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LAS VEGAS, Nev. 鈥� 鈥淢an, these people are really getting into it!鈥�

Such was the reaction of two passersby taking a stroll down the Las Vegas Strip on Wednesday.

What drew their attention in a place well known for its sensory overload? A raucous crowd of several hundred University of New Mexico basketball fans gathered in and around a sports tavern near New York-New York Hotel and Casino.

鈥淗ey, go Lobos!鈥� fans chanted in time as Soundpack, UNM鈥檚 pep band, performed on the adjacent sidewalk. The school's cheer squad and mascot, Lobo Louie, followed by starting up the ever-popular chant, 鈥淓veryone鈥檚 a Lobo 鈥� woof, woof, woof.鈥�

Wednesday鈥檚 fan rally marked the beginning of what's become an annual pilgrimage of UNM fans to Las Vegas for the Mountain West Men鈥檚 Basketball Championship, which tipped off nearby at UNLV鈥檚 Thomas & Mack Center 鈥� affectionately called Pit West by those clad in cherry and silver 鈥� earlier in the day. The third-seeded Lobos, who finished the regular season 22-9 and earned a first-round bye in the tournament, will play a late quarterfinal Thursday at 9:30 p.m. (MDT).

New Mexico fans are naturally hoping for an extended run to Saturday鈥檚 championship game, where a win would secure their team a berth in the NCAA Tournament. But many who arrived in Las Vegas this week, whether longtime fans or relatively new supporters, believe the 2025-26 season has already been something to celebrate.

sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 Frank Lucero and his sister, Elizabeth Wilson, have been attending UNM鈥檚 conference tournaments since well before the Mountain West Conference鈥檚 first season in 2000.

鈥淲e go way back,鈥� Lucero said, 鈥淲e were at the first Lobo game at the Pit. I used to ride my bike to games as a kid.鈥� That first Lobo game at the Pit? Dec. 1, 1966.

Lucero and Wilson say they鈥檝e enjoyed watching the current Lobos come together under first-year coach Eric Olen.

鈥淚 think Olen鈥檚 done a spectacular job,鈥� Lucero said. 鈥淩ebuilding this team from nothing in one year, I don鈥檛 know how he's done it. It鈥檚 been amazing to watch.鈥�

The Lobos are one of three Division I teams that started the season with an entirely new roster of players and coaches than the previous year.

sa国际传媒官网网页入口 fans J.T. Schneider and Esther Benavidez can鈥檛 match the longevity of Lucero and Wilson. Both attended their first Mountain West tournament in 2020, just before the onset of the COVID pandemic. They haven鈥檛 missed one since.

鈥淚t started out as a girls鈥� trip and now it鈥檚 an annual event,鈥� Schneider said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 different every year but it鈥檚 always a lot of fun, and Lobo fans come out strong no matter what. This year鈥檚 been unexpected with a new coaching staff and a whole new team, but they've been awesome to watch. We鈥檙e really looking forward to (Thursday) night.鈥�

Corrales residents Beth Murphy and Kirk Thrasher are more recent Lobo converts, having moved to New Mexico seven years ago from Indiana. This will be Mountain West tournament No. 2 for Murphy and Thrasher, and they鈥檙e hoping it caps what鈥檚 been a spectacular college sports year.

鈥淵eah, Indiana winning a football championship was awesome,鈥� Thrasher said, 鈥渁nd we鈥檙e all-in for the Lobos now. Boise State has me a little worried because it feels like they鈥檝e kind of had our number, but if we can just get by that first game, I think we鈥檝e got a great chance.鈥�

Thrasher talked to the Journal ahead of Wednesday鈥檚 first-round matchup between sixth-seeded Boise State and No. 11 San Jose State. The Spartans upset the Broncos to advance to the quarterfinal round against the Lobos.

This week鈥檚 tournament will be the last with longtime UNM rivals San Diego State, Colorado State, Boise State, Utah State and Fresno State. Those schools will depart for the rebuilt Pac-12 next season, and several Lobo fans said they鈥檇 love to send some of those rivals out with a loss. Lucero takes a more pragmatic approach.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 care who we play,鈥� he said, 鈥渏ust beat whoever鈥檚 in front of you. That鈥檚 what we did two years ago, four wins in four days, and it was incredible. Hopefully, we can get three wins (in the tournament) this year.鈥�

Schneider agreed.

鈥淲e鈥檒l play anyone,鈥� she said, 鈥渁nd this team will battle to the very end. That鈥檚 what the Lobos are all about, and that鈥檚 why so many fans come out here to support them.鈥