UNM MEN'S BASKETBALL
Wright: The 1990s were good to UNM hoops, and now they're back
Program blending nostalgia with a fast-changing game
A 1990's Retro Night? For someone born during the Truman administration, the 鈥�90s are an eyeblink ago.
Even so, whatever one鈥檚 age, the night鈥檚 theme made sense 鈥� because the 鈥�90s were the best, or at least the winningest, decade the University of New Mexico鈥檚 men鈥檚 basketball program has seen.
Why? Continuity, something we鈥檒l likely never see again in college basketball. But living in the moment has its benefits too, in particular for the 14,639 fans who watched the Lobos beat Nevada, and former UNM coach Steve Alford, 80-73 Saturday at the Pit.
Talk about no continuity: first-year UNM coach Eric Olen, in succeeding Richard Pitino, had to assemble an entirely new roster and educate his new charges in his somewhat (at least) complicated system.
After the game, Olen was asked how pleased he was to be, under those circumstances, 16-4 on the season.
He kind of was. Then again, it鈥檚 kind of what he expected, noting that the job is far from over.
鈥淚 think we鈥檙e playing pretty good basketball right now,鈥� he said, expressing, perhaps, mild surprise that anyone might be surprised at where his team sits. 鈥淲e feel like we can continue to get better.
鈥溾�� I think each experience is a learning opportunity, an improvement opportunity, and I think our guys are embracing that and understanding that.鈥�
Saturday was, in part, about embracing the past.
Before the game, I walked the concourse and took a cell photo of the faux 1990s living room/den that UNM had assembled for 1990s Retro. No lava lamps? Oh, wrong decade. One forgets.
Certainly, from a UNM standpoint, there鈥檚 a lot to remember about the 鈥�90s.
Seven NCAA Tournament appearances. Two Western Athletic Conference Tournament championships. One regular-season WAC title.
And all under one coach: Dave Bliss. Yes, I know he got into a little trouble at Baylor later on, but that鈥檚 another story.
Players? Kenny Thomas, one of dozens of former Lobos introduced at halftime on Saturday: four years as a Lobo. Charles 鈥淪pider鈥� Smith: four years. Royce Olney: four years. Clayton Shields: four years. Lamont Long: four years.
At the beginning of the decade: Luc Longley, four years. Rob Robbins, four years.
Will it ever happen that way again, at UNM or elsewhere? Of course not. The transfer portal and NIL, though not necessarily in their exact current form, are here to stay.
Is Olen here to stay? If he keeps winning 16 out of every 20 games, probably not.
Will any of UNM鈥檚 star freshmen 鈥� you couldn鈥檛 call 23-year-old Croatian Tomislav Buljan precocious, but that word aptly describes Jake Hall and Uriah Tenette 鈥� still be wearing Lobo uniforms four years from now, or even a year from now? In the 2020s, we simply can鈥檛 know.
We know that Deyton Albury, Luke Haupt, Tajavis Miller, Milos Vicentic and Chris Howell won鈥檛 be back next year because they鈥檙e seniors or graduate students 鈥� or do we? With 近距离内射合集 Vista grad Diego Pavia and Miami quarterback Carson Beck the poster 鈥渃hildren,鈥� college athletes in the so-called revenue sports are finding new and creative ways to keep playing for dear old (insert school).
So, yeah, the word nostalgia is being redefined on almost a daily basis. Remember that game at the Pit on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026? That was something.
And, hey, it was.
Alford and Nevada assistant and former Lobo head coach Craig Neal, UNM鈥檚 Badman and Robin, got their ceremonial booing as the reached the bottom of the ramp before the game. Will Lobo fandom ever forgive Alford for messing with happy in 2013? It appears not.
Alford and Neal were the last guys Lobo fans would have wanted to see them snap UNM鈥檚 now 23-game home winning streak. They didn鈥檛.
Still, lest anyone forgets, Alford鈥檚 six years as UNM鈥檚 head coach constitute the program鈥檚 longest tenure since Bliss鈥� 11 (1988-99).
Will Olen, or anyone, ever match Alford鈥檚 six years, let alone Bliss鈥� 11?
Next season, assuming he鈥檚 still here, Olen likely won鈥檛 again have to assemble an entirely new roster. But just as second-year UNM football coach Jason Eck is having to balance portal losses with portal gains, that will be his job.
Do Lobo fans care?
Some of us thought free agency in pro sports would ruin things for the fans. It did not.
If Olen (or whoever鈥檚 next, whenever) can keep turning out teams that win 16 out of every 20 games, no matter how much the names and faces change, the turnstiles will keep turning.
