New Mexico Lobos Basketball

The University of New Mexico men's basketball team announced Saturday's game against New Mexico State has been postponed following a homicide on its Albuquerque campus.

Elizabeth Tucker and Geoff Grammer of the Albuquerque Journal reported a New Mexico State player "may have been involved" but wasn't the person killed. Police haven't provided further details about how the unnamed player was linked to the killing.

"One individual has succumbed to gunshot injuries and was pronounced deceased on scene," Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson Chase Jewell said.

Police received a call around 3 a.m. local time Saturday after two men, ages 19 and 21, both suffered gunshot wounds during an altercation, per KTSM's Melissa Luna.

The 19-year-old man died. An update on the 21-year-old's condition wasn't immediately available after he was transported to the hospital.

New Mexico State Police told Luna the preliminary investigation has led them to believe there is no further threat to the community.

The schools' men's basketball programs have faced off 226 times since their first meeting in 1896 as part of the Rio Grande Rivalry. The Lobos hold a 123-103 all-time advantage.

It wasn't immediately announced whether the game would be rescheduled or canceled.

Former Kansas and New Mexico State basketball player Gethro Muscadin died Monday as the result of injuries he suffered in a December 2021 car crash.

He was 22.

"Gethro left us late last night," Kansas coach Bill Self said Tuesday. "He was involved in a major car accident 10 months ago and has basically been in a non-responsive state since then. Although only here one year, Gethro was loved and liked by all and will always be remembered as a Jayhawk. We wish his family and loved ones the best going through this most difficult time."

Muscadin was the passenger in a one-car crash on Dec. 30, 2021, in which the vehicle "went off the road, rolled multiple times, and came to rest on the fence line," according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. The car was driven by his girlfriend, with whom he had attended a Kansas vs. Nevada basketball game the previous day.

Muscadin grew up in Haiti and came to the United States at 16 to pursue a basketball career. He spent the 2020-21 season at Kansas before transferring to New Mexico, where he averaged 9.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in 12 games played.

Muscadin had been in a coma for the last 10 months following the crash.

Richard Pitino will be back on the sidelines next season, having been hired as the head coach of the New Mexico men's basketball team Tuesday.

Minnesota fired Pitino on Monday night after he spent eight seasons with the Golden Gophers. The 38-year-old succeeds Paul Weir with the Lobos.

Minnesota went 141-123 under Pitino. The team captured an NIT championship in his first season (2013-14) and reached the NCAA tournament in 2017 and 2019.

While he eventually fell short of the school's expectations, Pitino did reasonably well considering the Golden Gophers haven't enjoyed much consistent success. The Clem Haskins era was an outlier, but his tenure, which ran from 1986 to 1999, ended in scandal.

New Mexico is in a somewhat similar position. Although the Lobos became NCAA tournament mainstays when Dave Bliss and Steve Alford were in charge, they've made only two Sweet 16 appearances, the last of which came in 1974.

The fact that New Mexico has gone seven straight years without an NCAA tournament appearance will set the bar for success pretty low early on. Lobos fans are passionate, but they won't be expecting Pitino to deliver a deep run in the Big Dance right out of the gate.

He's also inheriting a roster that had just two seniors in 2020-21. Leading scorer Makuach Maluach (15.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg) is moving on. Beyond that, the cupboard should be full.

New Mexico has also received a commitment from 3-star small forward Jamel King, who sits 38th at the position in 247Sports' composite rankings. King's 0.8967 composite rating would be the eighth-highest for the Lobos since 2000.

J.B. White, a 2021 basketball recruit who was committed to the University of New Mexico, was killed in a shooting Saturday at the age of 18. 

Juan Rios, Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office spokesman, told ESPN's Myron Medcalf that White was shot in Santa Fe, New Mexico, around 3:30 a.m. local time. 

"[White] was the victim of the shooting," Rios said. "He passed away as a result of his injuries at the residence."

Per Medcalf's report, Rios said investigators are still seeking information about the shooting and haven't made any arrests thus far. 

White committed to the Lobos in Oct. 2019:   

Per 247Sports' composite rankings, White was a 4-star prospect and the No. 76 overall player in the 2021 class. 

James Yodice of the Albuquerque Journal reported in May that White was planning to graduate from high school early to enroll in classes at New Mexico for the fall semester. 

The University of New Mexico announced late Friday that Craig Neal would not return as the Lobos' men's head basketball coach for the 2017-18 season.

