This season, the Lobos got off to a 9-4 start before the turn of the calendar. Since Jan. 1, UNM has had a downfall for the ages and it won’t get any easier the remainder of the season.
The Lobos are now sitting at 14-15 and staring a potential losing season straight in the eyes. They’re also facing the pressure of a potential nine-game losing streak to close out the season. The team hosts Wyoming Saturday in the regular-season finale.
“We haven’t got the wins we thought we would get, but at the same time I think my kids have played really, really hard,” head coach Craig Neal said. “I think they’ve done everything I’ve asked them to do; we just haven’t been able to get over the hump. I know in my heart that we’re doing the right thing. I know we’re developing our team. I know we’re getting the most out of the guys we can and we’re going to keep trying to improve.”
This year’s record comes as a stark contrast to Neal’s first year as head coach. He found immediate success after taking over for former Lobo coach Steve Alford. Neal sat next to Alford on the Lobo sidelines for six years as an assistant before getting his chance to be the man in charge.
In his first season as head coach, Neal notched an impressive 27-7 record and won the Mountain West Conference tournament title for a third consecutive year.
With a talented bench, many of whom can’t play until next season because of ineligibility and injury, the Lobos potential starting five next year is bright. Elijah Brown and Tim Williams were both required to sit out due to transfer rules, while Cullen Neal and Jordan Goodman were sidelined with injuries.
The previous three UNM coaches have seen success or at least an improvement in their second year, but none have struggled quite like Neal has.
Fran Fraschilla took the reins in 1999, where he had an 18-14 record in his first season and followed that up with an impressive 21-13 in his second year. Ritchie McKay was next in line for the Lobos but struggled early in his five-year career at UNM. He boasted a 10-18 record in his first season but improved his second year with a .500 season (14-14).
After McKay, Steve Alford became head coach and had immediate success. In his first and second years, he recorded a 24-9 season and a 22-12 season, respectively. Alford had the benefit of being able to bring in his own recruiting class and coaching staff.
Other notable UNM coaches’ second-year records include:
- Bob King, 1963-1964: 23-6
- Norm Ellenberger, 1973-1974: 22-6
- Gary Colson, 1981-1982: 14-14
- Dave Bliss, 1989-1990: 20-14
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Neal and the Lobos will look to end the year on a positive note when they host Wyoming. With a loss, the Lobos will suffer their first losing regular season since the 2006-07 season (15-17) coached under McKay.
Kyle Tomasi is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @KyTo22.
