1997–98 New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team
{{short description|American college basketball season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
|year = 1997–98
|team = New Mexico Lobos
|sport = Basketball
|image =
|image_size =
|conference = Western Athletic Conference
|division = Mountain
|short_conf = WAC
|CoachRank = 21
|APRank = 18
|record = 24–8
|conf_record = 11–3
|head_coach = Dave Bliss
|hc_year = 10th
|asst_coach1 =
|asst_coach2 =
|asst_coach3 =
|stadium = University Arena
|champion =
|tourney = NCAA tournament
|tourney_result = Second round
}}
{{1997–98 WAC men's basketball standings}}
The 1997–98 New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team represented the University of New Mexico as a member of the Western Athletic Conference during the 1997–98 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Lobos were coached by head coach Dave Bliss and played their home games at the University Arena, also known as "The Pit", in Albuquerque, New Mexico. New Mexico finished 2nd in the WAC Mountain division regular season standings and lost to UNLV in the WAC Tournament championship game. The Lobos received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as No. 4 seed in the South region. After defeating Butler in the opening round,{{cite news |title=New Mexico Center Overwhelms Butler |url=https://www.nytimes.com/library/sports/ncaabasketball/031498bkc-newmexico.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 14, 1998 |access-date=June 19, 2022}} New Mexico was bounced in the round of 32 by Syracuse, 56–46,{{cite news |title=Syracuse Does Everything but Shoot Well in Victory |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-mar-16-sp-29517-story.html |newspaper=The Los Angeles Times |date=March 16, 1998 |access-date=June 19, 2022}} to finish with a 24–8 record (11–3 WAC).
Roster
{{CBB roster/Header|year=1997|team=New Mexico Lobos|teamcolors=y|high_school=}}
{{CBB roster/Player|first=Lamont |last=Long |num=3 |pos=G |ft=6 |in=4 |lbs=|class=So |high_school= |home= |link= |dab= }}
{{CBB roster/Player|first=Kenny |last=Thomas |num=4 |pos=F |ft=6 |in=7 |lbs=230 |class=Jr |high_school= |home=Albuquerque, New Mexico |link=y |dab=basketball }}
{{CBB roster/Player|first=Clayton |last=Shields |num=22 |pos=F |ft=6 |in=8 |lbs=205 |class=Sr |high_school= |home=Baytown, Texas |link=y |dab=}}
{{CBB roster/Player|first=David |last=Gibson |num=32 |pos=G |ft=6 |in=2 |lbs=|class=Sr |high_school= |home= |link= |dab= }}
{{CBB roster/Footer
|head_coach=
|asst_coach=
|roster_url=
|accessdate=
}}
{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/new-mexico/1998.html|title=1997–98 New Mexico Lobos Roster and Stats|website=Sports Reference |access-date=June 19, 2022}}
Schedule and results
{{CBB schedule start|attend=yes}}
|-
!colspan=9 style={{NCAA color cell|New Mexico Lobos}}| Regular season
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Nov 11, 1997
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank = 11
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1997|sex=men|team=USC Trojans|title=USC}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = University Arena
| site_cityst = Albuquerque, New Mexico
| gamename =
| score = 98–76
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 1–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Nov 19, 1997
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank = 11
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1997|sex=men|team=New Mexico State Aggies|title=New Mexico State}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = University Arena
| site_cityst = Albuquerque, New Mexico
| gamename =
| score = 80–79
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 2–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Nov 21, 1997
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1997|sex=none|team=Texas Southern Tigers|title=Texas Southern}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = University Arena
| site_cityst = Albuquerque, New Mexico
| gamename =
| score = 90–67
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 3–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Nov 22, 1997
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1997|sex=men|team=Arkansas State Red Wolves|title=Arkansas State}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = University Arena
| site_cityst = Albuquerque, New Mexico
| gamename =
| score = 61–51
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 4–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Nov 29, 1997
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1997|sex=men|team=San Jose State Spartans|title=San Jose State}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = University Arena
| site_cityst = Albuquerque, New Mexico
| gamename =
| score = 86–57
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 5–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 6, 1997
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank = 8
| opponent = UCLA
| opprank = 15
| site_stadium = Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim
| site_cityst = Anaheim, California
| gamename = Wooden Classic
| score = 58–69
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 5–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 9, 1997
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = New Mexico State
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Pan American Center
| site_cityst = Las Cruces, New Mexico
| gamename =
| score = 62–59
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 6–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 20, 1997
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Texas Tech
| opprank =
| site_stadium = University Arena
| site_cityst = Albuquerque, New Mexico
| gamename =
| score = 81–62
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 7–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 29, 1997
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1997|sex=men|team=Holy Cross Crusaders|title=Holy Cross}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = University Arena
| site_cityst = Albuquerque, New Mexico
| gamename =
| score = 112–61
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 8–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 30, 1997
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1997|sex=men|team=Yale Bulldogs|title=Yale}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = University Arena
| site_cityst = Albuquerque, New Mexico
| gamename =
| score = 69–44
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 9–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 3, 1998
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1997|sex=men|team=Air Force Falcons|title=Air Force}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = University Arena
| site_cityst = Albuquerque, New Mexico
| gamename =
| score = 92–59
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 10–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 5, 1998
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = TCU
| opprank =
| site_stadium = University Arena
| site_cityst = Albuquerque, New Mexico
| gamename =
| score = 98–77
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 11–1
}}
|-
!colspan=9 style={{NCAA color cell|New Mexico Lobos}}| 1998 WAC men's basketball tournament
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 5, 1998
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1997|sex=men|team=Tulsa Golden Hurricane|title=Tulsa}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Thomas & Mack Center
| site_cityst = Las Vegas, Nevada
| gamename = Quarterfinals
| score = 60–59
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 22–6
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 6, 1998
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank =
| opponent = TCU
| opprank = 13
| site_stadium = Thomas & Mack Center
| site_cityst = Las Vegas, Nevada
| gamename = Semifinals
| score = 80–73
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 23–6
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 7, 1998
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = UNLV
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Thomas & Mack Center
| site_cityst = Las Vegas, Nevada
| gamename = Championship game
| score = 51–56
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 23–7
}}
|-
!colspan=9 style={{NCAA color cell|New Mexico Lobos}}| 1998 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 13, 1998
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank = 18
| seed = 4 S
| opponent = Butler
| opprank =
| oppseed = 13 S
| site_stadium = Rupp Arena
| site_cityst = Lexington, Kentucky
| gamename = First Round
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 24–7
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 15, 1998
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank = 18
| seed = 4 S
| opponent = Syracuse
| opprank = 21
| oppseed = 5 S
| site_stadium = Rupp Arena
| site_cityst = Lexington, Kentucky
| gamename = Second Round
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 24–8
}}
{{CBB schedule end
| rank =
| poll = AP poll
| timezone =
| region = S
| regionname = South
| notes =
}}
{{cite web |title=1997–98 New Mexico Men's Basketball Schedule |url=https://golobos.com/sports/mbball/schedule/season/1997-98/ |publisher=University of New Mexico Athletics |access-date=June 19, 2022}}
Rankings
{{See also|1997–98 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings}}
*{{cite book|title=ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game|publisher=Random House|pages=1064–1065|year=2009|isbn=978-0-345-51392-2}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{New Mexico Lobos men's basketball navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1997-98 New Mexico Lobos Men's Basketball Team}}