Geoff Grammer of the Albuquerque Journal passed along the news. ESPN.com provided a statement from New Mexico athletic director Paul Krebs about the decision and the coaching search:

The University of New Mexico is grateful for the service and dedication that Coach Neal gave to Lobo basketball. He's a good man and a winning coach, but the time has come to move Lobo Basketball in a new direction. We will begin a search for a new coach immediately and look forward to building on the winning tradition of Lobo Basketball.

Neal enjoyed initial success after taking over for current UCLA head coach Steve Alford. The Lobos went 27-7, including a 15-3 mark in Mountain West Conference play, during his first season in charge (2013-14) en route to an NCAA tournament bid.

The program didn't sustain that success, though. UNM posted a middling 49-45 record over the past three years and failed to register any further March Madness appearances.

Along with the lackluster on-court results, there were rumors of problems behind the scenes, leading to a series of changes to the staff during his time in charge.

In December, Daniel Libit of NM Fishbowl passed along comments from a former member of the staff.

"The number one reason why I left [UNM] is because of Craig Neal," a former Lobo coach said. "He is just a vindictive, jealous person, and he…really played off (Alford)."

Krebs had previously stated Neal's job was safe on March 10. It's unclear what led to the change of direction over the three weeks that followed.

The coach's contract included a $1 million buyout clause, according to the Albuquerque Journal. The report also noted the school saved $300,000 in base pay by firing him mere hours before April 1, the start of the new contract year, though.

Norm Ellenberger, who coached the New Mexico men's basketball team from 1972 to 1979, died Saturday night, per Mark Smith of the Albuquerque Journal. He was 83.

According to Smith, Ellenberger died in his sleep at his cabin in Watersmeet, Michigan, "after a series of heart ailments."

He posted a record of 134-62 in his seven seasons on the Lobos' sidelines, leading the school to the NCAA tournament on two occasions after winning the Western Athletic Conference title. New Mexico lost in the regional semifinal in 1974 and fell in the first round in 1978.

Ellenberger's tenure ended following the "Lobogate" scandal, which included forging players' grades in order to keep them eligible. The Lobos were crippled in the aftermath, failing to put together a winning season until 1983-84 and missing out on the NCAA tournament until 1990-91.

For his role, Ellenberger was convicted on 21 counts of fraud and making false public vouchers. The charges were ultimately dropped after he served a one-year deferred sentence.

"He got beat up so much," said Bob Briggs, a friend of Ellenberger's, in a 2013 article by Smith for the Albuquerque Journal. "Those of us who really know him were behind him. He got a raw deal. I don't want to name names, but those problems went up a lot higher than Norm."

Ellenberger never received a head coaching job following his firing from New Mexico. His career continued, however, as he served as an assistant at UTEP and Indiana before joining the Chicago Bulls for three seasons.

"Guys like Bobby Knight, Gene Keady, even Don Haskins in his own way," said UTEP head coach Tim Floyd, who was one of Ellenberger's assistants, per Smith. "Norm was the most flamboyant of them all. It was truly the golden age of college basketball. What he did for that city and that program was amazing."

ESPN's Fran Fraschilla also reminisced about Ellenberger's unique style:

Although he didn't find consistent success in the Big Dance, Ellenberger helped build the New Mexico program into one that would regularly compete for conference titles and advance to the tourney under Dave Bliss and then later Steve Alford.

New Mexico Lobos forward Devon Williams was hospitalized after he collapsed on the court against the New Mexico State Aggies on Nov. 15. It was later revealed that Williams suffered a neck injury.

On Nov. 18, New Mexico head coach Craig Neal said that Williams' basketball career is over after doctors advised him not to continue playing, per Geoff Grammer of the Albuquerque Journal.

Continue for updates.

Canal, Neal Comment on Williams' Status

Monday, Nov. 16

According to the Associated Press (h/t USA Today), "New Mexico athletics spokesman Eugene Canal said Williams had feeling in all his extremities and was up walking." Canal said Williams "was kept at the hospital overnight for observation."

Neal announced on Sunday that Williams suffered a neck injury and some of the coaching staff will remain in Las Cruces, New Mexico, while the forward is being evaluated, per Grammer.

Details from the Scene of the Injury Surface

Sunday, Nov. 15

Sports Illustrated noted that Williams remained facedown on the floor of the Pan American Center for numerous minutes before a stretcher was brought out. 

