The doors are opened.
And for the first time in 609 days, Lobo men’s basketball is being played on Bob King Court with fans in the pit.
So much we know about the UNM Lobo men’s basketball intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday, which starts at 2 p.m.
The rest is a guess.
There is uncertainty with the product on the court – the walk-in Jordan Arroyo is the only current Lobo to have played against the state of Utah in that final game on February 29, 2020, and special assistant to head coach Dan McHale is the only coach or support agent that remains of this night.
There is also uncertainty about the return of fans to major events – the average attendance has dropped significantly this season at both Albuquerque Isotopes and New Mexico United, even after all capacity restrictions were lifted by the state on July 1.
UNM Athletics officials were cautiously optimistic that season ticket renewals through mid-October were well in the 80% range based on prepandemic numbers from the 2019-20 season.
Regardless of any question marks, Lobos first year coach Richard Pitino says Saturday is a big next step in making the pit back the weapon the program needs to get back to the championship at Mountain West.
“I am on fire. That’s why I honestly took the job, ”Pitino said of the Pt. “I think New Mexico is a great place and Albuquerque is a great place. But the reason I did it was because of this building and this fan base. I think it’s what can separate us and make us special. …
“We are obviously building something new and believing in it, but this is the crown jewel of this program and the crown jewel of this state. We have to get it back. “
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN: The Lobos announced three players this week who have been voted team captains by their teammates, although fans may only see one in action on Saturday.
The first is Senior Guardian Saquan Singleton, a 6-foot-6 wing from the Bronx, New York who was diagnosed with a heart abnormality a week ago and is on indefinite pause, even though he says he’s full and completely expects to return this season.
The second is 6-2 junior guard KJ Jenkins of Atlanta, who moved from Kilgore, Texas College after his first game in Division II North Georgia. His wisdom teeth were removed this week and he is likely to be kept out of the scrimmage, despite starting for the Lobos in a closed scrimmage against northern Arizona on October 23rd.
Third is Jamal Mashburn Jr., who finished 6-2 in his sophomore year, who moved to UNM from Minnesota, where he played for Pitino last season.
HALFTIME SALUTE: While the men’s scrimmage on Saturday isn’t like the old Lobo Howl events that featured both the men’s and women’s teams, the women’s basketball team is recognized and introduced to fans at half time of the scrimmage.
The men’s team will be featured and recognized on the pitch during Sunday’s women’s exhibition game against D-II Western Colorado. The game starts at 2 p.m.
MASK ON: Fans entering the pit must wear masks and keep them on except when eating or drinking.
BACK UP: Due to COVID protocols, the first three rows at the northeast end of the Bob King Court near the visiting team bench – better known as the place where the well-known fan “Snake” stands during the games – will be blocked for scrimmage and possibly for the season as it is too close to the guest bank. A minimum distance of 1.80 m is required between the seats of the fans and the team benches.
The first row of seats on courtyard level are tickets sold to fans, and the second row, up to the area where the band usually sits for games, is reserved for students who come to the games for free with student IDs.
Since there is no seat reservation for the scrimmage on Saturday, the first three rows will be blocked in some way.
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