ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -Steve Alford played on a team that won the 1987 national title at Indiana. He got an Olympic gold medal in 1984. It was a thrill to be coached by his father in high school during the early 1980s.
Being named conference coach of the year at the Division I level?
That was one thing Alford had never experienced, at least not until Monday when he was given this year’s Mountain West honor. New Mexico’s coach said it ranks among his top basketball memories.
“This one’s right up there, just because I know how hard we’ve worked,” Alford said. “The guys have just believed.”
In only his second season, Alford has revived New Mexico’s passionate fan base.
The Lobos (21-10) were picked fifth in the preseason but shared the Mountain West title with BYU (24-6) and Utah (21-9). It’s the first regular season championship at New Mexico since Dave Bliss was the coach in 1994.
inner of the coach of the year award in the Indiana Collegiate Conference.
Now he’s got New Mexico on a roll.
Alford’s 45 wins in his first two seasons are more than any coach in school history. His teams have gone 9-7 in Mountain West road games and 14-12 overall away from home, another school record for consecutive seasons.
It has blunted a common criticism of past New Mexico teams – tough to beat when fans get rocking in The Pit, soft as putty everywhere else.
“When you can win away from home, especially a home like this, that’s saying something,” Alford said.
In seven seasons before Alford’s arrival, New Mexico was 14-60 on the road, including a 9-42 mark in the Mountain West. Former coach Ritchie McKay, Alford’s predecessor, went 8-41 on the road over five seasons.
That was a different era. New Mexico has won eight of its last nine and is carrying a five-game winning streak into this week’s conference tournament, and the Lobos picked up two huge road wins down the stretch.
New Mexico erased a five-point deficit with 13 seconds remaining Feb. 28 in a thrilling finish at Colorado State. Chad Toppert made a 3-pointer with 7.6 seconds left and the Lobos got possession on a held ball with 5.3 seconds to go.
62.
New Mexico won 81-79 in double overtime. Last weekend, they won 74-73 at Wyoming.
“Our backs were against the wall,” Alford said. “We knew we had to win five in a row and two of those were going to be away from The Pit.”
Are they good enough to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament? Alford thinks so but he doesn’t want to leave it to chance. He’s telling his players they need to win the Mountain West final on Saturday for the automatic berth.
The Lobos play Wyoming in Thursday night’s quarterfinals, trying to break a three-year skid of first-round exits.
“We know we’re not a lock by any means,” Faris said. “Last year I thought we were going to make it but we didn’t, and it was because of our first-round loss. So I know how important this game is going to be.”
Alford said he never put a timetable on New Mexico’s turnaround.
Hired in March 2007 after eight seasons at Iowa, he came to Albuquerque excited about what he saw in place: a great homecourt arena, an enthusiastic fan base, a good practice facility and supportive administrators.
“The X-factor was not knowing if the guys were going to believe in it,” he said. “With 19- and 20-year-olds, it can go either way. They can take what you’re saying and buy in or they can think you’re crazy and do whatever they want.”
‘s team kept the momentum going behind three overachieving seniors: Faris, Toppert and guard Tony Danridge.
Throw in two straight years of acclaimed recruiting classes and Alford has things looking up.
“We’re going to be extremely young next year, probably the youngest team I’ve ever had,” Alford said. “That’s why this year was critical – to make sure these young guys that are here and the guys who will be with us next year will know they’re joining a championship program.”
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