NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The regular season starts for Richard Pitino and his Lobo men’s basketball team Wednesday night as Florida Atlantic University makes a stop at The Pit. The Owls return two starters from last season’s 13-10 team. One of those starters just happens to be Bryan Greenlee, who played his freshman season, 2019-20 under Pitino at Minnesota.
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Pitino’s New Mexico team is a mystery to opponents because there is not much game tape to look at from a team dominated by new faces. The Lobos only public competition has been one exhibition game, a 101-72 route of New Mexico Highlands. Pitino isn’t sure what he will see from his first opponent, FAU.
“What’s hard is we haven’t seen anything from them this year, film-wise, we haven’t gotten anything,” said Pitino. “So, there’s a fear of the unknown a little bit, where you’re going to have to rely on your fundamentals and your principals but well-coached, very good job recruiting, getting some talented players in there. So, it’s going to be a challenge.”
The game time starts at 7 p.m.
In other sports news, the Lobo men’s basketball team announced the signing of a pair of guards and a forward, all are listed as three-star recruits by 24/7 sports. Braden Appelhans, Donavan Dent and Quinton Webb are in the class of 2022.
Lobo women’s basketball announced the letter of intent signings of three players. Hannah Robbins is the daughter of former Lobo men’s basketball player Rob Robbins. Jaedyn Bates and Natalia Chavez are two Volcano Vista Hawks standouts, who decided to stay home and play for the Lobos.
Volcano Vista soccer player Kennedy Brown is also staying at home after choosing Heather Dyche and the Mountain West women’s soccer champion Lobos. Cibola Cougar soccer players Mercedes Morris and Connie Whitesall also signed a letter of intent to play for the Lobos. Erin Jones has signed a letter of intent for St. John’s University. Jones led La Cueva to a 20-1 record, so far. The team is competing in the state high school tournament this week.
Lastly, the Albuquerque Baseball Academy had a total of 13 athletes sign a letter of intent with a pair going to the Lobos. In Artesia, last year’s Gatorade New Mexico Softball Player of the Year, Rylee Crandall, signed a letter of intent to go to Baylor.