New Mexico State head coach Marvin Menzies went over to console Neal as Williams was being tended to, per Grammer:

Rob Dauster of College Basketball Talk said Williams suffered the injury after a collision.

New Mexico center and captain Ebony Walker was arrested and charged with aggravated assault of a household member Tuesday night after an altercation at her apartment complex.

She has since been dismissed by the program.

Continue for updates.

Wednesday, Nov. 19

Walker Dismissed by New Mexico

New Mexico head coach Yvonne Sanchez confirmed in a statement that Ebony Walker has been dismissed from the program, via KRQE.com:

'I have decided to dismiss Ebony Walker from our basketball team. The decision was made with thoughtful consideration for Ebony and our basketball program. This was not an easy decision. I care about Ebony very much, and I want her to be successful in the future at whatever she does. Ebony will graduate in December and will be able to move on with her life and her career. As far as I am concerned, the matter is closed and I will not take any questions regarding this matter. I ask that you refrain from rushing to judgment about Ebony and that you let the judicial process play out. She is a good person and deserves a successful future.'

Thursday, Nov. 6

Walker Arrested for Assault

According to Nicole Perez of the Albuquerque Journal, a neighbor called police when she heard a loud argument between Walker and her boyfriend that got physical. The neighbor claimed Walker and her boyfriend pushed one another, and then Walker chased him through the apartment complex as he attempted to leave. Police allege that Walker threw a knife at her boyfriend as she was chasing him.    

The altercation was reportedly about a phone. The airborne knife, which Walker claims she was not throwing at her boyfriend, did not strike him. Police say the boyfriend, who was unnamed in the police report, was "reluctant" to cooperate with their investigation.

Walker was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault and booked Tuesday evening. She was released after posting bail Wednesday.

The 6'2" center averaged 10.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game last season. She is entering her redshirt senior season for New Mexico. The Lobos are coming off a disappointing 9-17 season under head coach Yvonne Sanchez.

The university is yet to comment on Walker's arrest.

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The New Mexico Lobos step into their third consecutive NCAA tournament by opening their South Region matchup with the Stanford Cardinal on a 14-3 ATS run.

Both teams were in Las Vegas last week for their respective conference tournaments and now open in St. Louis.

After a losing streak in four previous March Madness tournaments, the No. 7 seeds rallied for a 3-1 against-the-spread edge last year against No. 10 schools and New Mexico is favored to keep that trend rolling in 2014.

Spread and total points scored betting line

The Lobos opened as three-point favorites; the total was 137.5. (Compare lines and consensus on the Odds Shark matchup report)

Odds Shark computer pick

70.1-66.0 New Mexico

Why pick Stanford to cover the spread

No. 10 Stanford, an at-large pick out of the Pac-12, is dancing for the first time since 2008, when it made it to the second weekend. The Cardinal have plenty to prove and with Duke grad Johnny Dawkins coaching his team in the tournament for the first time in his six-year tenure, Stanford is a dangerous entry.

Why pick New Mexico to cover the spread

The Lobos, seeded at No. 7, arrive as the Mountain West Conference tournament champs. And though they’re just 3-9 against the point spread in the NCAA tournament since 1997, this is a team that could make a run to the third weekend if teams overlook its highly talented frontcourt.

Tournament MVP Cameron Bairstow leads a talented roster that makes it easy to pick the Lobos each time out. They arrive here on a 14-3 ATS run.

Smart betting pick

There’s a reason the Lobos are on an 11-2 under run and that reason is defense. Between Bairstow and 7-footer Alex Kirk manning the paint, and Hugh Greenwood fueling the D on the perimeter, New Mexico will use its physical game to ground the Cardinal.

Stanford is mired in a 1-5-1 point spread slide and has failed to cover five of six tournament games. The Lobos are the smart betting pick against the point spread and the computer has them winning by four points.

Power rankings

Stanford Cardinal: No. 123

New Mexico Lobos: No. 18 (per Odds Shark power ranks)

March Madness betting trends

• New Mexico 14-3 ATS run in last 17 games
• Under is 11-2 last 13 New Mexico games
• New Mexico 3-9 ATS in tournament since 1997
• Stanford ended year on 1-5-1 ATS run
• Stanford 1-5 ATS past six tournament games

Note: All spread and betting line data powered by Odds Shark - download the free Lines and Bet Tracker app in the Apple Store and on Google Play.