Media members predicted the New Mexico men’s basketball team to finish sixth in the Mountain West this season, according to a poll the conference released on Tuesday.
UNM, coming off a 15-16 season last year, picked up 164 points in the media poll. San Diego State took the top spot with 272 points and 22 of 25 first-place votes, with Boise State second and Utah State third.
Lobo forward Tim Williams earned recognition as the Preseason Mountain West Newcomer of the Year. The transfer from Samford University is the first Lobo to be named newcomer of the year since Drew Gordon in 2010.
In his junior year at Samford, Williams had 17.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and connected on 60 percent of his shots (seventh best in the nation that year). He joined the Lobos last year, but sat out due to eligibility requirements.
“Any time a player in your program can get recognized is always great,” Lobo head coach Craig Neal said in a statement. “We’re really happy to have Tim in our program.
“It is a really good honor for him in preseason,” Neal said. “Hopefully he can live up to that and have a really good year.”
UNM takes to the WisePies Arena floor this Friday for the Lobo Howl, the team’s annual preseason event. Doors open at 6 p.m., the women’s basketball team has its practice at 7 p.m., and the men follow at 8 p.m.
Preseason Mountain West Projected Order of Finish
1. San Diego State (272 points, 22
first-place votes)
2. Boise State (234, two first-place
votes)
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3. Utah State (190)
4. UNLV (185)
5. Fresno State (182, one first-
place vote)
6. New Mexico (164)
7. Colorado State (144)
8. Wyoming (101)
9. Nevada (97)
10. Air Force (51)
11. San Jose State (30)
J.R. Oppenhiem is the managing editor for the Daily Lobo. Contact him at managingeditor@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @JROppenheim.
