Sports

April 14

OPINION: Is Derrick Rose a Hall-of-Famer?

Rodney Prunty

Former basketball player Derrick Rose is eligible to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame after the 2027-28 season. But the question is: is he a Hall-of-Famer? As much admiration as I have for the way D-Rose played the game of basketball, I do not believe that he is a Hall-of-Famer. There is a lot of evidence pointing to the case for Rose being in the Hall of Fame. For starters, D-Rose was a crucial piece to the Chicago Bulls’ success during his early years with the team.

April 13

REVIEW: New Isotopes concessions taste like a home run

Elizabeth Secor

April 9

Isotopes take out the Bees again

Austin Bishop

Sports

Isotopes shake back with a win in fourth game of the series

Elizabeth Bolke | April 8

The Albuquerque Isotopes took on the Salt Lake Bees for their fourth game of the series on Friday, April 4. The temperature during Friday's game was frigid, with fans cozied up together and both teams wearing long sleeves under their jerseys to watch the Isotopes come out on top 5-4. At the beginning of the game, neither team could get their batters around the bases to score any runs — until Salt Lake’s Niko Kavadas hit the first home run of the night in the fourth inning. In the fifth inning, both teams left double zeros up on the board, leaving the score at Salt Lake 1 and Isotopes 0 going into the sixth inning.

Sports

The Eric Olen era begins for men's basketball

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | April 7

On March 30, the University of New Mexico announced its hire of the 23rd head coach of the men's basketball team, Eric Olen. He took over the job less than a week after previous head coach Richard Pitino announced he would move to Xavier University. This marks the third major hire in Lobo athletics over the last four months, alongside new athletic director Fernando Lovo and head football coach Jason Eck. Olen is under contract with the Lobos for five years, with a base salary of $1.2 million and an additional $50,000 per year, for a total payout of $6.5 million. He can receive further compensation by achieving athletic performance goals, like a Mountain West regular season championship or NCAA Tournament.

Sports

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week — UFC Fight Night edition

Austin Bishop | April 7

Where there’s a victor, there’s a loser, and sometimes certain athletes contribute to their team’s or their own shortcomings. These athletes are favorably called bobbleheads. This week in the UFC, we had firework fights and lackluster fights. Here are some athletes who fell off.

Sports

Isotopes get a sting in their swing after loss to the Bees

Esmeralda Lozano | April 4

On Thursday, April 3, the Albuquerque Isotopes played the Salt Lake Bees for the third game in the series. Both teams battled for the win, which led to a fairly close game with a 5-3 Salt Lake win. This loss marked the second for the Isotopes in the series. It was a tough 15-1 loss for the Isotopes on Tuesday, April 1, but they quickly recovered for Wednesday's game, winning 17-2. Thursday’s game was a challenge for both teams and it was tough to make runs, making the game one of the longest in the series so far.

Sports

Bulls and cowboys ride into town for Ty Murray Invitational

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | April 4

Even though basketball season has ended, there is still noise, excitement and a lot of dirt in The Pit. But this time, some of the athletes are of a more bovine variety. From March 28-30, The Pit hosted its annual Professional Bull Riding Ty Murray Invitational. Over the three days of action, Albuquerque was home to some of the top bulls and bull riders in the world, and The Pit was packed with a sea of denim, turquoise jewelry and cowboy hats. The riders are fighting for a chance to go to the PBR world finals, which the top 40 riders are all invited to.

Sports

Isotopes rebound from rough opener, crush Salt Lake behind explosive fifth inning

Simon Reseigh and Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | April 3

After a brutal 15-1 loss on Tuesday, April 1, the Albuquerque Isotopes flipped the momentum completely. They dominated the Salt Lake Bees in a 17-2 blowout at Isotopes Park on Wednesday, April 2. The Isotopes struck early and never looked back. In the bottom of the first inning, Adael Amador stole home on a wild pitch to open the scoring, and a Salt Lake error brought in two more. Ryan Ritter extended the lead with a solo home run in the second, and by the time the fifth inning rolled around, the home team was up 5-0 and still heating up.

Sports

Isotopes drop first game of the series against the Salt Lake Bees

Rodney Prunty | April 2

The Albuquerque Isotopes had a 15-1 loss against the Salt Lake Bees on Tuesday, April 1. This was the first game of the series between the Isotopes and Bees. To add insult to injury, this was also the Isotopes home opener for the season — one they will look to forget. Pitching and batting were the two biggest issues for the Isotopes all night. The weather for the game could have been a factor in the Isotopes’ struggle, as the wind was intense. But it cannot be used as an excuse, considering the Bees played in the same conditions and scored 15 runs.

