While there used to be an unwritten understanding the state’s three Division II schools would be on a rotation to play the Lobos in the Pit, Friday night’s men’s basketball game between New Mexico Highlands and New Mexico is the first time the Cowboys will play the Lobos in the Pit since 2012 — a game Los Alamos High graduate Alex Kirk led UNM with 16 points in a 92-70 win under head coach Steve Alford.
When former Lobo assistant Crag Snow left UNM to coach at NMHU, where current coach Mike Dominguez was his assistant before taking over the job three seasons ago, Craig Neal’s Lobos skipped over NMHU in the rotation and it was never renewed.