seed University of New Mexico men’s basketball team nearly upset sixth-seed Fresno State on Wednesday night in the first round of the 2021 Air Force Reserve Mountain West Tournament. The Lobos racked up a season-most 12 threes but ultimately fell 85-77 in head coach Paul Weir’s final contest at the helm of the Lobos.
New Mexico (6-16) was led by sophomore Jeremiah Francis III who posted a career-high 19 points, connecting on 6-of-8 from the floor while going a perfect 4-for-4 from deep. Francis III struggled from the floor for much of the season but found his footing when it counted in his final game of his inaugural season as a Lobo.
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University of New Mexico coach Paul Weir speaks to the team during a timeout of a game in Lubbock, Texas on Jan. 2. (Jason Farmer for the Journal)
Four Lobo scholarship players each of whom has started games this season did not make the trip to Fort Collins for Wednesday night’s final game of the regular season against Colorado State, leaving the team’s game roster with six scholarship players and four walk-ons.
UNM, whose head coach Paul Weir announced his resignation on Friday but remains the coach through the end of this season. UNM has not indicated whether the four are hurt, being disciplined, quit the team, why they are not on the trip or if they are expected to play in next week’s Mountain West Tournament.