Sports

Lobo men’s basketball loses Richard Pitino and key players

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | March 26

After their season ended with a loss to Michigan State, the University of New Mexico men’s basketball team is already being reshaped for next season. Head Coach Richard Pitino will not be back next season, and as of Wednesday, March 26, four players have declared that they entered the transfer portal. Pitino, who has been head coach of the men's basketball team for the last four seasons, accepted a job as head coach of the Xavier University men's basketball team, according to The Associated Press.

Sports

Men’s basketball: Lobos’ season ends at the hands of Michigan State

Rodney Prunty | March 24

The University of New Mexico men's basketball season came to an end on Sunday, March 23 after a loss against Michigan State. The Lobos squared off against the Spartans in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Things looked good at first for the Lobos, but as the game went on, things slowly declined. When all was said and done, the Lobos were sent home after falling to the Spartans 71-63.

Sports

Men’s basketball: Lobos continue to dance

Rodney Prunty | March 22

For the first time since 2012, the University of New Mexico men’s basketball team won a game in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the next round. This was the Lobos’ second year in a row making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament after falling short against Clemson last year. This year, however, the Lobos went head-to-head against the Marquette University Golden Eagles, beating them 75-66 on Friday, March 21. Both teams felt each other out in the first few minutes of the game. Then, the Lobos got hot offensively as they started to rack up points.

Sports

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week — NBA, March 9-14

Rodney Prunty | March 16

Where there’s a victor, there’s a loser, and sometimes certain athletes contribute to their team’s shortcomings. These athletes are favorably called bobbleheads. Another week of NBA basketball has gone by — and with that, another week filled with bobbleheads.

Sports

Albuquerque Isotopes announce ‘City Roots’ alternate identity and five-game series

Elliott Wood | March 14

On Monday, March 10, the Albuquerque Isotopes announced five promotional games for the 2025 season as part of an upcoming “City Roots” series. The new alternate identity features designs by Rebecca Zook, the Isotopes’ manager for digital and social media marketing, with a Zia sun symbol in a “505” emblem and a stylized “Duke City” logo.

Sports

OPINION: Men’s basketball — Mountain West Championship predictions

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | March 10

Starting on Wednesday, March 12, the Mountain West Championship will be must-see TV. With five teams that conceivably have a shot at the title and a few more teams looking to make some noise, the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada is sure to be packed with excitement. Two teams I would look out for are Nevada and Wyoming. They have both had very close games against some of the league's best teams, but haven’t quite been able to get over the edge and secure victories. Wyoming especially is fueled by one of the league's top players: Obi Agbim. Either team could get a few upsets and make a run deeper into the tournament.

Sports

Women’s basketball: Lobos take down Air Force 77-74 in final home game

Esmeralda Lozano | March 10

On Tuesday, March 4, the University of New Mexico women's basketball team defeated Air Force Academy 77-74 in the final home game of the season before heading to the Mountain West Championship. There was an electric atmosphere in The Pit, as both teams were filled with high intensity and determination. The first quarter was rocky for the Lobos in certain areas, mainly on the defensive end. The Falcons took the lead and ended the quarter 24-19. The Lobos’ rebounding was solid for the majority of the second quarter. Both teams battled hard offensively. On the defensive side, the Lobos tightened up a bit, only allowing 14 points in the quarter. The Lobos led 42-38 at the end of the second.

Sports

Men’s basketball: Lobos close out regular season with a win over UNLV

Rodney Prunty | March 10

The University of New Mexico Lobos became Mountain West regular season champions for the first time in over 10 years on Friday, March 7 in front of a sold-out crowd at The Pit. The men’s basketball team finished their final regular season game against the University of Nevada Las Vegas 81-67. Offense was the name of the game for both teams, and when the game tipped off, neither looked back. The Lobos came in offensively, disrupting things in the paint as center Nelly Junior Joseph was unguardable down low. Junior Joseph did it all in the paint — whether it was scoring, rebounding or defending the rim. He finished the first half with 18 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

Sports

OPINION: Bobbleheads of the week — NHL playoff push

Simon Reseigh | March 10

As the NHL season rages on, teams from each conference continue to make their push toward the playoffs as each game becomes more important. While some players will be the reason for their team’s success, others will be the reason they spend April on the couch. These athletes are favorably called bobbleheads. Here are this week’s bobbleheads who didn’t help their teams’ case for any playoff optimism.

Sports

Lobo fans ready to roll to Las Vegas for Mountain West Tournament

Izabella Kubiak-Reseigh | March 7

The University of New Mexico men’s and women’s basketball teams secured another debut in the Mountain West Tournament this year, which may prompt fans to take advantage of “Lobos in Las Vegas,” a discounted travel option. The trip will take place March 12-15 and includes round-trip transportation with a three-night stay at Excalibur Hotel & Casino. Fans will trek through the desert on chartered Paradise Tours buses on their way to support Lobo basketball. The trip started with longtime fan Bobby Aragon, and it has been a tradition since 2010.